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Many materials and finishes in a renovated kitchen can cause indoor air quality problems, according to David Johnston of What's Working, Boulder, Colo. The particleboard and medium density fiberboard (MDF) used to make kitchen cabinets and countertops contain urea formaldehyde glue, which can cause a range of health issues for some people.
However, David says, the toxins can be sealed into the materials with several coats of a water-based sealant, a process that should be done at the factory before the material goes into a home. Better yet, David says, is to purchase exterior-grade plywood that contains less toxic phenol formaldehyde (PF) or formaldehyde-free medium density fiberboard. Softwood plywood and oriented strand board (OSB) produced for exterior applications contain phenol formaldehyde resin. Pressed-wood products containing PF resin generally emit less formaldehyde than those containing urea formaldehyde (UF) resin.
If the homeowner is willing to spend a little more money to minimize the levels of toxins, the best option is to install solid surface countertops and custom cabinets made from solid wood. These products do not contain formaldehyde.
Credit: David Johnston, and Kim Master, Green Remodeling, Changing the World One Room at a Time.
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