The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989
  

  -----

Aluminum oxide hazards in fake wood flooring?

Q. I'm curious about any hazards of "fake wood" floors made with aluminum oxide before I invest in new flooring.

Olivia Archibald
- Olympia, Washington
2003

---

I also desire information about the aluminum oxide that is present in pre-finished hardwood floors. As concerns arise about too much aluminum present in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, there is concern about the aluminum oxide being put into the air as the finish is worn off. Kevin Lenk - Ipswich, Massachusetts 2003 Please advise if you found any negative information regarding aluminium oxide on fake floors. Does it fake off and go airbourne? I am investing in flooring and I am concerned about health issues associated with this flooring. Thank you Angela Miller - Middleburg Hts, Ohio 2006 I'm interested as well. Did you find any information on whether this is a hazard? Aluminum poisoning? Fred Boehm - Paramus, New Jersey 2006 I have not had any responses regarding Aluminum Oxide on fake wood flooring. I did contact one of the manufacturers and they said it was safe (what else would they say). I am very anxious to get some input on this. As it goes these days, I don't want to buy flooring with this stuff on it and find out 5 years later that it's bad for you! Can someone that has some knowledge about this stuff respond? Angela Miller - Middleburg HTs, Ohio 2006 Do you have answers to this question? I am seeking them, myself. Thanks, Barbara J. Reinhard - Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.A. 2007

A. Contact your local Alzheimers Association for information regarding aluminum oxide and nerve damage in kidney treatment cases. It represented to me that the chemical was able to penetrate the brains membrane and produce dementia type symptoms

nathaniel rhodes
- crestline Ohio
2007

A. Hi, folks.

I personally haven't heard of any hazards. We recently put real wood floors in the body of our house and laminate / fake wood floors in the family room (built on a slab). Although there was an aluminum "scare" some years ago, I do not believe that Nathaniel is correct about the position of the Alzheimers Association (see http://www.alz.org/documents/national/FSAluminum.pdf)

Aluminum is the third most common element on earth, and everywhere you walk on earth -- whether dirt, rocks, or sand -- you will be walking on aluminum oxide. And most pots and pans that we cook in have a surface of aluminum oxide.

This is not to assert that laminate flooring is perfectly safe -- I don't know. I suppose it could possibly have binders of some sort of organic materials like formaldehyde. If poorly made, I suppose it could "dust", and inhaling dusts of anything is not good for you.

There are other threads here on aluminum oxide coatings on flooring, like letter 25009. If anybody has a published report on the safety or hazard of these laminate floors, please let us know about it. Thanks.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
September 10, 2010