ARB/SSD 1 8/19/2013

Summary of ARB Testing of Laminated Products

“Laminated products” are defined in the Composite Wood Products Airborne Toxic 

Control Measures (ATCM) as “a finished good or component part of a finished good 

made by a fabricator in which a laminate or laminates are affixed to a platform.” 

“Laminates” can consist of wood veneer or synthetic materials. The ATCM requires 

fabricators of laminated products to use certified platform materials, but the resulting 

laminated products have no additional emission standards or testing requirements. 

When the ATCM was developed, emissions data were not available to indicate whether 

the glue used to affix the laminate might lead to formaldehyde emissions of concern. 

To address the lack of emissions data, Air Resources Board (ARB) staff conducted a 

study in cooperation with the American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA) to measure 

the emissions from laminated products. The primary objectives were to:

 evaluate formaldehyde emissions of laminated products that consist of a wood 

veneer affixed using urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin to platforms consisting of 

particleboard (PB) or medium density fiberboard (MDF); and

 compare the emissions of delaminated products with raw panel emissions to 

determine the level of delamination that correlates best with the emissions of the 

original raw panel.

For the study, AHFA member companies prepared laminated product panels. These 

panels were cut in half, with one half of each panel provided to ARB for testing and the 

other half provided to AHFA for testing.

1

 Most panels were well wrapped in layers of 

plastic to reduce emission losses prior to testing, although one set of panels was

shipped in a box with no plastic wrap. Panels were prepared by ARB’s Enforcement 

Division (ED) staff and tested by ARB’s Monitoring and Laboratory Division (MLD) staff

over the period of October 2011 to September 2012. (Even though several panels were 

stored for several months prior to testing, the results indicate that the plastic wrap 

retained the formaldehyde, as some of the panels that sat the longest prior to 

preparation and testing had some of the highest results.) 

A total of 16 laminated product sample sets were tested. Each sample set consisted of 

three panels: 1) the “raw” PB or MDF platform; 2) a panel consisting of the PB or MDF

with an oak, maple, or cherry veneer attached using a UF resin; and 3) a panel

consisting of the PB or MDF with the veneer attached using a UF resin and a stain or 

finish applied to the veneer. Emissions testing consisted of duplicate or triplicate 

specimens for the following scenarios for each panel: a) as received; b) with stain

removed for finished panels (which included a portion of the veneer); c) with veneer 

removed (at the glue line), and d) at three levels below the glue line or surface of the 

raw panel (0.01, 0.02, and 0.04 inches). All removals were conducted using a sander. 

________________

1

This summary only provides ARB’s testing results.
ARB/SSD 2 8/19/2013

The protocol for the emissions testing is provided in Attachment 1. A table with all of the 

results is included in Attachment 2, with samples referred to by a number assigned to 

each fabricator (e.g., FAB2). Below is a summary of the findings. 

Findings

 The platform material (PB or MDF) complied with the Phase 1 or Phase 2 

emission standards. 

 Several of the laminated products emitted considerably more formaldehyde than 

was emitted by the platforms, due to the UF resin used to affix the veneer.

 Most samples with no stain or finish had higher emissions than identical products 

with a stain, indicating that the application of stain can reduce formaldehyde offgassing and decrease exposures to formaldehyde, although many samples with 

a stain still emitted more formaldehyde than the platforms.

 Regarding deconstructive testing, the emission measurement results after

removal (by sanding) of material to 0.01 and 0.02 inches below the glue line 

compared best with the raw panel emissions. 
ARB/SSD 3 8/19/2013

Attachment 1

Protocol for Testing Laminated Products in Coordination with AHFA

Objective

The primary objective of this testing is for ARB to evaluate formaldehyde emissions of 

laminated products that consist of a wood veneer affixed using a UF glue to Phase 2 

particleboard and MDF. Some wood veneers (e.g., red oak) are much more porous and 

have the potential to lead to higher emissions, especially if UF glue is used to affix the 

veneer to the platform. The evaluation will include a comparison of panels made with a 

porous veneer (red oak) and a less porous veneer (maple). Emissions of these 

laminated products will be compared with the Phase 2 HWPW standard (0.05 ppm), to 

help determine if such laminated products need to be regulated differently than under 

the current ATCM. 

