Materials for interior walls, floors and ceilings Some materials
commonly used inside your home can contain chemicals that can
harm your health. Common materials for walls, floors and
ceilings include: - timber - sheets and veneers including
plywood and particleboards/MDF, strip flooring, mouldings,
benchtops and architraves (solid timber, melamine and MDF) -
concrete - polished slabs for floors - fibre cement - wet area
linings - ceramic tiles for floors and walls - floor coverings
such as carpet (synthetic and wool), linoleum, vinyl, cork,
sisal, coir, and bamboo. To protect your health and minimise
harm to the environment, look for materials that: - are durable
- don't emit volatile organic compounds - can be recycled - are
made from sustainably sourced natural materials or from recycled
materials. Toxicity, emissions and air quality Volatile organic
compounds Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are chemicals that
become airborne (and therefore breathable) at room temperature.
VOCs can have health effects -