Eco Office Open Shelf Base made with PureBond Formaldehyde Free Plywood

We build to . . . 

Save money

Get what we want

For exercise

For pride in accomplishment

For higher quality

For enjoyment

To give handmade gifts

To better our homes

To improve storage and functionality

To show our kids how to build

And now, we can add protect our health to the list.

On June 10, 2011, the government added formaldehyde to the list of known cancer causing agents. The most common formaldehyde emitters? Pressed wood furniture in homes.

While I'm not racing to throw out all the pressed wood furniture in my home right now, it's my commitment to myself and my family that any new furniture I make be made without formaldehyde and VOCs.  

Here's how you too can improve the indoor air quality of your home through building your own furniture.

You know them as 1x12s or 1x2s, solid wood boards are the way to go.  But there are downsides, including limited widths, often a higher price for different species, and a higher tendency to warp and twist.

Did you know that PureBond plywood is formaldehyde free?  That it's made of soy based glues, and is made right here in North America?  It's also comparable in cost to traditionally manufactured hardwood plywood and comes in veneers from Alder to Walnut available at The Home Depot.  Today's project is built with Red Oak PureBond Plywood.

Odd, I know.  But exterior plywood is made with a lower emitting type of formaldehyde.  But beware, you might be in for quite the workout sanding it  :)

And if you have furniture in your home that you suspect is damaging you indoor air quality you can seal the furniture with polyurethane (do this outdoors, and wait for the poly to fully dry before bringing indoors) on all sides, keep the humidity and temperatures indoors low, and ventilate with open windows and fans.

I'm so excited to start working with not just plywood made from soy based glues, but plywood with beautiful wood grains.  We thought we would start with my office.  I have been so fond of my Parson Style Desk

But I find as the blog grows, so does my need for storage and organization.  And also, the Ram is finding himself doing more and more paperwork for me, so we really needed my tiny 8x8 office to do more than look pretty.

Here's a sneak peak of what we are working on . . . it's a tad more masculine, but what guy wants to do paperwork, let alone paperwork in a girly office?  Definitely not the Real Alaska Man.

And here's a closeup of Red Oak PureBond plywood, treated with two coats of polyurethane.  This desk is so smooth!  We used iron on edge banding and I have to say, that stuff is fantastic and easy to do!

Has anyone else noticed a trend of light oak furniture with dark toned hardware? I am seeing and loving this White Oak | Black Hardware combo everywhere!