Wondering what material your kitchen fronts should be made of? Take a look at the most common solutions with us.
Kitchen is one of those rooms in the house, where most of the action takes place. It is good if in addition to a nice appearance is also practical and functional. Below we present the most popular materials for making kitchen fronts. Learn about their advantages and disadvantages.
Foiled fronts are made of fiberboard made of compressed wood fibers or particle board. The top layer of such a board is covered with PVC foil. This is one of the cheapest types of kitchen furniture, and thus the most popular choice. In addition to attractive prices, the advantages of this type of material are aesthetic appearance and the ability to form both smooth, as well as curved or milled fronts. Manufacturers offer a wide range of veneers, which is another advantage of MDF furniture. Keep in mind, however, that this type of furniture has a relatively low resistance to high temperatures and moisture.
When making this type of furniture, fiberboard or particleboard is covered with laminate. This is also a cost-effective solution and much more resistant to dirt, moisture, high temperatures or UV rays. Laminate can be covered with an additional protective layer and as a result we get a really durable and solid piece of furniture. The downside of this solution is that only smooth surfaces can be laminated. When choosing this option milled doors are not an option.
Another option to make kitchen fronts is lacquered MDF, which is created by spraying water-based varnish on fiberboard or particleboard. Layer of varnish can create a matte, semi-matte, as well as glossy coating in the color of your choice. The color palette in this case is very wide. This option is becoming more and more popular recently. It is a slightly more expensive solution, but combines the advantages of both materials. Firstly, varnishing can be performed not only on smooth surfaces, but also on milled ones and those with edge handles. Secondly, the lacquered surface is characterized by high resistance to temperature and moisture.
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Acrylic fronts can be considered a more durable version of foiled and laminated fronts. MDF board in this case is covered with a layer of acrylic, which gives a hard, resistant to mechanical damage surface with a high gloss. Another advantage is the resistance to high temperatures, moisture and UV rays. We also have here a large selection of colors. The downside of this solution is a slightly higher price and the fact that only the top layer of the front is covered with acrylic, without the edges – these will need to be finished with veneer or aluminum edging
One of the most durable solutions among the materials for kitchen furniture is, of course, wood. Fronts are usually produced from deciduous trees of native species, such as beech, alder, sycamore or oak. Sometimes coniferous trees are also used, such as pine, larch or spruce wood – but this is less durable and softer. In addition to the durability of this material, the advantages are of course its aesthetics, timelessness and elegance. However, this is a much more expensive solution than the others.
An alternative to wooden furniture is to choose a veneered board – this solution is cheaper, and similar in appearance. MDF, particleboard or plywood is covered here with a layer of natural wood veneer. Finishing with oil, wax or varnish will provide a protective layer and thus preserve the grain pattern. The advantage here is certainly the aesthetics, as a disadvantage is the possibility of deformation of the veneer under the influence of high temperature or excessive moisture.
