Step 2

Lets look closer at what is available in materials and how they stack up. There is so much variety out there it can be confusing. Believe me it can be as stressful for the designer as the client, hence my stressful week.

That is not to say that when you go to a kitchen professional you have to have all the answers. After all that’s what they are they're for to make your ideas a reality.

Lets cover a couple of door materials this time starting from cheapest to dearest. Next time bench top materials

Doors

In New Zealand we have a products called melamine and melteca. They are a low-pressure laminate. They have similar properties to high pressure laminates i.e. bench tops, wilsonart, Formica etc. Being low pressure they are a lot thinner. Generally they are very durable great for kids on their bikes and other things with sharp edges.

Normally they are over a MDF or chipboard substrate and generally only available as a flat panel door, though insert panels like glass, mesh etc can be used.

Edge detail is usually finished with 2 or 3mm PVC. Some companies will use a thinner edge like .5mm but this is likely to come away with age as anyone with a kitchen over ten years old would know.

Newer edge treatment, which we use on our semi-custom system, wraps the laminate around the sides and completely wraps end panels, which soften the doors. This process although slightly dearer than PVC leaves the door with less joins meaning less can go wrong.

Price wise low-pressure laminate doors are good value for money as they are the cheapest option is very durable so will last the lifetime of the kitchen and the colour range is large.

Foil Doors

Next is foil doors. They are getting popular in New Zealand. Very popular in Europe and USA. These are too formed over a MDF substrate.

The advantage with this system is if you want a patterned door there are plenty to choose from with the price varying with the amount of profiles on the door.

There are a few companies in New Zealand who make foil doors with only one company, Thermo Tec who completely wrap panels. The rest are only able to wrap one side and edge, which I personally don’t like. For example when a panel is seen on both sides like an open display the other side is hard to finish and to hide the white substrate. To get around this many companies will use low-pressure laminate panels with PVC edging. There are colours from the two different products that match .The problem I have with this are the textures are slightly different so it's not a perfect solution.

The colour range isn't large which can be a problem.

The price is dearer than low-pressure laminate when you use the complete wrap panels although as it becomes more popular in New Zealand the price will come down.

In Europe and USA this is the cheapest and best value for money. They also have more choice in colour, styles and finish. When I was in the states two years ago I saw they have finishes other than stipple that we have here. Including a high gloss, which looks like a lacquer finish.

Thermo Tec has just come out with a smooth finish foil, which looks real good.

As far as durability goes they will last as long as the kitchen. They have similar looks and properties to low pressure laminate.

Lacquer Doors

This style of door looks the best by far. Doors can be flat panel or whatever pattern you like. Finish can be anything from satin to high gloss. Usually sprayed on with a gun .The substrate can be anything from MDF, Plywood to solid timber.

Unfortunately it has a major disadvantage its durability .You just have to look at it and it will scratch. That’s what it seems like.

For something that looks so good when first done it’s a shame. Many who have a lacquer kitchen don’t go back to them again. I am not saying that I wouldn’t have one, all I am saying is you have to be really careful with them. Not such a good idea if you have kids.

Price wise they are about the same as foil doors. The big advantages is in the colour range and finish .You can have any colour off any colour chart and finishes ranging from stipple to a piano finish. Usually you pay more for a high gloss finish and more if you want a smooth finish like a piano as they polish the door after they have sprayed it, called a buff finish.

Timber Veneer doors

This is a very Eco friendly system, where they cut a veneer of solid timber. Not much more than 1mm thick it is glued it too usually a MDF substrate. Edge treatment is usually in veneer or solid timber. I prefer using solid over veneer edges as its more durable and you can soften the edges with a radius. Solid edging is usually 3 or 6mm.

Good system in a modern kitchen as being flat panels you end up with clean lines and an even pattern. Along those lines is the use of plywood. Great if you want an ultra modern commercial looks.

I have just finished a kitchen in a very large house, which has that commercial look. We introduced timber for a large display unit to break up the stark look. Instead of using solid we used veneer which achieved the commercial look we were after.

Photos of that kitchen should be in my custom photo gallery soon. As far as finish goes, as it’s a timber veneer its usually clear coated, stained or colour washed.

Timber Doors

Traditionally timber is associated with traditional looking kitchens. This is as they usually have some sort of pattern in them. I like to push the limits and come up with fresh ideas when I design as with many designers. I find you can mix and match a simple patterned door with modern plain materials and still have a modern looking kitchen.

The other way of getting around the traditional look is instead of clear coating the kitchen, stain it or do some sort of funky colour wash.

Very popular in high-end houses in the states is to sand blast the kitchen before coating it to make the grain stand out.

This can be expensive, as the whole kitchen has to be in solid, that is doors and end panels.

To keep the cost down most companies will use veneer panels with solid doors. I have found a company that does solid doors and panels for a similar price as veneer. I have photos of it in my Designer Series gallery. Those kitchens use my standard units and quality timber doors and panels.

Next step will be to do a custom kitchen in solid and sandblast it. Finish can be anything from lacquer to clear coat, from stain to colour wash.

Price wise, usually the dearest system as it requires the most work.

When it comes to durability they are like any coated door with the exception of a washed door or paint effects door. As the coating is not supposed to be even, you don’t see defects like scratches, which come with use.

The Rest

I have only covered the main systems there are many more including glass doors, metal doors, metal covered doors and high-pressure laminate doors. There are different paint systems available under different brand names. Then there are all kinds of inserts to put in the doorframe. This can be an in expensive way of making a kitchen look real smart.

The possibilities are endless that’s where your kitchen designer will help.

So till next time

Catch Ya