Hello Everybody,

I just found out yesterday this outstanding forum and I hope it to become a large floor community. I am a new member of this forum and an amateur carpenter. My concerns are focused on varnishes, health issues, and consumers' protection. When the water based varnishes came in market I have preferred them as more "safer" than the solvent based. Both contain chemicals which are carcinogenics, affect fertility, lungs, etc. However, I have done my research and I think that the water based varnishes emit lower toxic and chemicals compounds which are also dangerous for our health and for the consumers' health also. When the varnishes are cured, they can emit dangerous substances such as formaldehyde, toxic VOCs, etc for several months or years. Generally, some scientific articles confirm the above problem while some articles leave this issue open or have a different opinion.

So, according to your experience as a floor installers, I would like you to provide me with some useful information. I have installed a new pine floor in my home, I have stained it with wood dye (dark walnut), and I will seal it with polyurethane. So, my concerns are focused on health issues during and after the installation of the floor polyurethane.
-Can I apply the polyurethane with my furniture, bed, etc inside my home or they will be contaminated by the evaporation and toxic fumes of the floor polyurethane or I have to move them to another safer place?
-Should I prefer a weak base such as 1 pack water-based polyurethane (NMP) with VOC<50 because it contains less chemicals avoiding a wide spread contamination of my things?

Nevertheless, deep inside my I believe that all these stuffs water-based and solvent-based polyurethane are the same s*i$ and the industries play their role in order to gain money easier because water based products are quite expensive. What is your opinion as a pro?

Thanks in advance

Alex over the years I have used all of it I feel you will do just fine with poly where a resporator . good luck with project wentzwood

Low VOC water finishes are low odor and do not emit harmful vapors, oil finishes put off harmful fumes while drying/curing.
Neither will contaminate your furniture, assuming you use a decent grade FLOOR finish.