Is Weatherstrong truly weather-strong?
Unfortunately… things are still looking a bit dicey, even in this area.
With the way Weatherstrong talks about their outdoor kitchen cabinets… you would be led to believe that their islands are constructed with 100% HDPE (high density polyethylene).
Normally, we’d say this is a good sign. HDPE is a marine-grade material that is impervious to rust, corrosion, rot, insect damage… and other issues you would encounter with a wood or metal framed outdoor kitchen.
So what’s the problem here?
Well, these cabinets are not actually made from 100% HDPE.
If you hop on over to their web page titled “The Weatherstrong Difference”, you’ll see what we mean.
Only the door and drawer fronts are described as being made from HDPE.
Which leads you to wonder… what is the rest made from?
The remainder of your Weatherstrong cabinets will be made from 3/4” thick All‑Weatherboard® composite material.
Well that surely clears it up, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it?
To be honest, we’re scratching our heads at this too. That description is about as clear as mud.
In order to get the full answer, you’ll have to do a deep dive into their product guide.
Weatherstrong’s All-Weatherboard® composite material is “crafted from phenolic resins, zinc borate, wax, and wood fibers through a patented process”.
So basically… these cabinets are made from an MDF-type material.
They do at least coat these boards with waterproof PVC edging, but still… this is not a material that will perform even remotely well in the outdoor environment.
It likely won’t take much to punch through that coating, and when it happens… the interior composite material will be exposed to soak up water like a sponge.
This leads to swelling, warping, and quick deterioration of your base cabinets. Not exactly a recipe for success!
And to add insult to injury… we’ve got some serious safety concerns to address with these outdoor kitchens.