Many housewives, when choosing kitchen furniture, look first of all at its appearance. However, design should be a secondary issue. The most important thing is the material from which the kitchen set is made. In this article, we will analyze the performance characteristics of natural, artificial raw materials, and answer the question: which material is preferable for the kitchen.
Content
Basic requirements for the headset
The front of the cabinets used in the kitchen must have certain qualities. It is the front part of the set that takes the main "blow". It is affected by high temperature, moisture, fat. The front of the kitchen furniture must have the following qualities.
- Moisture resistance. This requirement is relevant for all furniture items located near the stove. A good exhaust hood will help reduce the amount of moisture.
- Durability. Fragile elements can break or crack during daily use.
- Resistance to minor mechanical damage. When cooking, furniture can be accidentally scratched by metal pots, frying pans, forks, knives.
- Resistance to absorption of foreign odors. Odors will always be present during cooking. A poor quality facade can absorb them.
- Aesthetics. This is also important. An attractive kitchen set will help create a harmonious space, a stylish interior.
Brief analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of materials
So, what material fully meets the above requirements? It is impossible to give a clear answer to this question. However, we will consider in detail the main types of raw materials, and outline their strengths and weaknesses.
All materials used for the production of kitchen furniture are divided into two groups.
| Material groups | Types | Characteristics |
| Natural | solid wood | Natural raw materials are characterized by a long service life, excellent performance characteristics. It does not have a harmful effect on health. There is one drawback - the high price. |
| Artificial | MDF, laminated chipboard, particleboard | Their common feature is affordable cost, light weight. Some types may contain harmful resins. |
Solid wood
Wooden facade is the best option for the kitchen. Wood has amazing performance qualities: high strength, aesthetics, safety. Different types of wood are used in the manufacture of items.
- Birch. This tree is relatively inexpensive. However, many experts consider birch to be too soft.
Elegant kitchen with birch wood fronts - Larch. The most common type, has long been used in the manufacture of furniture and facades. Larch has the correct technical and physical characteristics.
Kitchen cabinets near the window, made of solid larch - Spruce. Has a pleasant aroma, is moisture-resistant. The downside of spruce is the difficulty of processing.
- Pine. Pine is used more often than others in the production of kitchen furniture fronts. Pine is strong, light, and does not cause difficulties during processing.
The most common and frequently used type of wood for kitchen cabinets is pine.
- Oak. The most unusual kitchen units are made from this tree. Oak is very durable. It is easy to give it the desired shape. Oak products can serve for decades. But their cost is quite high. Such goods will not be affordable for a family with a small income.
Frame MDF
If the budget for repairs and furnishings of the room is small, you can pay attention to artificial building materials. Frame MDF is a cheap material. It has several important advantages - it combines different types of raw materials, allows you to make structures of any size. However, the use of frame plywood will require additional equipment of the room. You will need a high-quality hood. Frame plywood is afraid of moisture. Another disadvantage is the difficulty of cleaning. When washing, you will need to apply significant physical effort.
Painted MDF
Painted board is a better option. It is covered with several layers of enamel. Eight is the ideal number of such layers. Facades of this type will last a long time and have an attractive appearance. A huge advantage of painted board is the availability of a large number of colors and shapes. Finished products can be easily matched to any style of interior. Another advantage is resistance to high temperatures. MDF can withstand sudden temperature changes during cooking.
Despite the extensive list of advantages, painted tiles have a number of disadvantages.
- Difficulty of material restoration. It will be difficult to disguise even minor damage. Partial repair is not always possible, it is not cheap.
- Insufficiency to sunlight. Having installed such kitchen furniture, it is important to take care of its protection from sunlight. Thick curtains will help with this. Without protection, the surfaces will begin to fade.
- The need for constant cleaning in the kitchen. The coating is very sensitive to touch. Fingerprints, stains, and greasy spots will always remain on it. Light damp cleaning will be required constantly.
Film MDF
Simple, affordable building material. Film MDF is presented in various color schemes on the market. Such a facade can be easily matched to any style of kitchen interior. It is budget-friendly and is perfect for arranging a summer house. The manufacturing process of this type of panels is quite simple. First, the coating is treated with glue. Then the PVC film is applied and a press is applied. The press and glue securely fix the film on the surface. However, after several years of use, the film may begin to peel off. The peeling is conspicuous and spoils the overall interior of the room. Another serious drawback is color fading. Bright colors do not please the eye with their saturation for long. Given this, there is no point in buying a kitchen set made of such raw materials for a home interior. It has an old-fashioned design and quickly loses its original qualities.
Chipboard
MDF is often used by manufacturers. However, low performance characteristics negatively affect demand. An improved alternative is laminated chipboard. The advantage of the raw material is the top layer - laminate. It protects the coating and decorates the finished product. Laminated chipboard is better than the previous artificial building material, but the advantages are not particularly impressive either. The main positive quality is the low price. The goods are available to different segments of the population. Another important advantage is the absence of harmful emissions. The top coating prevents the release of substances into the environment. Laminated chipboard is easy to maintain. The boards can be washed with a regular damp cloth.
Flaws
- Simple design. It is impossible to create an extraordinary interior using furniture structures made of laminated chipboard. They are very simple, more suitable for a country house design.
- Low resistance to moisture. Despite the protective coating, laminated chipboard has poor resistance to high humidity.
- Presence of a specific smell. During the first few weeks of use, there will be an unpleasant smell in the room.
chipboard
This building material is made from waste. Wood waste is pressed and bound with special substances. The main disadvantage of chipboard is the presence of such binding substances. They contain harmful components. Substances can evaporate into the environment and cause harm to health. For this reason, you should not buy products made of chipboard. The only positive quality of this raw material is its affordable price. Kitchen equipment is cheap. To save money, you can buy such furniture for your dacha. You do not spend much time there. Harmful substances will not be able to cause significant damage.
Important! When choosing what material will be the basis for creating the furnishings of your kitchen, you need to consider your own budget and the special requirements of the room. The best option is natural wood. More budget-friendly is MDF. The other options contain a significant list of disadvantages. It is better to buy them for use in a summer cottage.
Other building materials, fittings
A wide range of raw materials are used in the production of the set. Thus, acrylic plastic is used as a facade covering. This is a high-tech furniture lining. It creates a gloss effect. This visually increases the space of the kitchen - an ideal solution for a small room. Acrylic plastic can be monolithic. It is used without a wooden base. Monolithic plastic is highly durable.
An important point is the selection of building materials used to make countertops. In modern versions, natural and artificial stone are usually used.
The stone has a number of advantages.
- It withstands minor mechanical impacts and is difficult to damage with cutlery.
- Resistant to chemicals. The tabletop can be cleaned with almost any means.
- Does not absorb dirt. Penetration is minimal. The coating is smooth.
An equally important moment is the selection of fittings. Fittings break first during long-term use. The cheapest metal option is aluminum. However, fragile fittings are made from it, their service life is short. The ideal solution would be to buy fittings made of stainless steel. Such steel has high strength, is resistant to moisture, and serves for a long time.
