Materials inside the cabinet

Formaldehyde-Free Custom Cabinets & Healthy Kitchens: what those words should mean

The accurate term is No Added Formaldehyde (NAF): engineered wood made with resins that have no formaldehyde intentionally added. Natural wood itself can release small amounts, so NAF does not mean zero emissions, and no cabinet can promise better health.

On a custom project, NAF materials can be specified, subject to component availability, and the manufacturer documentation reviewed before you order.

Ask about NAF for your project

Illustration: a faint haze drifting out of a plain, generic wall cabinet — Illustration, not a measurement. Real formaldehyde gas cannot be seen. The cabinet shown is generic, not a Quality Design Cabinet product.

What is formaldehyde?

A chemical used in some adhesives and resins that bond engineered wood, including MDF, particleboard and hardwood plywood. Over time some of these materials may release it as a gas, known as off-gassing. A kitchen holds a lot of engineered wood, so material selection can influence indoor air quality.

The U.S. National Cancer Institute reports that IARC and the National Toxicology Program classify formaldehyde as a human carcinogen. Effects depend on the level, frequency and duration of exposure, and can include eye, nose and throat irritation, coughing and skin irritation. Read the source

What a custom project can specify

Depending on the project and what the suppliers can document:

No-added-formaldehyde MDF, plywood and particleboard
Cabinet doors and drawer components selected for the project
Low-emission adhesives and finishes, evaluated separately

This can help limit one potential source of indoor air pollution. It is not a promise about your air or your health.

This is for custom projects. The stock cabinets on this site are not sold as NAF.

Five terms that are not interchangeable

Compliance with an emission standard does not necessarily mean a product contains no added formaldehyde. These are definitions, not credentials: this page shows no seal, and any document that applies to your project is reviewed with you.

NAF · No Added Formaldehyde: Engineered wood made with resins without intentionally added formaldehyde. Trace emissions are still possible.
ULEF · Ultra-Low Emitting Formaldehyde: Products made to meet specific low formaldehyde-emission criteria.
CARB Phase 2: California’s formaldehyde emission standards for regulated composite wood products.
EPA TSCA Title VI: Federal requirements on formaldehyde emissions from certain composite wood products sold or manufactured in the United States.
GREENGUARD Gold: A certification that evaluates chemical emissions from qualifying finished products and materials, under its own criteria.

Two kitchens can look identical

Same doors, same hardware, same countertops, and different panels inside: one built with conventional formaldehyde-based adhesives, the other with no-added-formaldehyde panels and compatible low-emission components. That is why materials belong in every serious conversation about kitchen design.

White shaker kitchen with black appliances and a stone-topped island — Kitchens from our own projects, shown for style. These photographs do not indicate NAF materials; materials are confirmed project by project.

Navy shaker island and range wall under a white quartz waterfall top — Kitchens from our own projects, shown for style. These photographs do not indicate NAF materials; materials are confirmed project by project.

Your kitchen. Your design. Your choice of materials.

Tell us about the project. A drawing helps and is not required here. Someone from the office reads it and gets back to you about materials, documentation and price.

For homeowners, custom home builders, general contractors, architects, interior designers and developers.

Quality Design Cabinet. Custom Craftsmanship. Thoughtful Materials. Beautiful Living.