I called a company today to find out about a desk for my kids’ rooms. We homeschool due to the inability to attend public schools due to corn inhalants everywhere. At this point our kids are at the age to where they can be given work and sent to their rooms to complete the task, except we have no desks for them.
I am allergic to Formaldehyde, causes breathing problems, hives and sore throats for me. We do not buy any furniture that is not solid wood. Today while on the phone attempting to find affordable desks I was informed by the owner of the company when I asked for SOLID WOOD Desks that the U.S. has softened the restrictions on this. There is STRICT guidelines on the glues that are used and they are tested for Formaldehyde. There are huge fines for companies that are checked and found out that they have minute amounts, like over one thousand dollars. What’s the point of this note?
The companies have now switched to “non toxic” glues and in doing so have turned to corn. There is no longer SOLID wood furniture. According to these guidelines, “all wood”, “solid wood”, “all natural” are percentages. Just like the FDA allows terms like “Natural Flavorings” with out further ingredient information.
The desks can have solid wood front of the drawers and press board or particle board sides, backing and a laminant top and still be called Solid wood. The problem now is what do we buy for our children to work on in their rooms? Do we hunt down used OLD solid wood desks and pay “Antique” prices? Do we have desks custom made and ask that they be Dove Tailed, or screwed together so there is no need for glues?
It is getting more and more difficult to figure out each day what “terms” we can trust. The phrases we have uttered for years and years have now been destroyed. We have to think harder, ask more questions and constantly fight for information from companies who are second, third or tenth in line of manufacturing the final product. Does anyone know anymore what is in our products if we do not make them ourselves from scratch? We all have to become furniture makers, household cleaner creators, clothing detergent engineers as well as food chemists to be able to survive with out corn.
”Solid wood can mean that all exposed pieces of the piece are solid, but areas hidden from view may be another material. There can be one single board or plank of wood, or also several wood boards or blocks that are glued together.” http://furniture.about.com/od/furnitureterms/a/wo61909od.htm