(the following article is from Bob Nance at Kitchen and Bath insights)
They’re Green!
There’s a lot of emphasis on being green these days. Many modern, new construction homes are now built with an eye toward Earth-friendly materials. And yet, who thinks of their maple wood cabinets as being Earth-friendly or respectful of the environment? Don’t we have to cut trees to make them? Fact is, wood is one of the only long-lasting building materials derived from a renewable source - and they are far more earth-friendly than you may think.
Like the fruits and vegetables you cook in your kitchen, Maple Kitchen cabinets are the product of an agricultural crop that is harvested and replanted. Unlike building materials such as iron ore that are only mined on a depleting basis, we can replenish our wood sources with responsible replanting. In addition, other building materials, such as steel, can take up to three times as much energy as wood to extract, manufacture, transport and construct!
According to the University of Georgia’s Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health, “In general, products made from steel, glass, plastic, cement, or brick require approximately 24, 14, 6, and 4.5 times more energy, respectively, than does wood to make a final product.” Not to mention the fact that wood is recyclable and biodegradable!
They’re Timeless
We know their look is timeless. The character of solid maple hardwoods and their subtle wood grain isn’t going out of style. But being made of wood, will they last as long as newer materials? Aren’t particleboard or fiberboard cabinets made of recycled materials and better for the environment? No and Yes. Don’t be fooled. The inherent biodegradability of hardwood doesn’t mean these custom cabinets won’t last for years hanging in your kitchen – they will actually last longer than some of the recycled materials that scratch more easily – and in terms of energy, it’s arguable that it takes more energy and fossil fuels to recycle products than to reuse. I.e., in terms of energy and cost, replacing less durable cabinets made of recycled materials several times over may be more costly to the pocketbook and environment in the long-run than simply installing durable, real wood custom kitchen cabinets and reusing them for generations. With a timeless look like maple, it’s easy to imagine keeping these cabinets for decades and simply updating your other décor when a fresh look is desired.
A solid maple kitchen cabinet is a hard wood, intrinsically more resistant to surface damage than recycled or fabricated materials (even more so when we finish it with a fine-grained texture and wax to bring out the natural grain). If you doubt the difference between pressed particle boards and maple hardwood, visit your local lumber yard or home improvement store and take a nail to a sample piece of each. You’ll find it much easier to damage the former than the latter! This is not to say that only hardwood cabinets are good and that cabinets with pressed recycled materials are bad. It simply means that cabinets constructed with newer materials inside may need better care in your high traffic area or more quality treatments and finishes to protect them.
You simply can’t substitute the warmth and charm of real maple cabinets, and hardwood maple is a sound investment for your remodel project. Better yet, if you’re looking to be kind to the environment with longevity and sustained use, remember that Maple kitchen cabinets will give your home a contemporary, timeless appeal rooted in nature.
We can help.
Woodsmith Cabinetry offers a line of maple hardwood cabinetry. These are pre-built and they are in-stock. The photos shown in this article are of our "Spice Maple" line of cabinets. Call us at 480-600-5700 or come visit our showroom at 720 N. Golden Key St in Gilbert (near Cooper and Guadalupe). We offer free estimates and kitchen design.
