The Sierra Club offers their perspective on what to look for when searching for cabinets that won't harm your home, or your health. Included in their list are such things as using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood. We'd like to introduce you to Lyptus, a featured wood of Showplace Wood Products. Lyptus is a fully sustainable hardwood with "the beauty of mahogany,(and) the durability of maple." Lyptus takes both light and dark stains well and displays a lovely grain finish. Our clients love it and so do we. Here it is in our studio display.
Other Sierra Club recommendations include: Cabinet "interiors made of healthy composite wood," as opposed to solid woods. Interiors of MDF, (Medium Density Fiberboard), enveloped in a hardwood veneer is a great alternative to solid wood and Columbia Cabinets offers a urea formaldehyde-free version. Learn about SkyBlend here.
In fact many cabinet manufacturers have responded to both consumer concern and California's strict environmental standards and offer a variety of green options.
Sierra also recommends refacing as a green option and while refacing old cabinets takes less time it does not necessarily take less money. In fact the cost is often comparable for new cabinets as the majority of the expense of new cabinets is in the doors and drawers, all of which are replaced in the refacing process. However if your old cabinet boxes are in good shape and you're happy with your kitchen layout, refacing is a great option with a "green" halo. Showplace Wood Products now offers "Renew". Learn more about it here, and don't worry,they offer lots of contemporary styles not just the country look.
