Laminate/Melamine
Melamine board (often called laminate) is a durable-coloured multi-layered paper compound pressed to either particle board or its stronger cousin, medium density fibreboard (MDF). Very cost effective and suitable for kitchens that get a lot of use. Many textures and matt finishes are available to suit your décor.
Solid timber
These last a lifetime, especially if periodically lacquered/painted and kept in good condition, but will come at a price. Offers wonderful character due to variability in wood grain and texture. Best used in carefully considered interior design to stop it becoming too heavy in the space.
Vinyl or vinyl wrap
Vinyl cabinet doors/drawer fronts are vacuum-sealed to MDF that delivers an affordable cabinetry option. Not as heat resistant as other options and repairs to any cuts in the wrap are not possible, or are quite noticeable.
2PAC
These offer a hardened paint finish to add to cabinets that delivers a very thick and scratch-resistant surface. Available in various gloss levels from a very flat matt finish through to an extremely high gloss. If a 2-pac paint finish is applied properly, it is done in the same manner as a vehicle’s car paint with many layers of undercoat, sealer, paint colour and top coat and sanded in between each coat to achieve a very flat and smooth finish. This should be sprayed in a dust-free environment such as a purpose built and ventilated spray booth, then oven baked for hardness. The beauty of this product, if done using this method, is that it can be sanded back, repaired and colour matched to existing doors, should you damage it down the track – similar again to repairs done to your vehicle. Colour choices are unlimited as you can select from thousands of standard colours or colour match a laminate sample or any coloured object you desire. The doors/drawer fronts can also have a profile routed out of the face giving the door/drawer face a more classical or modern look depending on the profile selected – such as the most popular Shaker style door. These doors/drawer fronts will be more expensive, but deliver commercial grade quality.