RESTON, VA - The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) announced that on January 27, 2012, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved revisions to the U.S. performance standard for kitchen cabinets and bath vanities, ANSI/KCMA A161.1-2012.

KCMA has been recognized by ANSI since 1970 as a standards developer. The ANSI/KCMA A161.1 standard has been reviewed every five years consistent with ANSI policy and revised and strengthened seven times since its inception in 1965 to insure that the standard reflects improvements in technology, materials and construction.

The ANSI approval concludes an extensive two-year process initiated by KCMA under strict ANSI guidelines including participation and review by consumer and supplier organizations, builders, remodelers, the U.S. government, architects, and other related groups. “ANSI/KCMA A161.1 is the only standard for kitchen and bath cabinets in the world to undergo such a widespread review and approval process,” KCMA Executive Vice President stated.

The credibility of the standard is assured by a national testing and certification program that includes unannounced plant selection of cabinets for testing purposes and utilization of independent third-party testing laboratories to actually conduct the annual cabinet tests.

Changes to the standard include (1) clarification that the drawers, as well as the doors, of the cabinets shall be properly aligned and shall close without excessive binding; (2) the static loading test for wall cabinets over 24 inches in height has been increased from 500 pounds to 600 pounds; (3) the timing of the open/close cycles for doors and drawers has been standardized; and (4) lighting conditions for observing finish performance have been established.

Currently, over 100 companies representing over 50 percent of the U.S. market are KCMA certified. To meet the KCMA standards, the cabinets must meet general construction requirements, pass five structural tests, two door operation tests, two drawer tests, and five finish tests. Consumers should look for the unique blue and white seal found inside the sink base cabinet door (and perhaps in other cabinets) to assure themselves of a quality product.