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7 Reasons to Consider Laminate Cabinet Doors
Laminate cabinet doors have come a long way over the years but still get a bad rap. Yet, as a durable and cost effective option for the highest traffic part of the home they are hard to beat. For folks that want to be able to customize an IKEA kitchen without breaking the bank we stand behind Laminate and Thermofoil doors. This week we detail the top 6 reasons homeowners should consider laminate cabinet fronts.
Laminate Doors – Ideal for Kitchens
The ability to stand up to moisture is a required trait for anything installed in a kitchen. Compared to real wood, wood veneer, or painted, laminate is the cabinet door finish that has the highest resistance to moisture. This is due to the materials (vinyl, acrylic, or paper & rosin), pressure, and the way to surfaces are sealed.
To stay sealed from moisture Painted, Solid Wood, and Veneer doors end up with an overly glossy finish. What often happens is to achieve the desired sheen these types of cabinet doors are given a 15% clear coat sheen. After a number of years the doors, drawers, and panels are water damaged and need to be replaced. Due to variations in wood or paint finishes the whole kitchen ends up needing to be refaced.
Laminate Cabinet Doors – Endlessly Custom
From traditional to modern to wildly artistic laminates provide endless possibilities for customizing the look of kitchen cabinets. Looking for cabinet doors that have the look of a traditional or unique species of wood? That can be achieved with smooth or textured laminates that are nearly indistinguishable from real wood.
Laminate Doors are Remarkably Durable
The kitchen being the highest traffic room in every home means things need to be more durable. Due to Laminates being a more complex, multi-layered finish they hold up to normal wear much longer than wood or painted doors. What will dent and scratch wood and painted surfaces has far less impact on newer laminate surfaces.
More sophisticated thermofoil laminates like SuperMatte, SmartMattes, and FENIX Nanotech Matte are even more durable. SuperMatte has enhanced fingerprint resistance and repairs itself from scratches and abrasions. FENIX Nanotech Matte is a high-end brandname laminate introduced in 2013 by Italian engineers. FENIX NTM takes SuperMatte technology to the next level.
Laminates are Easy to Clean
Not only are vinyl Thermofoil finishes made to be fingerprint resistant they can be washed down without fear of damage. Where washing wood and painted doors risks water damage and scuffing their finish, laminates are resilient. FENIX and SuperMatte laminates actually self-correct when using a coarse sponge to clean them.
Laminated MDF Doors Are Lightweight
A significant advantage of MDF doors are that they aren’t nearly as heavy as all-wood and wood-framed doors. This means they don’t knock around and wear out hinges and hardware as quickly.
Laminate MDF is More Soundproof than Wood
It’s true! Laminated MDF doors have soundproofing and acoustic conditioning qualities that improve your in-home experience. Between the perfect density of MDF and the varied engineered laminate surfaces they cut down on echoing and transference. If you prefer a quiet home laminate doors can help to achieve that.
Laminate Cabinet Doors = Cost Effective
The main advantages of laminate cabinet doors are superior engineering, durable, customizable and very cost effective. Veneer and painted cabinet fronts end up costing more than twice what laminates do. Laminate doors can achieve that same look and tend to last longer. Just as importantly, Laminates are easier to repair and cheaper to replace than wood or painted doors.
Written by Todd Zimmerman
Producer of the John Webbccast
