Composite Wood
Description
Interior doors are often made of a composite wood core covered with a laminate or wood veneer. Doors made with engineered wood are cheaper than solid wood doors, but may pose indoor air quality problems from emissions in the binders or adhesives. Greener engineered wood alternatives include formaldehyde-free door cores, those that are made of recycled content or made from agricultural waste, such as wheat straw. Additionally, veneers may be made of sustainably grown and harvested wood. These greener alternatives must be explicitly specified, as they are not standard materials.
Tips
O+M Tips
- Use cleaning chemicals and solutions that are Green Seal certified
- Dust with micro fiber cloth regularly
End of Life Tips
- If in good condition, doors can be donated to organizations like Habitat for Humanity that will reuse them.
- To recycle old doors visit Earth 911 http://earth911.com/ to determine the capacity of local facilities.
For alignment with LEED Standards
- LEED CI
- Recycled Content: At a minimum, use materials with recycled content such that the sum of postconsumer recycled content plus ? of the preconsumer content constitutes at least 10% of the total value of the materials in the project based on cost. (fibers and/or backing)
- Regional Materials: At a minimum, use 20% of the combined value of construction and Division 12 (Furniture) materials and products that are manufactured regionally within a radius of 500 miles. Additionally, use a minimum of 10% of the combined value of construction and Division 12 (Furniture) materials and products extracted, harvested or recovered, as well as manufactured, within 500 miles of the project.
- Certified Wood: Use a minimum of 50% of wood-based products and materials that are certified in accordance with the Forest Stewardship Council's principles and criteria.
- Resins: Composite wood and agrifiber products must contain no added urea formaldehyde resins.
- finishes: Must meet the volatile organic compound (VOC) requirements of South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule 1113.