A secondary objective is to compare the emissions of delaminated products with raw 

panel emissions to determine which delamination amount correlates best with the 

emissions of the original raw panel. This will add to our information from prior 

deconstructive testing to help establish the delamination amount for preparation of 

enforcement samples that consist of laminated products.

AHFA will be keeping split samples. AHFA wants to prepare samples using ARB’s 

sample preparation procedures. AHFA will have their samples tested by an 

independent lab, for comparison with ARB’s results.

Test Materials

AHFA and member companies have committed to provide samples of raw Phase 2 

compliant particleboard and MDF, and samples using the same platforms with red oak 

and maple veneers affixed using UF glue. 

Procedures

1. Conduct screening testing of the emissions of raw panels and laminated products 

using the FLEC/Interscan, and report results on sample transfer record 

(optional).

2. Cut specimens from all raw panels and laminated products provided by AHFA to 

the appropriate size to meet ARB/MLD’s small chamber flow to area (Q/A) ratio.

a. A minimum of two specimens of each size will be cut from each raw panel 

and laminated product to provide data on duplicate samples.

b. Specimens cut from laminated products that consist of a wood veneer are to

be cut to the size appropriate for testing HWPW, which is 7” x 5 5/8”. 
ARB/SSD 4 8/19/2013

Emissions from these samples will be compared with the Phase 2 standard 

for HWPW of 0.05 ppm. 

c. At least two specimens from raw panels (MDF or PB) will be cut to the 

HWPW size, to be able to compare the emissions of the raw panel with the 

laminated product for equal size specimens. This will provide information on 

the effectiveness of the veneer to act as a barrier to formaldehyde emissions. 

d. All other specimens, that will consist of delaminated specimens and 

specimens cut from raw panels, should be cut to the size appropriate for the 

platform used in making the laminated product: 7” x 5 5/8” for particleboard 

and 7” x 3.5” for MDF. 

 

3. Prepare specimens cut from all raw panels and laminated products provided by 

AHFA by using a sander or planer, as follows:

a. As received (no surface removal),

b. With 0.01 inch removed from the surface of raw panels or from below the glue 

line of laminated products,

c. With 0.02 inch removed from the surface of raw panels or from below the glue 

line of laminated products, and

d. With 0.04 inch removed from the surface of raw panels or from below the glue 

line of laminated products.

 

4. Wrap and label each specimen, keeping track of raw panels and laminated 

products using the AHFA labeling information.

5. Provide samples with sample transfer record to ARB/MLD. 

6. MLD will condition and test emissions following MLD’s SOP for “Sampling and 

Analysis of Formaldehyde Emissions from Composite Wood Products.”

7. Report emissions data to Lynn Baker, ARB/SSD.

8. SSD will compare emissions data with AHFA testing results. 
ARB/SSD 5 8/19/2013

Attachment 2

Testing Results - Laminated Products 
ARB/SSD 6 8/19/2013

Fabricator/

Sample #

Veneer Resin 

used 

to affix 

veneer

Platform Finish/

stain 

applied?

Emissions 

as 

received

(ppm)

Deconstructed 

emissions at 

glue line 

(ppm)

Deconstructed emissions (ppm)

below glue line by: 

 0.01” 0.02” 0.04”

FAB 2

FAB 2-AA1 raw - PB no 0.03 - 0.04 0.04 0.05

FAB 2-AA2 oak UF PB no 0.13 0.06 0.06 0.05 0.06

FAB 2-AA3 oak UF PB yes 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.06 0.05

FAB 2-AB1 raw - PB no 0.04 - 0.04 0.04 0.05

FAB 2-AB2 maple UF PB no 0.13 0.09 0.06 0.04 0.06

FAB 2-AB3 maple UF PB yes 0.08 0.08 0.06 0.05 0.06

FAB 2-AC1 raw - MDF no 0.07 - 0.08 0.10 0.10

FAB 2-AC2 oak UF MDF no 0.11 0.05 0.09 0.09 0.11

FAB 2-AC3 oak UF MDF yes 0.05 0.05 0.09 0.09 0.11

FAB 2-AD1 raw - MDF no 0.08 - 0.08 0.10 0.10

FAB 2-AD2 maple UF MDF no 0.17 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.11

