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Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to Way BasicsHow can I customize my Way Basics furniture?How are zBoards made?What are zBoards made of?How strong are zBoards?How much weight can zBoards hold?Is your packaging recycled, too?Is Way Basics Furniture easy to assemble?What do I do with the backer board that came with my furniture?How strong is the double-sided adhesive tape?Are zBoards water resistant?How should I care for my Way Basics furniture?Can I recycle Way Basics furniture when I’m done with it?What kind of glue do you use in the adhesive tape that sticks the furniture together?How are zBoards different from particleboard, plywood, solid wood, or MDF?How can I customize my Way Basics furniture?Endlessly! We designed our modular building blocks to inspire creativity and possibility. Here are a few ideas:
Visit our Design Gallery page here to see what other Way Basics customers have built. How are zBoards made?zBoards are created through a patented, proprietary process that’s revolutionized paperboard manufacturing. Developing this process took more
than 10 years, and it combines techniques of plywood craftsmanship, paperboard composition, and furniture manufacturing. It leads to extremely sturdy yet
lightweight boards that hold up to plenty of use. What are zBoards made of?Glad you asked – we’re proud to say that zBoards are made from 99% post-consumer waste paper. That means recycled paper that’s
already been used, so we’re not chopping down any more trees to create zBoards. Also, we’re saving the enormous amounts of water that are
used to make virgin paper. Our purpose was to eliminate as much environmental impact as possible and create a sustainable product. When you’re
done with your Way Basics furniture (after long, long use), you can recycle it again by simply putting it in your recycling bin. The remaining 1% of
the non-post-consumer material we use is the veneer paper in which the zBoard edges are wrapped. This is also completely recyclable. How strong are zBoards?Very. zBoards are constructed through our patented process and are made from multiple, overlapping layers of paperboard and corrugated paper that combine to withstand tremendous pressure. For instance, our founder weighs 185 pounds and when he stands on our Cube it can easily bear his enormous weight. Way Basics furniture can hold a small library of books when it’s reinforced with additional vertical zBoards. For example, we recommend placing no more than 80 pounds on our Rectangle horizontal zBoard surfaces, but it can bear up to 200 pounds when reinforced with an additional vertical zBoard. How much weight can zBoards hold?zBoards are just as strong as common particle board constructed furniture. Our furniture is designed for use in common storage, home, and work purposes. With Way Basics furniture, you can easily add a divider/support zBoard and hold up to 100 pounds per shelf for your really big and heavy things. We recommend adding divider/support zBoards starting from the lowest shelf to support the heaving books or objects above. The following are recommended maximum loads per shelf.
Is your packaging recycled, too?Yes, even our packaging is recycled. We use materials made from 90% post-consumer waste. Since packaging is just to safely transport and protect your furniture, we’d rather keep it basic, mostly recycled, and completely recyclable to ease the load on our environment. Please recycle your packaging when you’re done with it, too. Thanks! Is Way Basics Furniture easy to assemble?It is incredibly easy to put together with no tools at all. zBoards attach to other zBoards with industrial-strength double-sided adhesive tape from 3M and contain no VOC. Just peel, stick, and you’re done. For maximum performance and longer furniture lifespan, we recommend letting all Way Basics pieces set for 24 hours before use. When you order your furniture, we send along some pretty thorough assembly tips to guide you through the steps. You can also download simple instructions for the Way Basics furniture you purchased from the product page. What do I do with the backer board that came with my furniture?When you’re done assembling your Way Basics furniture piece, you place the backer board at the rear of your furniture. This sturdy paper board is the essential framing piece that holds it all together. It’s designed to adhere neatly, stabilize your furniture and create a finished look. How strong is the double-sided adhesive tape?Very, very strong. We use only 3M industrial-strength heavy-duty adhesive tape on our products. To take full advantage of all that sticking power and get optimum adhesion, make sure your bonding adhesive surfaces are clean, dry, and properly joined. It works best if you put together your furniture in a room that’s between 70° F to 100° F (21° C to 38° C). This super-tape’s bonds get stronger during the first 24 hours, so we recommend that you let your furniture sit in place for the first day. Are zBoards water resistant?Yes, the exterior layers of the board are treated with a water resistant material just like other finished wood veneers. If water gets on the zBoard surface, it will dry (though of course it’s best if you wipe it up like all spills). You’ll want to keep water away from the furniture’s edges and corners where it’s a little more vulnerable to moisture. Again, we hate to sound like your mom, but if water spills, just wipe it up! How should I care for my Way Basics furniture?Just wipe it clean with a damp cloth, using plain water or slightly soapy water. Use a coaster under hot mugs or dishes as you would on wood furniture. Sharp or pointed objects can scratch the paper veneer, so you should take special care with those. Can I recycle Way Basics furniture when I’m done with it?Absolutely. All our products are made from paper, so at the end of its useful life you can just recycle it in your curbside bin. Then your furniture might even find its way back to Way Basics to begin another life as a new zBoard or two! What kind of glue do you use in the adhesive tape that sticks the furniture together?We use a water-based resin that is completely environmentally friendly and recyclable, too. How are zBoards different from particleboard, plywood, solid wood, or MDF?zBoards are made almost entirely (99%) from post-consumer recycled paper, and do not consume additional natural resources like trees and the enormous amounts of water needed to make virgin paper. While very strong, paper zBoards are made from the lightest form of wood byproduct. Particleboard is made from wood particles (like wood chips, sawmill shavings, or sawdust), which is bound together with synthetic resin or other materials, then pressed and extruded. It is fairly heavy. Plywood is engineered from thin sheets of wood veneer in layers that are glued together. It’s fairly heavy and expensive. It also means that trees must be chopped down to harvest the wood. Solid wood is made directly from lumber, which means chopping down thousands of trees which adds to the continuing deforestation of large areas of our planet. Solid wood furniture is heavy and generally very expensive. MDF stands for medium density fiberboard, a variety of particleboard. It’s made by breaking down softwood into small wood fibers and particles that are then bound together with wax and resin. The panels are formed by applying high temperature and pressure. This manufacturing process uses lots of energy resources and puts contaminants into the environment. Any questions we didn’t answer or have more questions? |
