How to Use Nontoxic Building Materials

Homeowners and builders are finding more reasons to use nontoxic building materials, and manufacturers are responding to demands for materials that are earth-friendly. For businesses, the increase in sick building syndrome means that employers must accommodate workers who are sensitive to chemicals. For your home, nontoxic building materials make do-it-yourself renovations a pleasure.

Things You'll Need

• Nontoxic paint
• Polyether sealant
• Formaldehyde-free countertops
• Urethane grout
• Marmoleum
• Clay plaster
• Wool carpet

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Instructions

• 1

  Choose nontoxic paints for your interiors. These paints go beyond reducing or eliminating harmful volatile organic compounds (VOC's); manufacturers produce these paints with natural pigments and without fungicides.

• 2

  Use polyether sealants instead of urethane or silicone-based sealants. You can use polyether sealants to form a watertight barrier in small areas, as these sealants won't emit noxious fumes.

• 3

  Install formaldehyde-free countertops in your kitchen and bathrooms. Formaldehyde-based adhesives are a popular way to glue plywood and particleboard together, but you can buy countertops built with food grade adhesive that won't off-gas fumes.

• 4

  Select an epoxy-free grout for your ceramic or porcelain tile applications. Urethane-based grout reduces allergy problems associated with epoxy-based grout.

• 5

  Invest in Marmoleum flooring to replace the conventional vinyl floors that emit foul odors and fumes into your environment. Manufacturers use cork, limestone, minerals and linseed oil to create this natural linoleum product.

• 6

  Build your walls with natural clay plaster instead of Sheetrock. Clay plaster is a nontoxic and dust-free building material, and you can rework any application mistakes by wetting the product before you seal it.

• 7

  Furnish your home with wool carpets and rugs. Unlike nylon or olefin carpet products, wool carpets don't off-gas VOCs into the air. On the contrary, wool absorbs environmental contaminants, in addition to being fire-resistant and more durable than synthetic fibers.