“Natural wood” means nothing in itself: all wood flooring is wood. What distinguishes a serious product from another comes down to three verifiable things — where the forest was, what the floor emits into your air, and what was used to glue it. Here is how to read each one.
1. Where the wood comes from: FSC and PEFC
Two certification systems coexist in Europe. They guarantee that the timber comes from sustainably managed forests and that a chain of custody allows the supply chain to be traced back.
- FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) — international, with social and environmental requirements and governance bringing together NGOs, foresters and industry.
- PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) — mutual recognition of national systems, dominant in European forests, notably in Poland, Germany and France.
What to understand: a label cannot be read from the appearance of the wood. It appears on the batch documents, with a chain-of-custody number. If it matters to you, ask for it explicitly — a serious seller must be able to provide it or honestly say they do not have it.
Worth knowing too: the European deforestation regulation is progressively imposing reinforced traceability on timber placed on the Union market. A constraint for the trade, and good news for the buyer.
2. What the floor emits: the VOC rating
Volatile organic compounds are emitted by finishes, adhesives and substrate panels. In several European countries, floor coverings carry an emissions label graded from A+ (very low emissions) to C.
- Aim for A+. It is now common and costs no more.
- Water-based finishes emit considerably less than the old solvent formulations.
- Natural oils based on linseed or tung oil are among the most sober finishes — with one reservation: they need regular maintenance, with products of their own.
- Formaldehyde comes mainly from panel adhesives. Look for class E1 as a minimum.
3. The installation adhesive
This is the item most often forgotten, even though it represents a large volume spread over the entire floor area.
- MS polymer adhesives are the reference today: solvent-free, isocyanate-free, EC1 Plus for the best of them.
- Two-component polyurethane adhesives hold very well but are more problematic to apply.
- Avoid solvent-based adhesives, still sold at entry level.
If you are having it fitted, specify the expected adhesive on the quote: it is an item where savings are easily made at your expense.
Engineered or solid: which is the more sober?
The answer often surprises. An engineered board consumes far less noble timber: 3 mm of oak at the surface instead of 20 mm, the rest being softwood or panel. For the same area, it saves a significant share of the slowest-growing resource.
Solid keeps two advantages: it can be sanded many more times, so it lasts longer, and it contains no adhesive between layers. Neither wins on every count.
The transport question
Let us be factual rather than promotional. European timber processed in Europe travels less far than North American or Asian timber. That said, sea freight weighs far less per tonne than road transport on the final kilometres, and a serious comparison would require a full life-cycle assessment that we do not claim to have carried out.
What we can honestly say: reducing the number of intermediaries mechanically reduces handling stages and successive storage.
The three questions to ask any seller
- What is the forest certification of the batch, and can you document it for me?
- What is the VOC emissions class of the finished product?
- Which adhesive is planned for the installation, and what is its emissions classification?
Anyone who answers “it's natural wood” to all three does not have the information. Write to us if you want these details on a specific reference in our catalogue: we answer with what we actually have, and we tell you when the information is missing.