FAB 2-AD3 maple UF MDF yes 0.07 0.08 0.10 0.10

FAB 2-LA1 raw - PB no 0.03 - 0.05 0.05 0.13

FAB 2-LA2 oak UF PB no 0.79 0.30 0.09 0.09 0.12

FAB 2-LA3 oak UF PB yes 0.57 0.33 0.09 0.09 0.13

FAB 2-LB1 raw - PB no 0.05 - 0.05 0.07 0.10

FAB 2-LB2 maple UF PB no 0.98 0.22 0.08 0.08 0.12

FAB 2-LB3 maple UF PB yes 0.58 0.22 0.09 0.08 0.13

FAB 2-LC1 raw - MDF no 0.04 - 0.05 0.05 0.06

FAB 2-LC2 oak UF MDF no 0.55 0.07 0.05 0.05 0.06

FAB 2-LC3 oak UF MDF yes 0.40 0.09 0.04 0.05 0.05

FAB 2-LD1 raw - MDF no 0.04 - 0.05 0.05 0.05

FAB 2-LD2 maple UF MDF no 0.82 0.18 0.05 0.05 0.07

FAB 2-LD3 maple UF MDF yes 0.36 0.13 0.04 0.04 0.05
ARB/SSD 7 8/19/2013

Fabricator/

Sample #

Veneer Resin 

used 

to affix 

veneer

Platform Finish/

stain 

applied?

Emissions 

as 

received

(ppm)

Deconstructed 

emissions at 

glue line 

(ppm)

Deconstructed emissions (ppm)

below glue line by: 

0.01” 0.02” 0.04”

FAB 6

(received 

unwrapped)

FAB 6-1 raw - PB no 0.07 - 0.06 0.06 0.06

FAB 6-2 maple UF PB no 0.07 0.04 0.07 0.05 0.07

FAB 6-3 maple UF PB yes 0.03 0.05 0.07 0.05 0.07

FAB 6-4 raw - MDF no 0.17 - 0.17 0.19 0.16

FAB 6-5 maple UF MDF no 0.09 0.08 0.14 0.14 0.15

FAB 6-6 maple UF MDF yes 0.03 0.09 0.13 0.15 0.15

FAB 7

FAB 7-1 raw - MDF no 0.18 - 0.17 0.18 0.16

FAB 7-2 raw - PB no 0.14 - 0.10 0.12 0.10

FAB 7-3 maple UF MDF no 1.35 0.16 0.16 0.22 0.22

FAB 7-4 maple UF PB no 1.29 0.33 0.25 0.24 0.24

FAB 7-5 maple UF MDF yes 0.30 0.26 0.20 0.25 0.24

FAB 7-6 maple UF PB yes 0.45 0.45 0.26 0.25 0.25

FAB 8

(did not test 

emissions at glue 

line)

FAB 8-1 raw - MDF no 0.04 - 0.04 0.04 0.04

FAB 8-2 raw - PB no 0.03 - 0.04 0.06 0.07

FAB 8-3 maple UF MDF no 0.22 - 0.04 0.05 0.04

FAB 8-4 maple UF PB no 0.19 - 0.04 0.05 0.08

FAB 8-5 maple UF MDF yes 0.09 - 0.04 0.04 0.04

FAB 8-6 maple UF PB yes 0.09 - 0.04 0.05 0.10
ARB/SSD 8 8/19/2013

Fabricator/

Sample #

Veneer Resin 

used 

to affix 

veneer

Platform Finish/

stain 

applied?

Emissions 

as 

received

(ppm)

Deconstructed 

emissions at 

glue line 

(ppm)

Deconstructed emissions (ppm)

below glue line by: 

0.01” 0.02” 0.04”

FAB 9

FAB 9-1 raw - PB no 0.04 - 0.05 0.05 0.07

FAB 9-2 raw - MDF no 0.04 - 0.04 0.04 0.05

FAB 9-3 oak UF PB no 0.07 0.05 0.06 0.06 0.06

FAB 9-4 cherry UF MDF no 0.02 0.03 0.05 0.05 0.06

FAB 9-5 oak UF PB yes 0.17 0.04 0.06 0.07 0.07

FAB 9-6 cherry UF MDF yes 0.06 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.05