Kitchen materials: 3 charming options
Over the years, what used to be an area of the house you only entered to cook has become one of the most important rooms.
We spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so we increasingly value being comfortable, working well and, above all, cleaning quickly and easily, because it is also one of the areas that gets dirty the most.
Kitchen materials keep evolving and, as well as being beautiful, they are practical and durable.
We divide them into three large groups, laminates, lacquers and wood, and all of them are on display at our showroom in Alcalá de Henares, which customers can find online by clicking here.
LAMINATE: AN AFFORDABLE KITCHEN MATERIAL
These are chipboard doors covered with a decorative sheet. There are different sheet thicknesses and materials (high-pressure laminate, melamine, lacquered laminates, etc.). The price depends on the type of sheet and finish.
They are usually flat doors, although there are a few new models on the market that come with mouldings. They are edged on two or four sides and are non-porous, so cleaning is very easy and they are highly resistant. There are also high-gloss, gloss, matt and soft-touch finishes, as well as really good wood imitations. It is one of the most affordable options on the market.
Depending on the finish, we can give the kitchen a more modern, contemporary feel, or even a more classic or rustic one.
LACQUER: A VERY GOOD CHOICE FOR THE KITCHEN
Several coats of lacquer are applied over an MDF base, a mix of pressed wood and fibres (more or fewer coats depending on the manufacturer), with a polyester finish to protect it from knocks and scratches.
With special machines, MDF allows us to create different mouldings and shapes, so we can innovate and move away from typical flat doors. These doors are made in one piece, so they have no edging, are non-porous and are available in both high gloss and matt.
Another advantage is that they can be made in many colours and even customised, giving us plenty of scope for different combinations.
A lacquered kitchen costs more than a laminate finish, since lacquering involves a lot of work and has to be done door by door.
It is very easy to clean as it is non-porous, so it is also one of the most popular materials for furnishing kitchens.
ELEGANT WOODEN KITCHENS
Finally we come to wood, the noble material par excellence, which has always been present in kitchens.
Wood can be solid or semi-solid, and this largely determines the final cost of the new kitchen.
Today there are many finishes available in wood, so we must drop the idea that a wooden kitchen is a classic kitchen. Many modern lines are made in wood, with flatter doors and lighter finishes.
Various woods are used in kitchens, but the most popular is oak, thanks to its hardness and the warmth of its grain.
As a natural material it has pores, but the finishes applied mean we don't have to do more work than necessary in our kitchen. It is the most expensive option, as several boards have to be joined together to make each door, although it is very strong and durable.
Broadly speaking, these are the three groups into which door materials can be divided. Any of them is a very good option, and they will give us kitchens that last a long time, which in the end is what we all look for when furnishing this important part of the house.
