From Forest to Cabinets- Protecting the environment while creating beautiful spaces

Within the global community, the United States is envied for our natural wood resources: according to the USDA Forest Service, approximately one-third of our nation's ;and area is forest land. Canada is also a nation rich in wood natural resources.

Within  North America, about one-third of all our forests are considered hardwood forests, with 90% of them located in the Eastern United States. Hardwood trees require from 50 to 120 years to reach a harvest-able size, and approximately 50% of the lumber produced is not used for kitchen, bath or other fitted cabinetry because it contains characteristics not accepted in furniture.

In today's' foresting industry, managed forest lands are far more the norm: as the industry works feverishly to grow trees fast enough to be timbered to meet the demand for hardwoods while managing forest for future yield. The term "old growth" refers to large trees that have grown in natural forests. Smaller, younger trees are grown on farms specifically to be harvested for the furniture, cabinetry and building industry.

What does this mean to you? First, there is great uncertainty in the hardwood industry about what impact exporting lumber will have on the wood available for domestic kitchen production in the future. Secondly, the width of planks available today and the levels of acceptability of wood characteristics are changing because more "juvenile" logs do not have the same characteristics of "old growth" logs. Thirdly, imports of veneer and wood products from other parts of the world, where forests are being harvested without concern for the environment, have led world conservationists to develop a program to "certify wood". What this means to you, is you should only work with mills or cabinet manufacturers who pay close attention to sourcing of their raw materials, and who are dedicated to responsible resource management.


An option to these woods might be engineered or reconstituted veneers. Many are emerging "green" wood products. Here are five popular choices currently being used in the cabinet industry.

BAMBOO
 Bamboo is a renewable grass product. Manufacturers harvest this renewable wood source by cutting it and leaving a 4 foot stump that will regenerate in five years. It is the quick growing nature of bamboo that makes it such an important "green" product because it has a much lower environment impact than environmentally-managed wood forests.

BLEACHING
 The bleaching process neutralizer variations of color in the woods, removing color differences that could be considered unacceptable in the final product. The dying process then penetrates the entire thickness of the veneer-it can even be repaired by sanding if scratched- and improves the appearance of the wood grain.

LYPTUS
 Lyptus is a premium plantation-grown hardwood from Brazil that has excellent work-ability, machining properties, density and finish possibilities. It is considered a wise environmental choice and an alternative to mahogany because it is produces in a sustainable way by environmentally responsible plantations. Because it grows fast in cool climates it can be harvested in 14 to 16 years. It is highly valued because it preserves natural habitat Eco systems.

DYED VENEERS
 Natural veneer have been bleached and then dyed either back to natural or to fantasy colors.

NEW WOOD
 Reconstituted veneers are real woods that have been re-glued, re-sliced and dyed to mimic more valuable woods. Reconstituted woods take consistency to another level. They are created by gluing together natural veneers in special presses, and re-slicing to get certain predetermined effects: either faithful reproductions of natural veneers or off-the-wall geometric effects. These reconstituted  and re-cut veneers demonstrate a responsible use of limited natural resources, and are beginning to be seen in the kitchen cabinetry industry as well.