Our low- and zero-VOC hardwood finishing program expands with architect’s vision
Cincinnati Architect Adam Fosnaugh was in awe of a wood floor made in Denmark. It was the look he wanted for the first floor of the Clifton home he and his wife are remodeling. Could we recreate this aesthetic?, he asked.
It was White Oak plank, bleached in color, not too white, but no yellow tones that are typical with traditional hardwood finishes. Oh and yes, it had to be low- or zero-VOC. Adam is a LEED AP at MSA Architects. His wife, Margot, is a chemical engineer and air quality consultant, and they have a 1-1/2-year-old daughter.
Indoor-air quality, in addition to the perfect color, also would be important for the cork flooring they would select for the second floor.
While some retailers advertise cork simply as a natural and sustainable product, it is put together 
with adhesive, so verification is needed to ensure the product meets safety standards for emissions of formaldehyde and other Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s).
Roy Young, quality control manager at Schumacher & Co. Custom Hardwood Floors got to work, applying different white finishes on White Oak samples with different milling profiles, and the Fosnaughs scrutinized cork colors and patterns from
Final Wood Selection: Right side, top two rows. Zero-VOC White Lye
three of our manufacturers – APC Cork, USFloors and Wicanders — who have third-party indoor-air quality certifications.
Several weeks later, they have made their selections, and because we are excited about the unique look they’ve created, we are going to blog about this project as it goes forward, all timed around the installation of a new kitchen.
The first floor and open staircase will be 4-inch plank with a zero-VOC white lye finish that we have now added to our
Final Cork Selection: Wicanders Flock Moonlight
Natural Interiors® finishing program. For the second floor, we have ordered Flock Moonlight from Wicanders Cork, which has GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certification.
Let the transformation begin! ©
— Nancy Kibbee is editor at www.naturalinteriors.com
Schumacher & Co. Custom Hardwood Floors is the hardwood division for Carpetland Carpet One.
