Thanks to low voc wood floor finish and stains.
She still reaches for her inhaler to fend off asthmatic attacks triggered by a moldy basement, but it is no longer a ritual four to six times a day—four to six times a week is more like it.
Apart from medical intervention? A handy husband, Mark, to dry out the basement, a small group Bible study that also pulls carpet, some financial assistance from church and family, and donated material and labor from a local floor store and union.
...says Deb, who found herself debilitated and isolated by the onset of her asthma and intense smell sensitivities-- unable to work or shop or socialize or teach Sunday school or serve in altar ministry at North Heights, a local Lutheran congregation in Arden Hills and Roseville that has always been the better for Deb’s energy and many talents.
...the Nygaard’s church congregation was gifting small groups for kindness outreaches of their own choosing. The Nygaard’s small group petitioned and received money to help them get rid of their old carpeting and replace it with washable, healthy, hard surfaces. “This was the impetus we really needed to make the improvements,” recalls Deb of that one day group effort.
So, what were their choices to replace the carpet and improve air quality with a hard surface?
Downstairs, traditional hardwood floors made the most sense, since the Nygaards wanted to maintain integrity with their 1920’s era house.
But what would they do about the dust and smell of getting a traditional hardwood floor? Pre-finished, right?
Actually, they ruled out pre-finished flooring because of the way the boards are v-grooved at the edges.
Deb says, “We have pets so we knew all kinds of allergens would just be funneled down between the boards and out of reach and make for another un-healthy situation.”
ShadeMaker Flooring supplied its trademark Preservation Flooring™, a square-edged engineered strip floor that was then installed, sanded and finished by paid and volunteer members from The Floorwrights,Local.
Dust containment equipment, low VOC stain, and low VOC wood floor finish with ceramic were used to protect air quality during finishing, as well as provide wash-ability and wear-ability for a lifetime of pets and boys.
“Except for some slight sensitivity to the stain, (230 VOC grams/liter,) I really had no trouble with any of the finishes.
It’s gorgeous! And the Brazilian Cherry feature strip around the living room really makes it pop!” says Deb.
“Yeah, that was an upgrade with our compliments,” says Jerry Adamsson of the feature strip. Adamsson, also a North Heights Lutheran, is the business agent for local affiliated Floorwrights.
“We had the material left over from another job and a journeyman joiner from Floorwrights, Local ‘87 was willing to put it in for free, and it seemed like a very period thing to do in a 20’s era house, so why not?”
Last report, Deb is down to one inhaler use a week. She’s attended church four Sundays in a row. North Heights is about to get back a Sunday school teacher and altar minister…and the Wilsons can come over for the holidays. This Ceramic Low VOC Wood Floor Finish video illustrates how FormulaOne finish Nygaard's.
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