How to Build Eco-Friendly Kitchen Cabinets

One way to improve your effect on the environment is to build kitchen cabinets that are eco-friendly. You don't have to actually do the building yourself, either, since more manufacturers are providing eco-friendly premade products readily. Build your kitchen the way you wish to, with colors, styles and layouts that fit your need, just replace materials with eco-friendly solutions.

Instructions

1

Realize what it means for kitchen cabinets to be considered eco-friendly. They should be made of easily renewable resources, transported in an eco-friendly way, produced in eco-friendly environments and they should be finished (including finishes, primers, stains and glues) with eco-friendly products. Making adjustments to the cabinets you build or buy that reduce at least some of these factors will improve the environmental impact you have.

2

Know which woods and other products are suitable for eco-friendly kitchen cabinets. This includes any sustainable wood. Bamboo is one of the leading woods because it is fast growing and easily renewed naturally. Harvest wood is acceptable as is recycled products as well. A mixture of materials is possible as well.

3

Understand VOC, or volatile organic compounds, which are highly dangerous toxic poisons often used in the design of kitchen cabinets. Purchase paints, primers and finishes when you build your kitchen cabinets that have a declaration of "no VOC" on them, meaning they have not been created using products with VOC.

4

Purchase kitchen cabinets with no VOC but those that instead use non toxic, water based products. Adhesives and finishes are available like this. Also, all kitchen cabinets have fiberboards. Be sure these do not contain formaldehyde in them.

5

Find kitchen cabinet makers certified to build eco-friendly cabinets. This includes manufacturers who are ESP certified as this certification is evidence of the company's ability to provide cabinets are a reduction of impact on the environment.