1. Kitchen and Bath Certification
This AIA accredited course is brought to you by
KCMA
Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association
and

2. This program is registered with the AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

3. Learning Objectives The learner will:
Gain knowledge of how the need for certification came about
Get introduced to the KCMA certification process
Be able to specify cabinets according to KCMA standards
Learn what performance tests are required
Understand the requirements for finish testing
Know how to find certified cabinet manufacturers

4. About The KCMA Certification Program
Encouraged by HUD in 1965; member companies of The Kitchen Cabinet Manufactures Association (KCMA) came together to develop the National Performance Standard, ANSI/KCMA A161.1
Developed a nationally recognized testing and certification program
Every five years, the standard is revised through a review process
For those of you who don’t know who ANSI is;
The American National Standards Institute is a non-profit, privately funded membership organization that coordinates the development of U.S. voluntary national standards. ANSI approval of a standard is intended to verify that the principles of openness and due process have been followed in the approval procedure and that a consensus of those directly and materially affected by the standard has been achieved.

5. Many complaints identified by FHA FHA suggested performance standards
Development
Complaints about quality
Many complaints identified by FHA
FHA suggested performance standards
Specification Symposium in 1961
1968 FHA approves standards
1970 ANSI adopts standards
Complaints came on the quality of the cabinets.
Many of these complaints were from the FHA
FHA suggested that the association start working on performance standards rather than material standards
Specification Symposium was held July 1961 in Chicago and during the next few years a complete set of standards were drafted and actual tests were developed.
September 13, 1968, the Federal Housing Administration gave official approval to the standards
Shortly thereafter in 1970, the Standards gained further prestige as they were adopted as an official standards of the American National Standards (ANSI)

6. Development of Kitchen Standards
First membership directory 1956 – 1957
Two sub committees
Dimensions
Standards
Standards and specifications established with FHA
Standards Subcommittee drafts first report in 1959
Specifications
Sink
Sink rim
Chopping blocks
Backsplashes
Listed in the first membership directory of the National Institute of Wood Kitchen Cabinets (now known as Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association) for an Engineering Committee was formed.
Consisted of two sub committees – one for Dimensions and one for Standards
Objectives were to establish standards and specifications working with the Federal Housing Authority (FHA)
First report drafted in 1959 by the Standards Subcommittee included a complete set of specifications which included everything from the sink, sink rim, chopping block tops and backsplashes

7. About Certification
The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association Certification Program assures the specifier or user of kitchen cabinets and bath vanities that the cabinet bearing the blue and white seal complies with the rigorous standards set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and sponsored by the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA).

8. KCMA Certification
Cabinets bearing the certification seal are an exact duplicate of samples that have been independently tested for conformance to ANSI/KCMA A

9. The KCMA Certification Program is open to all cabinet manufacturers
Who can be certified?
The KCMA Certification Program is open to all cabinet manufacturers
All cabinet manufacturers that have a North American are welcome to submit cabinets for testing and certification.
The North American presence is required so that cabinets can be randomly picked up for testing.

10. Manufacturers may certify one, several, or all of their cabinet lines.
KCMA Certification
Manufacturers may certify one, several, or all of their cabinet lines.
Certified lines are listed in the annual KCMA Directory of Certified Cabinet Manufacturers and also on the website.

11. KCMA Certification
These cabinets also comply with the provision of Paragraph , "HUD Minimum Property Standards - Housing " 9/8/86.

12. The Department of Housing and Urban Development
These minimum Property Standards reference nationally recognized model building codes for concerns relating to health and safety. Locally adopted building codes can be used for the same purpose when they are found acceptable by the HUD field office

13. The Department of Housing and Urban Development
These standards establish the acceptability of properties for mortgage insurance, and will further the goal of a decent and suitable living environment for every American Family.
These standards will protect the Department’s interest by requiring certain features of design and construction which are not normally required by state and local codes.
These requirements will insure the durability of the project for the life of the mortgage.

14. The Department of Housing and Urban Development
HUD
“All manufactured factory finished cabinets shall comply with ANSI A , Recommended Minimum Construction and Performance for Kitchen and Vanity Cabinets, or with an equivalent standard.”
All cabinets shall bear the label of an independent agency that maintains continuous control over testing and inspection of the cabinet.

15. KCMA Certification
Companies not licensed with the KCMA Certification Program may not claim or imply conformance with these standards for their products. KCMA, as the proprietary sponsor, reserves the right to question any claims of conformance and to test the products of any manufacturer making such claims.
Should KCMA discover that a manufacturer is falsely representing that his products meet these standards, KCMA will take appropriate legal action.

