Here is a pretty good thread on the subject.

Here is a link that might be useful: Catylyzed Varnish 101

Hi zztt, i am in n. Ca too. In our city, one of the environmental requirements is formaldehyde free cabinetry and doors. Another is use of low voc materials. They have a green point checklist that they make sure you abide by, where you have to meet a minimum of 50 points. Supposedly all custom cabs here would abide by the green requirements, but semicustom might not, depending on where it is made. But that said, if we end up not being able to get those environmental points with our cabinet selection, we can look for other ways to make up for those points in the green point checklist, such as energy star appliances, etc.

Zztt, btw, I would love to know which custom cabinetmakers you talked to. One quote i got was $30k just for a bookshelf!

We used City Cabinets in San Francisco for our Berkeley kitchen remodel. We liked how the kitchen was turning out and so we used them to also make a cabinet and vanity for our bathroom (as they could make it to fit. They have an estimator Lubosh (sp?) who was fabulous and really cleaned up our kitchen designer plans while we walked through the space and he did final measurements (i.e. ensuring certain drawers had the same horizontal or symmetrical lines so that they wouldn't look off or haphazard, help with inserts, better ways for corner cupboard doors to open). We have cherry shaker-style cabinets. Lubosh took a tracing of the top molding of an 1840's step back cupboard and made all the crown molding at the top of the ceiling height cupboards to match. We have a pantry cabinet that echoes that piece with the same height. The interiors of all cupboards that have glass fronts are cherry also. All other closed cabinets and drawers have the insides lined with a melamine - which is fabulous and easy to clean! In our 1928 kitchen (with nearly an inch drop from one side to the back wall), all their cabinets are adjustable so that everything is level with a cherry toe kick hiding the adjustments. Best of all, as these are semi custom (the measurements are put into a computer and the computer guides the saws in their factory) we were able to have absolutely no wasted space - our kitchen is designed like a ship - I measured cereal boxes, olive oil bottles, pans, trays, etc -- every drawer and cupboard was designed to fit what I intended it to house. As the computer does their cutting, you can design everything with only 1/16" tolerances. All drawers fully extend. 3 years later - we are as thrilled as day 1. Our contractor's crew installed everything. I don't know if CC do installs or just work with you and your contractor. For our +/- 12 x 20 kitchen (including all cabinets, a kitchen island, desk, bookshelf, corner window benches with built in drawers) I think the cost in 2008 was @ $22- 24K. In any event, I highly recommend them.

It took an idiot plumber to ding the finish on my CA-made cabinets. I have a toddler who enjoys crashing large steel Tonka trucks into things.

Don't worry about it. Buy local. CA needs the work.

Thank you all for sharing your information and thought.

michoumonster, I talked to Boicelli Cabinets and Gao in Bay Area. $30k for a bookshelf is EXPENSIVE.

tomalyse, are you talking about this company: http://www.citycabinetmakers.com/
If not, would you please give me City Cabinets' contact information?

Most local custom cabinet makers do not have finish products to show. Besides, I found the two cabinet makers from the web and no personal referral. Seriously, I am worry about the cabinet quality, yet want to support local business. Will talk to few more cabinet companies before making decision.

Zztt, my gc recommended a place called niviya to me recently. I have not visited them yet, but plan on doing so in a couple months. It seems like from their website, that they might have a showroom. There were some favorable reviews on yelp about them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Niviya

Zztt, that's too funny! Are you the person that 'Boss-man' at Gao brought to my place? He called me one week and asked to bring someone over to my build on a Saturday. If not, feel free to call him, and I'm sure he'll show you my place, as well as the place I went to look at when I was deciding, which was in Los Altos. There have been a few little snags, but mostly I've been quite happy with his work, although it's not completed yet.
I think either my sister in law or our neighbor went to Niviya, but then I heard that Gao was flexible with pricing, and he was low enough and would complete the cabs in 4 weeks, so we went with him. He did actually do it, delivered in 4 weeks and 1 business day. They were happy with Niviya as well. I'd probably go with whomever was least expensive. Sorry, realized I didn't have anything to contribute re. the finish, but I was just happy that I had one more decision out of the way! Good luck!

michoumonster, thanks for info.

thejuniork, I am not "the person" but would love to see your place. Will go to Gao and ask to meet the happy customer.

Love gardenweb and its super nice members!!!

You may also want to consider logans mill. The owner, Paul Yuen makes cabinets and did a fantastic job on my kitchen.

Here is a link that might be useful: logans mill

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zztt - Boicelli makes reasonable cabinets but the finishing touches are not at the level of the higher end cabinet makers. At times they have a bad attitude and they forget who the customer is. I can't recommend them.