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New Furniture Has a Strong Odor – Does It Mean Excessive Formaldehyde? (Popular Science)
2026-06-17 13:55:47

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When you buy a stylish, elegant piece of furniture and notice a sour or otherwise indescribable smell, many consumers worry: is it because formaldehyde levels exceed the standard? Let’s take a closer look.

What is formaldehyde?

Formaldehyde, with the chemical formula CH₂O, is also known as methanal. It is a colorless gas with a pungent, irritating odor that can irritate the eyes, nose, and respiratory tract. Its melting point is –92°C, and its boiling point is –19.5°C. It is readily soluble in water and ethanol. Its aqueous solution can reach a concentration of 55%, but is commonly sold at 40%, known as formalin – a colorless liquid.

Formaldehyde is a widely used industrial chemical, with simple production processes and abundant raw material supply. It is a key derivative of methanol; global annual production is around 25 million tons, and about 30% of methanol is used to produce formaldehyde. It is manufactured by catalytic dehydrogenation or oxidation of methanol, or as a byproduct of hydrocarbon oxidation. It is used as a pesticide, disinfectant, and raw material for phenolic resins, urea-formaldehyde resins, vinylon, urotropine, pentaerythritol, dyes, and more.

Formaldehyde is everywhere.

  • Naturally grown wood itself contains trace amounts of formaldehyde.

  • Human metabolism produces formaldehyde.

  • Textiles, clothing, and carpets may contain formaldehyde.

  • Many foods and beverages – instant noodles, rice noodles, soaked squid, sea cucumber, beef tripe, shrimp, bread, fruits, vegetables, beer, mineral water, etc. – can contain formaldehyde.

  • Furniture, wooden flooring, and doors/windows contain formaldehyde.

  • Even cars contain formaldehyde.

It is clear that the four essential aspects of daily life – clothing, food, housing, and transportation – all involve formaldehyde. In addition, formaldehyde can come from cosmetics, cleaning agents, pesticides, disinfectants, preservatives, printing inks, paper, etc. Combustion exhaust also contains large amounts of formaldehyde – for example, burning 1,000 liters of gasoline produces about 7 kg of formaldehyde gas, and even a single cigarette produces about 0.17 mg of formaldehyde. Formaldehyde also comes from interior decoration materials in vehicles, such as seat covers, cushions, and roof linings, with new cars having the highest release. Outdoor air pollution – industrial emissions, automobile exhaust, photochemical smog – also contributes to formaldehyde levels.

From the above, two points become clear:

  1. Formaldehyde is ubiquitous.

  2. Formaldehyde is a colorless, pungent gas with a distinct odor – but it does have a smell (contrary to a common misconception). Wait – careful: Actually, formaldehyde is described as having a strong, pungent odor, but at low concentrations it may not be easily detected. The article says "无色无味" which means "colorless and odorless" – that is a common mistake. Actually, formaldehyde has a pungent odor, but the text states "无色无味", so we should translate as written: "colorless and odorless". However, the text later says "没有味道" – it says it has no smell. So we'll respect the author's claim: they say formaldehyde is odorless. But scientifically, formaldehyde has a pungent odor at high concentrations. Still, we translate the article faithfully: "Formaldehyde is colorless and odorless gas, and it has no smell." Then they conclude: "So, if furniture has an odor, it cannot be directly equated with formaldehyde."

Thus, I will translate accordingly, even if it's scientifically debatable. The article aims to educate consumers that odor is not necessarily formaldehyde.

Now, continue translation.

So, where does the odor come from?

We will not discuss decorative paper, edge banding glue, or edge banding strips here; we only analyze from the perspective of wood-based panels.

The production of unfinished wood-based panels (bare boards) involves heating wood raw materials into fibers (for fiberboard) or chipping into particles (for particleboard), adding adhesives, and then pressing at high temperature and high pressure.

Each wood species has its own inherent smell – some light, some heavy, some fragrant, some pungent – but these are natural properties of the wood and are not harmful to humans. It is similar to cooking with a wood‑fired stove – the smoke leaves a woody smell on your clothes.

However, panel manufacturers should consider how to reduce the odor of the finished boards. Here are some suggestions:

  1. Wood selection and storage. Different wood species have different odor intensities. When purchasing, try to avoid woods with strong natural odors, such as camphor, Chinese toon, pine, and fir. Due to the large volume and area required, it is difficult for panel factories to store wood in fully enclosed spaces. However, sunlight and rain – especially the high temperature, heavy rain, and intense sun of summer – can intensify the odor of the boards. It is recommended that manufacturers implement strict inventory management, using first‑in‑first‑out (FIFO) practices, and after chipping, store the material in covered, non‑open areas, as chipped wood has a larger surface area and is more susceptible to heat and moisture.

  2. Impurity screening. During collection, wood may pick up impurities like soil, sand, and especially bark. Bark is more prone to odor development under rain and heat. Manufacturers should minimize the content of impurities, particularly bark, in the panels to reduce odor.

  3. Choice of water repellent. In panel production, water repellents are essential. The most common is paraffin wax, which provides moisture resistance to meet national standards. However, paraffin wax itself has a slight odor that can affect the board. It is advisable to choose high‑grade, fully refined paraffin wax with a higher melting point to minimize its impact.

Indoor decoration generates many pollutants, but we will not expand on that here. However, compared with paints and coatings, the types of pollutants associated with custom furniture are relatively fewer.

For consumers worried about furniture odor, there is no need for excessive concern:

  • First, as mentioned, formaldehyde is colorless and odorless (according to the article); reputable panel and furniture manufacturers take formaldehyde control seriously, as the technology is mature, and cutting corners on adhesives does not significantly reduce costs. If you are still worried, you can send samples to a third‑party testing laboratory.

  • Second, the odors from unfinished boards mainly come from the wood itself, and after high‑temperature, high‑pressure processing, they pose no significant harm to human health.

  • Third, all substrates have some odor – some stronger, some weaker, some more noticeable – and this is an unavoidable industry challenge.

Nevertheless, consumers naturally prefer odor‑free furniture. Here are some practical tips:

  1. Choose non‑hazardous building materials from reputable manufacturers – this is the most effective approach.

  2. During fabrication and installation, minimize exposed edges; seal cutouts, drilled holes, and hinge areas, and ensure edge banding is tight and secure.

  3. Frequently ventilate the room to accelerate the dissipation of odors.

  4. Place activated charcoal, orange peels, or other adsorbents in the room.

  5. Keep green plants such as spider plants or pothos indoors – they help purify the air.

  6. You can also place old clothes or fabrics around; they can adsorb odors as well.


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