16. All wall cabinets must be fully enclosed with;
KCMA Certification
All wall cabinets must be fully enclosed with;
Backs
Bottoms
Sides
Tops

17. Cabinets resting on floor
KCMA Certification
Cabinets resting on floor
All cabinets designed to rest on the floor must be provided with a toe space at least two inches deep and three inches high.

18. KCMA Certification
Base cabinets must have;
Backs
Bottoms
Sides

19. KCMA Certification Utility Cabinets
All utility cabinets must meet the same requirements as base and wall cabinets.

20. KCMA Certification
Certain specified exceptions for backs, bottoms and sides are granted to kitchen sink fronts, sink bases, oven cabinets, and refrigerator cabinets.
Plumbing and Electric
These exceptions on these cabinets are so that plumbing and electric can be run into the cabinet without the need for cutouts.

21. KCMA Certification Requirements
Doors must be properly aligned, have means of closure, and close without excessive binding or looseness.

22. KCMA Certification Requirements
All materials must ensure rigidity in compliance with performance standards.
(Section 2.6.1, 2.6.2, 2.6.3, 2.6.4)

23. Face frames, when used, must provide rigid construction.
Whether the frames are individual or ganged they must provide solid construction.
A face frame is a solid wood frame placed over the opening which provides a square and solid foundation for cabinet hardware such as slides and hinges.

24. For frameless cabinets, the ends, tops/bottoms, and backs shall be of thickness necessary to provide rigid construction.
Thicknesses are usually 5/8” or ¾” material in order to maintain quality construction. With frameless construction the hardware is mounted to the inside of the casework. Developed in Europe following WWII frameless has become the standard in commercial case goods and has become more popular in residential casework.

25. Corner or lineal bracing must be provided at points where necessary to ensure rigidity and proper joining of various components.

26. KCMA Certification requirements
All wood parts must be dried to a moisture content of ten percent or less at time of fabrication
What is illustrated here is a kiln which is a type of oven used to dry out the lumber. This particular kiln is an example of ‘green’ manufacturing since it is a solar kiln.

27. KCMA Certification Requirements
All materials used in cabinets must be suitable for use in the kitchen and bath environment where they may be exposed to grease, solvents, water, detergent, steam and other substances usually found in these rooms.

28. KCMA Certification Requirements
All exposed plywood and composition board edges must be filled and sanded, edge-banded, or otherwise finished to ensure compliance with the performance standards.

29. KCMA Certification Requirements
All exterior exposed parts of cabinets must have nails and staples set and holes filled.

30. KCMA Certification Requirements
All exposed construction joints must be fitted in a workman-like manner consistent with specifications.

31. KCMA Certification Requirements
Exposed cabinet hardware must comply with Builders Hardware Manufacturing Association finishing standards
The BHMA maintains standards for different finishes on different base metals.

32. Five Structural Tests
All shelves and bottoms are loaded at 15 pounds per square foot, and loading is maintained for seven days to ensure that there is no excessive deflection and no visible sign of joint separation or failure of any part of the cabinets or the mounting system.

33. Five Structural Tests
Mounted wall cabinets are gradually loaded to 500 pounds without any visible sign of failure in the cabinet or the mounting system.

34. Five Structural Tests
· To test the strength of base-front joints, a load of 250 pounds is applied against the inside of cabinet-front stiles for cabinets with drawer rail, or 200 pounds is applied for cabinets without drawer rail, to ensure reliable front joints that will not open during stress in service or during installation.

35. Five Structural Tests
To test the ability of shelves, bottoms, and drawer bottoms to withstand the dropping of cans and other items, a three-pound steel ball is dropped from six inches above the surface. After the test the drawer must not be damaged and must operate as before the test with no visible sign of joint separation or failure of any part of the cabinet or mounting system.

36. Five Structural Tests
· To test the ability of cabinet doors and connections to withstand impacts, a 10-pound sandbag is used to strike the center of a closed cabinet door and repeated with the door opened to a 45-degree angle. The door must operate as before the test and show no damage or sign of separation or failure in the system.
The reasons for this test are self evident.

