Everyone wants well-built and attractive cabinets for their kitchen. But if protecting your health is also high on your list of priorities, then it’s also important to have non-toxic cabinets that are free of formaldehyde and don’t off-gas harmful chemicals.
Formaldehyde is a naturally occurring organic compound that’s used in the production of industrial resins and found in many composite wood products. These products put out gaseous formaldehyde in the air, which can pose numerous health risks as a carcinogen and neurotoxin. Engineered wood materials like medium-density fiberboard, particleboard, and plywood are known to be the worst offenders.
In contrast, non-toxic or “green” cabinets are held together with water-based adhesives and painted with a clear, low-VOC finish. They are typically manufactured with minimal levels of formaldehyde and are readily available. If you want cabinets that are completely formaldehyde-free, however, your best bet is to get them custom-made so you can decide on the materials that go into them.
Let’s take a look at four types of non-toxic kitchen cabinets:
Non-toxic composite wood
It’s difficult to avoid composite wood altogether, even when it comes to high-end products, but you can choose engineered products that incorporate either no formaldehyde or low levels of it. Look for wood composites that meet the California Air Resources Board (CARB)’s standard for low formaldehyde emissions (labeled “California Phase 2 Compliant”), products that emit ultra-low levels (ULEF), or those made with no added formaldehyde (NAF).
Why It Matters: Alex Wilson, editor of Environmental Building News, has noted that MDF emits more formaldehyde than all other glued-wood products, including particleboard. “For anyone with a chemical sensitivity, this should be a high-priority concern,” Wilson says. That’s why choosing NAF or ULEF composite wood for cabinet boxes and doors can make a meaningful difference in your kitchen’s indoor air quality.
Solid wood
Solid wood cabinets don’t require formaldehyde-based resins and are therefore non-toxic by nature. They have the added bonus of being naturally beautiful and distinctive.
Pediatrician and homeowner Penelope Sheely chose solid-wood, non-toxic cabinets when renovating the kitchen of her 1907 Colonial Revival in Dobbs Ferry, New York. The home’s original solid-wood cabinetry had been replaced with flimsy laminate boxes decades earlier. As Sheely put it: “I wanted kitchen cabinets that wouldn’t off-gas harmful chemicals.” She opted for custom non-toxic cabinets with a traditional stile-and-rail door and a white painted finish to match the home’s period character—proof that going solid wood doesn’t mean sacrificing style.
Common types of wood for kitchen cabinetry include cherry, maple, oak, alder, hickory, beech, birch, walnut, pecan, and mahogany. Each type offers its own style and flavor, so the key to choosing one lies in finding what works best for your kitchen.
Why Hardwoods Win for Cabinets: TOH general contractor Tom Silva has explained what makes certain woods ideal for cabinetry. Maple, for instance, has an exceptionally tight grain, making it a great material for cabinet fronts and doors—it stains up nicely and is naturally durable. Oak is another popular choice: “People love the look of oak,” Silva notes. For cabinet carcasses, birch plywood is a top pick among pros. As TOH plumbing and heating expert Tommy Silva explains: “I use Birch because Birch is a hardwood. The veneer is really hard. The grain is really tight and that makes it later on, easy to clean and durable.”
Reclaimed wood
Reusing salvaged wood is an environmentally friendly option that can cost less than using solid wood, yet also has the benefits of containing no harmful products.
On a recent TOH project, builder Norm Abram and homeowner Beth sourced reclaimed wood flooring from a storm-damaged house just a few blocks away. As Beth explained: “Reclaimed wood is a great way to make a home more sustainable, use local materials and reuse materials whenever you can.” The same principle applies to kitchen cabinets — locally salvaged wood keeps materials out of landfills while giving your kitchen character that new lumber simply can’t replicate.
The effect is unique and visually stunning, ranging from rustic to elegant, depending on the wood you find and how you manage to reuse it. And given the history behind reclaimed wood pieces, you’ll effectively be turning your kitchen into a conversation piece.
Pro Tip: Merle Adams of Big Timberworks in Gallatin Gateway, Montana, says: “We’re logging the industrial forest more than the farming forest.” That means recycling beams from industrial buildings erected earlier this century. Unlike deeply notched timber-frame barns, these buildings were usually just bolted together — the wood is easy to reuse, and when a building is torn down, the supply of beams can be enormous.
Bamboo
Fresh, light, and modern-looking, bamboo is a material that’s sturdy and durable, which makes it perfect for kitchen cabinetry.
Best of all, it doesn’t contain any toxic materials. Bamboo is different from wood in that it’s not a type of wood at all—it’s actually a grass—and it grows more quickly, making it much easier to cultivate and harvest. The biggest drawback is that bamboo is still a rather uncommon material and therefore relatively expensive, with few styles to choose from.
Pro Tip: Designer Dana Jones advises: “To ensure hardness, stability, and clarity, you have to be careful to choose bamboo that has been harvested at maturity, after five or six years of growth. Immature bamboo will not stand up as well to the demands of a kitchen.”
