Mullican Flooring’s EPD status, in focus
Mullican is a long‑standing American hardwood brand with solid and engineered lines across multiple collections and finishes. Their catalog spans several product families and likely hundreds of SKUs, which puts them in frequent spec competition. Here’s how that breadth maps to Environmental Product Declarations today, where the gaps sit, and how that impacts bid‑readiness on projects moving toward LEED v5 and owner ESG requirements.
Who Mullican is and what they sell
Mullican manufactures solid and engineered hardwood flooring with Appalachian sourcing and finishing across collections like Tennessee Artisan, Haven, Serenity, Castillian Engineered, Chatelaine Solid, and Nature Solid. Offerings cover prefinished and unfinished options, wide planks and herringbone, and multiple species including white oak, red oak, hickory, and maple. Their sustainability overview highlights resource stewardship and indoor air quality claims, and is worth a skim for context (Mullican Sustainability).
Product breadth at a glance
Across collections and colors, Mullican’s range likely totals in the hundreds of individual SKUs. That variety serves builders, multifamily, and selective commercial interiors that want real wood visuals rather than look‑alikes. The practical takeaway for specifications is simple. More SKUs means more chances to align a finish and format with a spec book, if the documentation keeps pace.
What EPDs cover today
We did not find product‑specific EPDs published by Mullican as of January 7, 2026. Mullican participates in industry‑wide coverage through the National Wood Flooring Association, which published updated EPDs in 2025. Those show cradle‑to‑grave total GWP of 11.41 kg CO2e per m² for engineered wood flooring and 9.16 kg CO2e per m² for solid wood flooring, reflecting significant biogenic carbon storage (NWFA Engineered Wood Flooring EPD, 2025) (link) and (NWFA Solid Wood Flooring EPD, 2025) (link). A recent federal study estimated a net 16.4 kg CO2e per m² for engineered wood after biogenic accounting, underscoring how methods and assumptions shift results (USDA Forest Service, 2023).
That industry‑wide coverage helps on many projects. It is not a substitute for product‑specific EPDs where owners, GCs, or LEED v5 pilots ask for brand‑ and plant‑level declarations. In those cases, teams often apply conservative default factors, which can make a product look heavier on paper than it really is.
Likely gaps and commercial risk
Flagship engineered lines such as Haven and Castillian Premier Herringbone are strong aesthetic fits for offices, multifamily, and hospitality. Without product‑specific EPDs, those lines can be sidelined when submittals require a specifc declaration or when embodied‑carbon targets are tight. The cost of one missed mid‑size project often exceeds the cost of producing a well‑scoped EPD.
Who they meet in the spec arena
On real‑wood projects Mullican will frequently face AHF Products brands like Bruce and Hartco, plus Somerset, Nydree, Kährs, Tarkett, and engineered‑only players such as Mannington. Several of these publish product‑specific engineered wood EPDs, so they clear documentation gates quickly. Public examples include Kährs and Tarkett in Europe and Nydree in North America, with third‑party verification noted by program operators or SCS Global Services (no numbers needed here to make the point).
Indoor air quality credentials still matter
Specifiers also check emissions compliance. TSCA Title VI sets the national formaldehyde limit for hardwood plywood at 0.05 ppm, aligned with CARB Phase 2. Projects expect labeled compliance and third‑party certification where applicable (US EPA, 2024) (EPA, 2024). FloorScore and NWFA‑Certified Refinishable callouts are useful adds, but they do not replace an EPD in carbon accounting.
A practical EPD play for Mullican’s portfolio
If prioritizing, start with one high‑volume engineered collection that appears often in bids, plus one solid line used in premium residential or boutique commercial. Use an ASTM or UL‑aligned PCR pathway that matches competitors’ declarations to protect comparability. Lock a clean reference year of plant data, then replicate the model across sister SKUs with consistent construction and finishes. For brand‑new lines, a prospective EPD can bridge the first year of production with a planned refresh once twelve months of data are in.
Why speed and data discipline win specs
Spec teams care most about completeness and clarity. The smoothest EPD programs remove data hunting from plant staff, keep project management tight, and publish with the operator the market expects. That saves weeks, keeps sales in front of buyers who filter by documentation, and avoids pricing pressure that comes when a product lacks the paperwork to compete.
Bottom line
Mullican’s catalog is competitive on design and craft. Closing the product‑specific EPD gap on top sellers will unlock more bids, reduce substitution risk on LEED v5‑oriented projects, and turn their existing sustainability story into spec‑ready proof.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mullican have product-specific EPDs for its engineered or solid hardwood lines?
As of January 7, 2026, we did not find product‑specific EPDs published by Mullican. They reference the National Wood Flooring Association’s industry‑wide EPDs updated in 2025, which help on many projects but do not replace product‑specific declarations where required.
Do the latest NWFA EPDs provide credible carbon numbers for wood flooring?
Yes. The 2025 NWFA engineered wood EPD reports 11.41 kg CO2e per m² cradle‑to‑grave and the solid wood EPD reports 9.16 kg CO2e per m², both showing biogenic carbon storage effects (NWFA EPDs, 2025). Methods differ across studies, which is why product‑specific EPDs are valuable for comparability.
Are Mullican’s indoor air claims enough without an EPD?
They are helpful but not sufficient for embodied‑carbon requirements. TSCA Title VI sets a 0.05 ppm formaldehyde limit for hardwood plywood nationally, aligned with CARB Phase 2, which specifiers look for alongside FloorScore and similar marks (US EPA, 2024). EPDs address carbon disclosure, which is a separate gate.
About the Author
Eric works at the intersection of sustainability, regulation, and business strategy, helping manufacturers navigate the evolving landscape of EPDs and LCAs. Having spoken with hundreds of teams across North America, brings a deep understanding of what drives ROI, what regulators are asking for, and how companies can stay ahead with smart, scalable approaches to environmental reporting.
