Protecting Our Natural Resources: Wood Refinishing in Chicago

Each year Illinois households, businesses and institutions produce twenty percent more rubbish than the rest of the country. Look down every alleyway in Chicago and you will see old furniture and cabinets waiting to be dropped off at a land fill. Meanwhile, in 2015 nearly thirteen million hectares of wood forest were chopped down in the USA. This is roughly half the size of the state of Illinois! We must act to curb the rate at which we fell trees because it will take more than one hundred years to regain what has been lost.

One solution to help the environment is wood refinishing and wood salvaging. During wood refinishing, the urethane, stain and paint on  household cabinetry, trim, and furniture is stripped away and sanded smooth. Then new coats of paint, stain, and urethane are applied. What this does is renew old furnishings which would otherwise discarded into a landfill which has a positive impact on the environment.

Home consumers should be aware that just because the winds of style have changed does not mean they have to throw away their old kitchen cabinets. Old cabinets can be refinished and refaced and can look as good as new. The act of wood refinishing saves trees from being cut down and prevents additional land fill waste.

Home builders also play a part in improving the environment and must also embrace greener building practices. Ultra low VOC (volatile organic compounds) urethanes which are both safer for the workers who apply the paint coating and also for the environment should be utilized more frequently as a building material. Also, salvaged wood from fallen urban trees can be repurposed into custom furniture and wood cabinets rather than be wood chipped. With a change in ethos and a change in building practices less trees will have to be chopped down in the future.

In summary, wood refinishing, refacing and salvaging preserves our world from more destructive lumber practices. So the next time you consider throwing something wooden away, think of how it can be saved. As citizens of this planet we all have an active role to play and the sum total of our actions today will determine how the quality of life is for future generations. So let’s all strive to be good stewards of the environment.

About the Author: Steve Constable is the owner of Chicago Kitchen Remodeling Inc. and is a graduate of IU Bloomington. Steve is a great supporter of the environment. From his earliest years in the profession of home remodeling he has worked to find solutions which are more earth friendly and safe for home owners. For more information visit: Chicago Kitchen Remodeling Inc.