37. Two Tests are Performed
Drawer Tests
Two Tests are Performed
· One- To test the ability of drawers and drawer mechanisms to operate with loading during normal use, drawers are loaded at 15 pounds per square foot and operated through 25,000 cycles..
The drawers must then remain operable with no failure in any part of the drawer assembly or operating system, and drawer bottoms must not be deflected to interfere with drawer operation

38. Drawer Tests
Second – The drawer front assembly must withstand the impact of closing the drawer under normal use.

39. Two Door Tests are Performed
· First -To test the ability of doors, door-holding devices, hinges, and attachment devices to operate under the stress of normal use, doors are opened and closed through a full 90-degree to 20-degree swing for 25,000 cycles.

40. Door Tests
At the test's conclusion, the door must be operable, the door-holding device must hold the door in closed position, hinges must show no visible signs of damage, connections between cabinet-and-hinge and door-and-hinge must show no sign of looseness, and other specifications must be met.

41. Two Door Tests Measure Durability
Second -To test the ability of doors, hinges, and means of attachment to withstand loading, 65 pounds of weight is applied on the door. The weighted door is slowly operated for 10 cycles from 90 degrees open to 20 degrees open and returned to the 90 degree position. The door must remain weighted for 10 minutes, after which the door and hinges must show no visible signs of damage, and connections between cabinet-and-hinge and door-and-hinge must show no sign of looseness.

42. Four Finish Tests are Performed
These tests create, in accelerated form, the cumulative effects of years of normal kitchen conditions of pre-finished cabinets. Cabinet finishes are inspected to ensure that stringent standards of appearance are also met.

43. Hotbox 120° and 70% humidity for 24 hours
Finish Tests
High Heat
Hotbox 120° and 70% humidity for 24 hours
To test the ability of the finish to withstand high heat, a cabinet door is placed in a hotbox at 120 degrees Fahrenheit and 70 percent relative humidity for 24 hours. After this test the finish must show no appreciable discoloration and no evidence of blistering, checks, or other film failures.

44. Hotbox at 120° F and 70% relative humidity for 1 hour
Finish Tests
Hotbox at 120° F and 70% relative humidity for 1 hour
Return to room temperature and humidity
Cold box at -5° F for one hour
Repeated 5 times
It’s KCMA
Certified!
To test the ability of the finish to withstand hot and cold cycles for prolonged periods, a cabinet door is placed in a hotbox at 120 degrees Fahrenheit and 70 percent relative humidity for one hour, removed and allowed to return to room temperature and humidity conditions, and then placed in a coldbox for one hour at -5 degrees Fahrenheit. The cycle is repeated five times. The finish must then show no appreciable discoloration and no evidence of blistering, cold checking, or other film failure.

45. Finish Tests
· To test the ability of the finish to withstand substances typically found in the kitchen and bath, exterior exposed surfaces of doors, front frames, drawer fronts and end panels are subjected to vinegar, lemon, orange and grape juices, tomato catsup, coffee, olive oil, and 100-proof alcohol for 24 hours and to mustard for one hour. After this test, the finish must show no appreciable discoloration, stain, or whitening that will not disperse with ordinary polishing and no indication of blistering, checks, or other film failure.

46. Finish Tests
"The edge of a door must resist 24-hours of exposure to a detergent and water solution. The door edge must then show no delamination or swelling and no appreciable discoloration or evidence of blistering, checking, whitening, or other film failure."

47. Compliance with ANSI/KCMA standards is assured by:
KCMA Certification
Compliance with ANSI/KCMA standards is assured by:
Initial cabinet testing
Periodic unannounced plant pick-up and testing
Additional testing resulting from complaints. All testing is performed by an experienced independent laboratory.

48. Companies passing the tests receive certification
KCMA Certification
Companies passing the tests receive certification
Right to be listed in the directory (printed and web)
Use of label

49. HUD Severe Use Cabinets
Used mostly in subsidized housing
Used where the opportunity for abuse is high
Built for extreme durability, not looks
Still must meet the requirements of ANSI/KCMA A161.1 plus additional specifications outlined by HUD

50. Environmental Stewardship Certification Program

51. ESP

52. Environmental Stewardship Certification Program
Do not have to be a KCMA member to participate
5 categories, 18 different criteria, 105 possible points
Air Quality
Product Resource Management
Process Resource Management
Environmental Stewardship
Community
Visit
for more information

53. Environmental Stewardship Certification Program

54. For more information please visit the following websites:

55. This presentation has been brought to you by:
KCMA
The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers’ Association
and
Fill in the name of the cabinet company you have invited to the presentation and offer them some presentation time at the end of your presentation.
©Copyright by Häfele America and KCMA - September 7th 2007

56. Thank you for your time!
Questions?