Which kitchen fronts and kitchen countertops are available and what are the advantages and disadvantages of individual types and materials?
The body of a kitchen cabinet consists of two side panels, a bottom panel, a back panel and a top panel and serves as the basic construction for all cabinet shapes. The fronts are attached to the front of the carcass as doors, drawers or pull-outs.
BASIC MATERIALS
MDF boards and chipboards
In addition to chipboard and solid wood, MDF boards are very popular as a base or carrier material for kitchen furniture. The so-called medium-density fibreboards are characterised by their enormous stability and bending strength, are easy to process and are highly valued for their particularly even and smooth surface, especially with lacquered fronts.
How are MDF boards made of wood, adhesives, additives and water produced? The wood fibres are heated strongly under steam pressure, fed into the refiner (defibrator) and ground.
The pulp is then dried and pressed into single-layer boards. Unlike chipboard, the edges and surface are very fine, as the proportion of pores is very low. Immediately after profiling, the MDF board can, for example, be lacquered, covered with foil or with various coatings.
Chipboard is the most widely used material in the kitchen furniture industry. It should be noted that the manufacturer only uses high-quality boards with the E1 limit value requirement. This value indicates the permissible formaldehyde emission and can be checked using the E1 quality seal.
HPL boards
HPL means “High Pressure Laminate” and refers to abrasion-resistant, moisture-resistant, food-safe, heat-resistant up to 180 °C and antistatic laminates. The thickness of the board is between 0.8 and 1.6 mm. They can be manufactured in different colors and structures.
For this purpose, several cellulose sheets are impregnated with curable (thermosetting) synthetic resins and evenly layered. The decorative layer, which consists of a printed or dyed sheet, ensures the desired design. The decorative layer is impregnated in melamine resin and the core layers of the sheet are impregnated with phenolic resin. The layers are then pressed together. After curing, the synthetic resins give the board enormous stability and extreme hardness. The plastic sheets also have a non-porous surface.
For further information about kitchen cabinet, countertops or to add granite, marble or quartz countertops to your kitchen, call Potomac Kitchen & Bath Now! You can also make a free appointment to get service in:
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