How to choose the right material for a kitchen set - which one is better

Kitchen furniture is selected not only by size, color and functionality, but also by the materials from which it is made. At the same time, the material for the kitchen set plays a key role in its durability and ease of use.

"Professionals" can advise on how to choose a kitchen, but often they have an interest in increasing the amount of the check.

The material also affects the look and color choices. Competent selection will help eliminate the main disadvantages and make the most of the advantages.

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Requirements for materials for a kitchen set
Existing varieties of materials for frames and facades
Varieties of materials for countertops and their features
What material is it better to choose a kitchen set from in the end?
Video: what material of the kitchen facade to choose
Options for kitchen facades in the photo

Requirements for materials for a kitchen set

The main thing to consider in the question of which material is best for a kitchen set is the features of the room itself. In the kitchen, there are frequent changes in humidity and temperature, which affects any furniture.

Any of us faced the choice of interior items for the kitchen.

The facades of the upper cabinets are more susceptible to temperature extremes. The lower cabinets are more susceptible to moisture changes. This is due to the laws of physics and the peculiarities of the movement of air in the room. Another feature of the room is that fat is constantly spreading in it.

Best Cuisines — The best kitchens combine beauty with convenience and functionality.

Modern hoods help to minimize this lack of space, but it is not possible to completely remove the fatty vapors.

The material for the kitchen set must meet the basic requirements:

Be resistant to changes in temperature and humidity.
Easy to clean.
Fit to budget.
Match the design of the room.
Meet the area of the kitchen.

To make a headset more beautiful, practical and at the same time to reduce its cost, they often resort to a combination of materials. For facades, more expensive materials are used, and for hidden parts, cheaper and at the same time reliable.

choose good cuisine — You can easily choose a good kitchen yourself.

Advice. In large kitchens, facades and countertops made of natural solid wood look best. Headsets made of MDF or chipboard under film or paint are more suitable for a small room.

Existing varieties of materials for frames and facades

First, you need to figure out what the main parts of the kitchen set consists of. All constituent parts can be divided into groups:

Facades. Front surfaces of cabinets and other pieces of furniture. They should have the most aesthetically pleasing appearance. It is also desirable for upper cabinets to be lightweight.
Frameworks. The basis of cabinets and bedside tables. These parts must be strong and withstand the load of the shelves and their contents.
Kitchen countertop. Part that is exposed to maximum constant stress. Moisture and fat are poured onto it. She experiences constant blows with blunt or sharp objects. They lean on it and even sit down. At the same time, they must maintain their attractive appearance. Therefore, the materials for the manufacture of countertops are especially suitable.

Fiberboard

Fiberboard is produced from woodworking industry waste: chips, shavings and sawdust. Adhesive materials are added to them: PVA or resin. It is the cheapest material and also the least durable.

It is used primarily for the back walls of frames. In inexpensive kitchens, the thinnest plates are used, in more luxurious ones, strong, thick options. This material is not used for facades.

It is important that the stove does not contain harmful impurities, since when the temperature in the room rises, they will be released into the space. To avoid this, you need to ask the seller for certificates.

MDF

The most common material for the manufacture of frames and facades of kitchens. When asked what material it is better to make a kitchen set, many people choose MDF or a slab made of fine wood fraction.

To obtain MDF, wood fibers are glued together without using chemicals and harmful substances.

It uses only high-quality small wood residues of the same density. Thanks to this, it is possible to tightly compress the sawdust and make a high-quality monolithic slab. For the same reason, the material is considered more environmentally friendly than fiberboard or laminated chipboard, since the sawdust is hot pressed here under high pressure, which allows using a minimum of adhesive materials.

The homogeneous structure allows the use of slabs for decorative facades. Interesting carvings can be made on them. It is easy to lay down paint, enamel or a film here.

Externally, MDF looks like a tree, which also earned its popularity. The service life of furniture made from this material is 10-15 years.

Chipboard

Laminated chipboard is a cheaper analogue of MDF. Shavings and sawdust of various sizes are used here. The slab consists of three layers - an internal one of large sawdust, an external one of small sawdust and a laminated coating. Due to the laminated coating, the facades of them do not require additional processing.

Laminated particle board is considered a budget material.

Chipboard is a looser material, which is inferior in strength to MDF. However, in terms of its properties, it surpasses fiberboard and chipboard. Due to the fact that there are larger sawdust inside, it absorbs moisture better and is more susceptible to deformation.

Panel thickness — The thickness of the panels varies from 16 to 24 mm.

Large sawdust is held together with formaldehyde resins, which is why boards are considered the least environmentally friendly than fiberboard and MDF. This material is usually used in cheaper furniture.

LSDP is believed to be not resistant to water.

But if there is an opportunity to choose MDF, then it is better to give preference to this material. This material should be chosen for on-duty options, for example, for a kitchen in a rented apartment. The service life of such furniture is no more than 5 years.

