Finger-jointed poplar: offgassing?
user-471779
| Posted in General Questions on
About to trim out an entire house. I have the option of clear poplar and finger jointed poplar. My house is tight, and I have been careful about not ousting mdf for off gassing reasons. The finger jointed poplar is nice because it comes in 16 foot lengths, and it is a little cheaper. I imagine a little greener because it is helping use up scrap wood. My question… Is there any concern of off gassing, similar to mdf?
GBA Detail Library
A collection of one thousand construction details organized by climate and house part
Search and download construction details
Replies
Dean, the amount of adhesive in finger jointed stock is much lower than in mdf. I believe most finger jointed stock these days uses a polyurethane-based adhesive, which likely offgasses at the factory for the most part. If you or your client has extreme MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity) I would want to know more about the glues used, but for most people, in a house with adequate ventilation, it's nothing I would worry about.