The Varnished Truth

After you use conversion varnish, leave the windows open

(HealthDayNews) -- If you're planning to refinish your kitchen cabinets, you might want to check the long-range weather forecasts, and plan the job for a time when you can leave the windows open. For three months at a time.

At least, that's if you're planning to use a conversion varnish, one of those two-step varnishes that cures by chemical reaction. They look good, and they're water and stain resistant -- but they do have their drawbacks.

According to the Journal of the Air Waste Management Association, conversion varnishes release significant levels of potentially harmful formaldehyde for 115 days after they've been applied.

And don't let the label on the can fool you. Because these varnishes cure by chemical reaction, the amount of formaldehyde released is greater than the amount in the original formula.

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