Natural wood

Solid wood is the most luxurious and environmentally friendly material. It does not contain harmful substances. Conifers, on the other hand, emit essential substances that are beneficial to health. It is he who is used for expensive kitchens. The tree is beautiful, pleasant to the touch, easy to process.

For frames, hard, durable species are usually used: oak or beech. For facades, the choice of species is wider. It can be delicate linden, birch or pine, stylish cherry or strong oak. These kitchens will last for a long time - over 20 years.

wood species — But not all types of wood are suitable for use in a wet area.

Wooden slabs are the least susceptible to deformation. In case of damage to the coating, they can be easily restored. The disadvantage of this tree is its high cost. It is also a very heavy material.

wood kitchen — It is important that the tree is dry, and it must also be treated with special compounds.

Advice.When deciding what material it is better to order a kitchen set from, a combined option is often used: the back wall is made of chipboard, the side walls and shelves are made of MDF, and the facades are made of solid wood. The combination of materials allows you to make inexpensive, but reliable and beautiful furniture.

To protect against damage, the surface of the wood is treated with paint, varnish or oil.

Aluminum

Aluminum kitchens are inexpensive and durable. They can be completely made of this material, or aluminum is used only for the production of the rear panels. This option is environmentally friendly, does not emit harmful substances and is very lightweight.

Its main drawback is its cheap and simple appearance. Aluminum furniture assumes only minimalistic design in high-tech style without the use of decorative elements. It is most difficult to create coziness in such a room. That is why aluminum is rarely chosen. But such a kitchen will last more than 30 years.

Varieties of materials for countertops and their features

The most durable materials are selected for the countertop, since this object will experience the most severe loads. In addition, it must be resistant to moisture, and in large quantities, fat, oil or other more aggressive substances - for example, vinegar, alcohol, wine.

Table top — The table top can be made of different materials.

It should also be a monolithic large slab throughout the kitchen. And of course, it must be very beautiful - because its appearance determines the overall impression of the entire kitchen.

Fake diamond

This material is most commonly used for the production of countertops. It has a stylish look, dense structure. Artificial stone has a low price and is suitable even for budget kitchens. Moreover, this material is very elastic and does not crack as often as natural stone. It does not have micropores, cracks and other natural defects, which is why it does not get dirty and does not absorb dirt.

Humidity is also not terrible for such facades.

Ready-made slabs for countertops are offered for sale, in addition, this material is made to order. This makes it possible to get any shape, including angular or non-standard.

There are two types of artificial stone: acrylic and quartz. The acrylic version is cheaper and easier to process. It consists of 50-60% natural chips, the rest is occupied by acrylic resins. Many kitchen installers and furniture manufacturers work with him. However, it is less durable.

Quartz stone looks more expensive, the closest in appearance to natural. In fact, it is a natural material, since it consists of 90-95% quartz chips, which are combined by pressing and special resins. Coloring pigments are added here, which allows you to achieve any color and pattern.

A natural stone

This material has the main advantage of being luxurious in appearance. At the same time, it contains a lot of disadvantages: high price and inconvenience in processing. Not all manufacturers work with natural stone, and not every master will undertake to install a stone countertop.

The surface is stable — The surface is resistant to high temperatures and of course durable.

In addition, natural stone may contain microcracks, which makes it less durable. It is sensitive to sudden changes in temperature. For example, if you pour boiling water on it, it will crack. It can also crack easily when a heavy object falls. This option is least often chosen for countertops.

Wood

The most simple, easy-to-process and cheapest material. Most often, they choose the option from solid wood, since it is more reliable and has a luxurious look. A more economical option is MDF products.
All manufacturers and private craftsmen work with wood. It is easy to make a tabletop of the desired shape and size from it.

The disadvantage of wood is its porous structure, which easily absorbs dirt. To protect it from moisture or other substances, the wood is treated with varnish, oil or enamel.

However, such a coating can be easily damaged with a knife or other sharp object, which will require complex repairs. So the varnish or enamel coating will have to be cleaned and reapplied. The oil coating is easier to repair - it is enough to cover only the damaged area.

Metal or plastic

Metal, plastic, chipboard or fiberboard are the cheapest options for countertops. All of them have the main drawback - cheap appearance. They are only suitable for a temporary kitchen, as they can get bored very quickly.

material selection — The choice of material for the kitchen is further complicated by the fact that the kitchen is a room with a high level of humidity.

Metal is durable and simple. Therefore, it is used for mine. For the entire countertop, it will look shabby.

Particleboard, plastic do not differ in their reliability. They crack easily, quickly lose their beauty. Because of this, they are only suitable for temporary kitchens.

Advice. This material is beneficial to use for temporary countertops.

What material is it better to choose a kitchen set from in the end?

Summing up, we can say that for the most profitable option, it is worth choosing a combination of several materials. This will allow you to choose a luxurious option at an affordable price. In addition, the combination of materials will ensure a long service life of the furniture and no breakages.