Flooring (C-15) · Lesson 4 of 7

CALGreen Flooring Products: Adhesive VOC Limits and the 80% Rule

"CALGreen Flooring Products: Adhesive VOC Limits and the 80% Rule" is lesson 4 of 7 in the Flooring (C-15) Learning Hub. It opens with "Two Chapters, Same Flooring Rules" and works through 5 short steps, then a worked example you can check yourself against.

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Steps in this lesson

  1. Two Chapters, Same Flooring Rules
  2. Adhesive VOC Limits (Table 4.504.1 and Table 5.504.4.1)
  3. Carpet, Cushion, and Carpet Adhesive
  4. Resilient Flooring: At Least 80 Percent of the Area
  5. Keep the Proof Where the Inspector Can Ask for It

The worked example in the course applies this lesson to a realistic job in 5 steps, from "Required certified area" through "Documentation".

What you'll be able to do

  • Explain the main idea of "CALGreen Flooring Products: Adhesive VOC Limits and the 80% Rule" in plain language you can use on the exam.
  • Apply this step with confidence: "Carpet, Cushion, and Carpet Adhesive".
  • Apply this step with confidence: "Resilient Flooring: At Least 80 Percent of the Area".
  • Apply this step with confidence: "Keep the Proof Where the Inspector Can Ask for It".
  • Test yourself on the worked example and the quick-check quiz inside the classroom.
CALGreen Flooring: Adhesive VOC and the 80% Resilient RuleRESILIENT FLOORING AREA, 4,200 sq ftAs submitted: 76.2% certifiedAfter swap: 81.0% certified80% = 3,360 sq ftCDPH v1.2 certifiednot certifiedA: VCT 2,300 and B: sheet vinyl 900 are certified.C: rubber 1,000 is not. Moving 200 sq ft of C toa certified rubber product gives 3,400 certified.ADHESIVE LABELS vs TABLE 5.504.4.1AdhesiveLabelLimitResultVCT adhesive6550FAILRubber floor adhesive5560OKIndoor carpet adhesive4850OKg/L, less water and less exempt compoundsArea rule: 80% x 4,200 = 3,360 sq ft2,300 + 900 = 3,200 sq ft = 76.2%: short3,400 / 4,200 = 81.0%: meets 80%Up to 20% (840 sq ft) may be uncertifiedNot compliant as submitted: 76.2% certified and a 65 g/L VCT adhesiveFix: certify 200 more sq ft and switch to a VCT adhesive at 50 g/L or lessSource: 2025 CALGreen 5.504.4.1, Table 5.504.4.1, 5.504.4.6 (Chapter 4: 4.504.2.1, Table 4.504.1, 4.504.4).CC
The diagram for this lesson, exactly as it appears in the Learning Hub.

The first steps of this lesson

Step 1: Two Chapters, Same Flooring Rules

Floor-covering materials are "finish materials" under CALGreen. 2025 CALGreen Section 4.504 (Chapter 4, residential mandatory measures) and Section 5.504.4 (Chapter 5, nonresidential mandatory measures) set the adhesive, carpet and resilient-flooring requirements, and the flooring rows in the two adhesive tables are the same. A flooring contractor needs these before ordering, because a product that fails them has to come back off the floor.

Step 2: Adhesive VOC Limits (Table 4.504.1 and Table 5.504.4.1)

Adhesives must meet the local or regional air district rules where they apply, or the SCAQMD Rule 1168 VOC limits printed in the table, and must not contain chloroform, ethylene dichloride, methylene chloride, perchloroethylene or trichloroethylene (aerosols follow 17 CCR Section 94507). The limits are grams per liter, less water and less exempt compounds: indoor carpet adhesives 50; carpet pad adhesives 50; outdoor carpet adhesives 150; wood flooring adhesive 100; rubber floor adhesives 60; subfloor adhesives 50; ceramic tile adhesives 65; VCT and asphalt tile adhesives 50; cove base adhesives 50; multipurpose construction adhesives 70; other adhesives not specifically listed 50. Footnote 1 lets the adhesive with the highest VOC content be used when it bonds dissimilar substrates.

The remaining 3 steps, the worked example and the quiz are in the course. This is a preview. The full lesson, with the step-by-step explanations, a worked example and a quick-check quiz, is inside the classroom.

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