Most
conventional cabinets are made of hardwood plywood, laminated or
painted particle board or medium density fiberboard, all of which
may off gas formaldehyde and other noxious or toxic gasses. All
hardwood plywood and particle board and most medium density fiberboard
is manufactured using urea formaldehyde glue. Urea formaldehyde
adhesives will off gas formaldehyde. The lamination process for
attaching a wood grain or other veneer to particle board or medium
density fiberboard may (usually) involve the use of solvent based
adhesives. These solvent-based adhesives may off gas toluene, benzene
or other VOCs.
To reduce VOC off gassing, cabinet materials that do not contain urea formaldehyde adhesives should be specified when purchasing custom made cabinets. There are several medium density fiberboard products available that are not made with urea formaldehyde adhesives. The best known of these is Medite II. Non-solvent based adhesives can also be specified when the cabinet materials will be laminated. These non-solvent based adhesives are as effective as their solvent based counterparts and are also comparable in cost.
When off-the-shelf cabinets must be purchased all interior and exterior surfaces, especially unfinished edges, must be sealed with a water borne, non-off gassing sealer such as a water-borne polyurethane.
When specifying wood species for veneers, solid wood trim and door and drawer fronts, domestic hardwoods or certified, sustainably harvested tropical hardwoods are the most environmentally sound choices. Veneer grade domestic softwoods are often harvested from old growth timber, and non-certified tropical hardwoods are too often harvested in a manner that is devastating to the forest. |