Things You May Not Know About Imported Cabinets: The Risk – Is It Really Worth It?
You get what you pay for. That is nearly always true. In the case of inexpensive imported cabinets, you get a lot more than you paid for… and none of it is good. Unlike most US and Canadian cabinet manufacturers, there are very few controls. In fact, although American firms are not allowed to use certain chemicals, imported items can contain some very dangerous additives.
Formaldehyde – Many of the cabinets coming from China contain huge amounts of formaldehyde. In fact, for some of these cabinets, they will emit huge quantities of formaldehyde gas for decades. This chemical is one of those cases where restrictions on manufacture in the United States is much higher than it is on the final imported product. The problem is that formaldehyde is toxic. In a kitchen, with its temperature and humidity variations, the formaldehyde will be inhaled by the occupants for years.
Low quality wood – Even though the species is the same, the quality of the wood is generally very low. Cherry is an excellent example. Much of the cherry wood is grown from imported trees. Although these trees will grow in the forest of Russia, they are not native and don’t grow as healthfully. Species that are native to the US or Canada grow more slowly and, in most professional opinions, better on their home soil.
Low quality manufacture – While every cabinet maker uses machines to produce their cabinets, the Chinese generally load trees into the machine and the machine will cut and manufacture everything automatically. This means that these items are rarely looked at by people. Even the slightest quality control is ignored to keep prices low and export lots of product.
All assembly required – Most of the Chinese cabinets arrive to the consumer in dozens or hundreds of pieces.
Not that we doubt the mechanical prowess of any of our customers, but assembling cabinets properly can take some expertise. Professional manufacturers will make sure that all of the joints are square and strong. Doors that are hung poorly might not show right away, but after a while, they can become a huge problem.
Cabinets from China seem like an incredible bargain, but the long-term effects of the quality won’t make it worth it. Make sure that you choose a qualified professional cabinet installation team to guarantee that you get great cabinets properly installed.