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What Material Should I Choose For Kitchen Cabinet? Kitchen renovation implies many critical decisions. Aside from choosing the appliances, you also have to choose the proper cabinet style. The cabinet takes a lot of space, stealing the attention of everyone who enters the kitchen.
That’s why you want it to be beautiful and blend perfectly with the overall design of the kitchen. Besides, the cabinet should be durable and correspond to the highest quality standards.
Fortunately, there is a wide selection of kitchen cabinet materials for you to choose from. Read on to take a more familiar look at each of them and eventually decide which material suits you best.
Hardwood
Hardwood cabinets are the prefered choice of many homeowners. Hardwood’s main advantage is its outstanding durability, being able to resist to scratches and dents.
You can choose from a wide variety of solid wood, depending on your budget, favourite colour and texture. There are hardwoods with light and soft colours, aimed at bringing in a calm and warm atmosphere.
You can also try darker tones to add character and solemnity to your kitchen.
You can opt for hardwood no matter your budget. You can find both low-cost and high-end options that would perfectly fit in your kitchen. It goes without saying that cheaper solid woods are less durable and they lose colour and shine easier.
You will need to varnish or paint them quite often, especially if you live in a sunny area. The highest-quality hardwood is costly, but it has a longer lifespan and better durability. Yet, you will need to varnish it from time to time as well, as it tends to lose its natural appeal.
Laminates
Laminates are a popular alternative for solid wood. The substrates consist of different composites, like plywood and fiberboard, which provide durability to the kitchen cabinet. The surfacing consists of thin sheets of resin plastic and a decorative plastic film.
Laminates are resistant to scratches, impacts, and they are easier to clean. Given the slippery plastic top, you will find it a breeze to wipe the cabinet off.
Another advantage of this kitchen cabinet material is that it doesn’t need frequent polishing, varnishing or painting. Unlike the organic nature of the hardwood, laminate is a lifeless artificial material. It just doesn’t care about humidity levels and sunlight’s impact.
The biggest disadvantage of laminate is that you don’t receive that vibrant natural look you find in hardwood.
Wood veneer
Veneer has a similar structure to laminate. The only difference is that the top sheet is a slice of natural wood that tends to provide an authentic look. After application, the veneer wood may experience colour and texture treatment through painting and polishing.
A veneer is an eco-friendly alternative to hardwood because it uses only a thin slice of natural wood to cover the surface. In this way, it is also a more economical option comparing to expensive hardwood.
So if you are both short of money and want a natural-looking cabinet, wood veneer is your best choice.
The negative side of veneer material is that its colour fades over time due to exposure to sunlight. Those that live in places with active sun are good to give up on veneer, unless they install window blinds.
Metal
Metal cabinets boast increasing popularity among homeowners. While it is more expensive than other cabinet materials, metal comes with many advantages. Stainless steel is durable and resistant to rust, humidity and heat.
At the same time, the slick surface is incredibly easy to clean and scrub in case of tough stains. The unique look is also a reason people choose metal cabinets. The glossy steel surface emanates power and style, making your kitchen a room full of personality and charm.
If you buy metal coated cabinets, you have to behave with it carefully and maintain it regularly. The material is sensitive to scratches and the fingertips on it are easily visible. Also metal doors are heavier and noisier than laminate or wood.
What Material Should I Choose For Kitchen Cabinet? –
Bottom line
If you intend to buy a new kitchen cabinet, we would advise you to do your research well. There are many variations of materials that are worth a place in your kitchen. You just need to analyze their pros and cons carefully and identify the one that suits your needs best.