Exploring kitchen cabinet materials
For centuries, Zen masters on mountain tops across Asia have been preaching the widely-known maxim –‘Life’s about balance.’ But who would have though that, all those centuries ago, such a teaching would apply so aptly to choosing your kitchen cabinetry? That’s right, selecting the right materials for your hard-working repositories is all about balance. A balance between appearance, durability and budget. Get these three things right and it’s sure to be an Ommm-azing result.
Medium Density Fibreboard
MDF is an engineered wood product that has become a staple of many modern kitchens. Thanks to its density and structure, this material does not warp like solid wood. It also deals better with moisture, making it ideal for kitchens and bathrooms – places that, at times, see more water than most outdoor plants! It has that classic DIY IKEA-look and its resistance to cracking makes it a breeze to paint over.
Timber
Solid timber is what you might call the ‘Peter Pan’ of cabinet materials, because its style never ages. Timber adapts seamlessly to traditional and modern kitchen designs, and it rarely shows dirt or aging. Aesthetically, timber is unparalleled in its beauty, but with beauty also comes a higher budget. Keep in mind, timber is also more prone to bug infestation and cracking than other materials, but with the right care this can be easily prevented. Touch wood!
Laminate
Laminates are thin sheets of plastic, sandwiched together, like your favourite Subway foot long. This makes them not only cheaper than solid woods but stronger, too. What’s more, laminates come in an extensive range of colours and textures, which makes them perfect for any style or vision you have in mind. Popular styles include: Pastels, metallics, woodgrains and minerals.
Plywood
When it comes to cabinet materials, ply certainly punches above its weight. It’s high resistance to moisture and relatively low cost makes it a safe bet, especially for first home buyers. Plywood is well suited to industrial, inner-city chic design, but feels just as at home in ultra-modern kitchens too. It’s also great at giving off that effortless, small business start-up, hipster vibe. Oat milk latte, double shot, please!
Timber Veneers
What do timbre veneers and Mrs. Doubtfire have in common? They’re both great imposters! Timber veneer has the warmth and feel of real timber but without the price tag of solid timber, making it a great material for faking elegance. If you do go down this road though, keep in mind the edging of timbre and its impact on appearance. Timbre veneers also tend to discolour when exposed to excessive sunlight, and they aren’t scratch resistant. So, if you’ve got cats, and kids, be mindful.
Two-Pack
Two-pack… the famous rapper? No, that’s Tupac. However, just like Tupac, two-pack is also well-acclaimed, albeit, for different reasons. It’s renowned for its glossy, high-end finish, which looks exquisite with a mild bench top. It is very flexible, can be applied to a range of surfaces, and comes in a generous selection of surface finishes. Budget-wise, two-pack is considered one of the more premium cabinet material options out there.