Flooring certifications explained: what each label actually tests
Labels are the best tool for comparing floors, but only if you know what each one covers. Some test indoor emissions, some disclose ingredients, and some cover forestry. None of them means "eco-friendly" on its own.
Updated
Emissions: what the floor releases into your air
FloorScore is a certification for hard surface flooring and related products, run by SCS Global Services with the Resilient Floor Covering Institute. It tests volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions against California's CDPH Standard Method, the same test used in many green building standards.
GREENGUARD and GREENGUARD Gold are UL certifications for low chemical emissions. Gold uses stricter limits and includes a total VOC cap intended for sensitive settings like schools and healthcare. COREtec CR504 and Wicanders Cork Essence are GREENGUARD Gold certified.
Formaldehyde in wood products
CARB Phase 2 and TSCA Title VI set formaldehyde emission limits for composite wood products, including the plywood and HDF cores inside engineered hardwood and some cork and laminate floors. TSCA Title VI is the federal rule, and compliant products carry a label stating it. We include the compliance statement for any engineered hardwood with your quote.
Disclosure: what is in the product
EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations) report life-cycle impacts such as embodied carbon, verified under ISO 14025. HPDs (Health Product Declarations) list ingredients and known hazards. Neither is a pass or fail rating; they are transparency documents. Ask for them when comparing two otherwise similar products.
Sourcing and circularity
FSC certification traces wood to responsibly managed forests. Cradle to Cradle Certified scores products on material health, reuse, renewable energy, water and social fairness.
How to use this when shopping
Decide what you most want to avoid, then check for the certification that addresses it. Want low indoor emissions? Look for FloorScore or GREENGUARD Gold. Want to avoid PVC? No certification tells you that; check the composition, as we do on every product page. Want lower embodied carbon? Ask for an EPD. The FTC's Green Guides caution against broad environmental claims for exactly this reason: a single "green" label hides the details that matter. Start with our eco-friendly flooring installation approach, or compare green waterproof flooring.
Common questions
Is GREENGUARD Gold better than FloorScore?
They test similar things with slightly different criteria. GREENGUARD Gold has stricter limits and a total VOC cap. Either one indicates a product has been independently tested for emissions.
Does a certification mean a floor is PVC-free?
No. Emissions certifications apply to vinyl and non-vinyl floors alike. Check the product composition to know whether it contains PVC.