"VOC off-gassing is most acute during application and the drying of hardwood floor finishes. Even long after these finishes have dried, however, smaller amounts of VOCs continue to off-gas into the home. The length of the off-gassing period can vary significantly based on the amount and type of finish you use, conditions in the home, and how much ventilation is available. The U.S. Green Building Council reports off-gassing of oil-based finishes can last for months or even years. Some lower-VOC, water-based products largely finish off-gassing within a few days."
- https://homeguides.sfgate.com/long-vocs-last-hardwood-floor-refinishing-70407.html
"Some VOCs in hardwood floor refinishing products include benzene, formaldehyde, toulen, xylene and arsenic. All of these materials off-gas at normal room temperature, leading to dizziness, eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches and damage to liver, kidneys and the central nervous system, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Some VOCs, including benzene and formaldehyde, are suspected or known carcinogens."
- https://homeguides.sfgate.com/long-vocs-last-hardwood-floor-refinishing-70407.html
"The U.S. Green Building Council ranks varnish and lacquer as the worst offenders in terms of VOC off-gassing. Federal law requires varnishes to contain less than 450 grams of VOCs per liter, with lacquers limited to 350 grams per liter. The lower the VOC content, the fewer chemicals the product contains that will off-gas into your home. While these oil-based products can off-gas for months or years, the most severe off-gassing occurs in the first few days after application. For a greener alternative to traditional floor finishes, stick to water-based products, which contain around 50 to 250 grams of VOCs per liter. Products made from linseed, tung and other natural oils also contain relatively few VOCs, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. Both water-based finishes and those made from natural oils can off-gas over time like traditional oil-based finishes, but the severe off-gassing occurs much more rapidly, thanks to the faster drying time associated with these products."
- https://homeguides.sfgate.com/long-vocs-last-hardwood-floor-refinishing-70407.html