When you buy cabinets is as important to choose the style, form, and color as it is to choose cabinets that are quality-tested and environmentally compliant.
At Cabinets ASAP we only carry KCMA Quality Tested certified cabinets and CARB2 Compliant cabinets. This guarantee that you are buying quality and durable products for your projects.
KCMA – QUALITY TESTED
The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) validates the quality and durability of kitchen and bath cabinets. While consumers focus on style, color, and cost, industry professionals – manufacturers, architects, builders, contractors, designers, re-modelers, and distributors know that only those cabinets that carry the KCMA certification seals meet the established standards for performance and durability and are manufactured in an environmentally sound manner with consideration for the sourcing of raw materials, manufacturing processes, and community relations.
KCMA makes it easy for industry professionals to confidently specify cabinets that meet their customer’s performance and environmental requirements.
Cabinets ASAP products are certified for :
- Frameless Pre-assembled Cabinets – Factory Assembled
- Framed Assembled Cabinets – Factory Assembled
About KCMA
The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) is a non-profit organization founded in 1955 to represent companies that manufacture kitchen, bath, or other residential cabinets, and key industry suppliers. With a membership now more than 300 strong throughout North America, KMCA works to advance the industry through advocacy, setting standards, sponsoring research, and providing management tools and educational programs.
KCMA establishes and promotes standards for the kitchen cabinet industry; defends and advocates in support of the industry, and arms our members with valuable tools necessary to promote and grow their businesses.
CARB2 COMPLIANT
CARB stands for the California Air Resources Board and CARB2, in particular, is legislation enacted in 2007 to reduce the percentage of formaldehyde found in composite wood products, including:
- Hardwood plywood (HWPW)
- Particleboard (PB)
- Medium-density fiberboard (MDF)
- Thin MDF
What is formaldehyde and why is it in my flooring?
Formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen that is found in a variety of sources, including gasoline, tobacco smoke, fireplaces, propane, and wood-burning stoves. It is also found at low levels in natural wood.
It is used to make resin-like material and adhesives in composite wood products, which is why your flooring may have high emissions of it.
The health effects of prolonged exposure to high levels of formaldehyde include:
- Nose and throat irritation
- Eye irritation
- Respiratory issues (including triggering asthma symptoms)
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Cancer
With all of these possible side effects, California decided to set rules prohibiting the sale, supply, use, or manufacturing of composite wood product flooring that contains dangerous levels of formaldehyde. CARB2 has become the model of a national standard set to be enacted later this year.
What to know about the types of flooring products covered by CARB2
CARB2 covers all finished goods made of composite wood. That means that any product (other than a panel) that contains HWPW-VC, HWPW-CC, PB, MDF, or thin MDF is under the regulation of CARB2. This may include:
- Flooring
- Moldings
- Caskets
- Furniture
- CABINETS
- Shelving
- Countertops
- Baseboards
- Rosettes
- Corbels
- And more
Manufacturers of these products are required to conduct emission testing to ensure compliance.
To receive CARB approval, manufacturers have to submit three months of quality control test data for NAF (no-added formaldehyde) products, and six months for ULEF (ultra-low emitting formaldehyde) products. They must also provide primary or secondary method test data conducted by a third-party certifier.
This third-party process is used to verify the compliance of manufacturers with applicable emission standards.
Record keeping and chain of custody are important components of CARB2. CARB enforcers will oftentimes ask retailers to see chain-of-custody documents to verify the authenticity of the product’s emission characteristics.
With standards such as CARB2 in place, consumers have far more power and control over what they purchase. There is little reason to purchase flooring products that don’t adhere to these standards. Products that are deemed CARB2 certified have gone through extensive documentation, testing, and more to ensure that your flooring does not comprise your health. If you have any questions regarding CARB2 or flooring products you are interested in buying, we encourage you to contact us directly.
