One of the most important things to consider when you plan a kitchen remodeling is to make the right choices for the materials used during the process, regardless if it’s about construction materials or the materials used for the kitchen cabinets. Although the price plays an important part, it’s always a good idea to invest a little more into durable materials for the most important items, because otherwise you will have to remodel your kitchen again sooner rather than later.
First of all, you need to think about the elements that complement the kitchen. This means you need to take into consideration where you want to save, were you want to have a more generous budgets, which things are mandatory to be replaced and which you can leave for a later time.
Granite – ideal for sinks and for some interior decoration items
If you want to give a luxurious look to your kitchen, use granite for sinks and some pieces of furniture. Beyond the quality of the material and finishes, granite is available in a wide variety of colors and nuances. These can oscillate from gray and pale beige to intense brown, silver or even matte black.
Granite is an extremely resistant material to thermal shocks. It also supports other types of mechanical pressure and aggression for a long time.
Sinks or other pieces of granite kitchen furniture are very resistant to different stains and scratches as well as to different solvents. Unfortunately, due to its durable character, granite is quite expensive and hard to process. In addition, the installation is more difficult and more costly.
Composite materials – unmatched solutions for everyday issues
If you want heat-resistant and durable materials for long periods of time, yet you don’t have enough money to invest in furniture and other granite utilities, you can choose sinks and other useful items in the kitchen made from composite materials.
Composite furniture resists to shocks, scratches and has high heat resistance, because it’s made of different types of sand and gravel and it’s available in a wide variety of colors. You can find it from immaculate white to intense black, from green to chocolate and turquoise blue. In addition, sinks and other kitchen items have a much lower weight than granite. They can also be processed more easily than granite.
However, you need to know that they are more difficult to clean and require extra attention because otherwise the composite can change its texture and color over time.
Acrylic – a versatile material for your kitchen cabinets
Acrylic is a versatile material, extremely cheap compared to granite or composite materials. You can choose acrylic for the kitchen sink or for the kitchen cabinets. It’s extremely resistant to stains, scratches and mechanical shocks, easy to maintain and available in a variety of shapes and colors.
It doesn’t have the same good resistance to high temperatures and thermal shocks and it’s harder to find lately.
Popular materials for kitchen cabinets
Kitchen cabinets made from particle board have the advantage of an affordable price. There is a very rich offer of particle board that imitates wood, stone, marble and it’s available in different colors, so it can be matched very easily with the rest of the materials used for the kitchen remodeling. It’s simple to make and it adapt to an atypical space. However, it does not excel in “personality”, the panels are flat, without the possibility to be mechanically processed on the surface and have a flaw: the specific, pungent and somewhat unpleasant smell emanating from these plates and which persist for quite some time.
Solid wood kitchen cabinets for those who are passionate about this material it’s a dream. There are ready-made kitchen cabinets, but also the ability to have some custom made. There are design firms that handle both design and execution. Working with wood is infinitely more attractive for a designer, both from the perspective of choosing essences, combinations that can be made, and design and customization is much better.
If wood is used, the problem of finishing occurs. As the kitchen environment is aggressive enough, with a lot of moisture, aggressive cleaning agents and steam, it’s very important that the finishing materials are resistant to such conditions. In addition, the wood has to be “sealed” with these materials, eliminating any possibility that the water will reach it. Sometimes the wood is combined with veneered panels. The advantage of using panels is, in addition to dimensional stability, cost savings.
MDF kitchen cabinets rank qualitatively between particle board and solid wood. MDF kitchen cabinets are not as expensive as solid wood one, but they can be finished in such a way as to resemble it. Mechanical processing of MDF boards can be done to make them look like those made from solid wood. The finish will also contribute to the luxurious appearance of wood. A colored primer applied as a first layer will hide the color and structure of the MDF. Then, materials or techniques can be used in such a way that the furniture looks vintage or more precious, belonging to one style or another. It’s important that the materials used complement each other and everything seems as seamless as possible.
MDF can be finished in modern styles and in different colors, monochromatic or combined. It’s a flexible, easy to finish and dimensionally stable material. In this case it’s also absolutely necessary to use finishing materials resistant to the kitchen environment.
If you need more advice about the materials that you can use for the kitchen remodeling our Good Deal Remodeling experts are here to help. Our team is dedicated and experienced in kitchen remodeling projects, as well as bathroom remodeling and other types of remodeling projects for your home.