I really want white cabinets. My kitchen is small and I got used to the white when I painted the orginal old cabinets. My question is about the safety of therma foil coverings. It is my undestanding that the material is actually pvc that is heated onto the surface. PVC releases gasses and I don't really want that in my kitchen. I'm not a real die hard tree hugger.... but methalinecholoride (sp) is not something I am anxious to put in my home. But, I can't seem to find unfinished ones either. I don't want to pay for a wood finish that I am going to paint over.... what do you think?

Finishes these days on cabinets are extremely durable and usually have a long life span 5 years and longer depending upon the finish. Look for a cabinet shop that does their own finishing or buy unfinished and look for a painter who uses good quality finishes. We usually use pre-cat lacquer or conversion varnish and it produces a tough and durable finish with a 15 year life span on the conversion varnish. Both of these need to be sprayed by a professional and it would be best not to spray it in your home which is why I suggest finding a cabinet shop that does their own finishing. If you're concerned with VOC's then there are water based coatings with similar durability. Check with your local paint store for more information or to find a cabinet shop or a good painter. By the way, these finishes are the same that the large manufacturers use on their cabinets.