I bought some pine furniture from a well-known Scandinavian purveyor of household accoutrements yesterday. Got home, assembled a chest of drawers and a bedside table. So far, so good.

When I went to bed I was wheezing and struggling to breathe properly – bit alarming. When I got home from work today, there was an almost overpowering solvent smell in the house (windows had been closed all night and day). I can detect the underlying pine smell, but there is a palpable miasma of something that the wood has been treated with.

Anyone else noticed this? I’m guessing it’ll dissipate in a few days with the windows open.

Could be something off the plastic packaging/wrap that’s often used?

All the packaging is cardboard, SR.

Never had it myself, despite much of our furniture being Ikea.

You could call them.. perhaps they have an issue they need to know about. Or perhaps they’ll worry you’ll sue them and offer you a goodwill payment to keep schtum.

Is it really Pine or pine coloured laminate over a composite board? If the latter then formaldehyde resins are often used and can pong a bit. Mostly a problem of a generation ago when more gunk was used in the glue but a possibility?

Ring them up.

a palpable miasma

Good work. Almost excuses

purveyor of household accoutrements

😀

It’s solid pine with a stain and lacquer finish.

Might give them a tinkle in the morning. If I’m still alive…