Recycled Cabinet Materials – Pros And Cons

March 13, 2023 Published by admin Leave your thoughts

Recycled Cabinet Materials – Pros And Cons

If you are planning a kitchen remodel, you have a lot of choices when it comes to green/eco materials. These options include reclaimed wood, recycled or rapidly renewable wood and FSC certified wood. These options all provide benefits for your kitchen and the environment, however, they do have some downsides. It is important to understand the pros and cons before deciding on one option or another.

Pros

If you’re looking to go green in your kitchen, recycled cabinet materials are a great option. They’re affordable, eco-friendly, and incredibly durable. Particle board, MDF, and solid wood are all excellent options for recycled cabinets. They are made from wood chips and sawdust that are glued together with resin, making them lightweight and inexpensive. They’re also easy to work with and can be sanded down and painted if you want a new look. Then, add a few new hardware and you’re ready to go! In addition to these natural materials, you can use composites such as MDF or even high-gloss thermofoil. Both offer a shiny finish that can make your kitchen look bigger and brighter.

If you do decide to use reclaimed wood for your kitchen cabinets, look for ones that have a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) seal or Environment Stewardship Program (ESP) seal, which ensures they come from well-managed forests and are environmentally conscious. You’ll also need to choose a low-toxicity sealant for your cabinets to avoid formaldehyde emissions, which can be toxic to your health and the health of those around you. These low-toxicity sealants are available from many cabinet-makers and suppliers.

Cons

Using recycled materials to build your cabinets can have its downsides. First, some reclaimed materials are prone to warping and bending and can’t be used for structural purposes like baseboards and crown moldings. In addition, reclaimed wood can be expensive and may require extra labor to remove nails or metal pieces from it. Second, recycled materials can be costly and labor intensive to handle, especially when it comes to building your cabinets from scratch. Those who are eco-friendly will need to factor this into their budget, as well. Third, they can sometimes be difficult to find and may not have a warranty or exchange privileges. And with that being the case, you should always try to get a warranty on your cabinetry before purchasing it so you can be confident that it is not damaged in any way when you install them in your home.