SMC FURNITURE | GUIDE TO SELECT CABINET MATERIALS

When selecting custom kitchen cabinets for your home, you’ll need to make several choices, including which materials to use.

Here’s a clear guide to the top wood-based materials for kitchen cabinets, including their advantages and disadvantages.

1) Particle board / Chipboard

For a cost-effective cabinet material, chipboard with a melamine finish is an excellent choice. This material is created from wood chips that are bonded together with synthetic resin and then compressed into sheets. It is

commonly used in IKEA furniture.

Pros: Particleboard is resistant to scratches, impacts, and fungi.

Cons: It is not moisture-resistant and can deteriorate and discolor when exposed to water.

However, melamine can be durable as long as the surface remains consistently dry.

2) Block Board

The second cabinet material we’d like to introduce is block board. This material consists of softwood strips sandwiched between veneers, with the strips placed edge to edge and glued together under high pressure.

Block board can be a good alternative to chipboard in areas prone to humidity, as it is less likely to crack in moist conditions.

Pros: Resists sagging and warping, making it ideal for long, flat surfaces where additional stiffness is needed.

Pros: More affordable than plywood, and generally stronger and more durable than MDF and particle board.

Cons: Not as strong or durable as high-quality plywood or solid wood, due to its use of softwood strips.

3)  Plywood

Plywood is another widely used cabinet material, consisting of multiple thin layers of wood glued together to create a sturdy board.

Pros: Laminated plywood is solid, resistant to abrasion and moisture, and easy to clean and maintain.

Cons: Although plywood is available in various shades and textures, this variety can lead to inconsistencies, with no two boards matching perfectly.

4) Medium-density fiberboard (MDF)

If you're seeking a cabinet material that falls between plywood and particleboard in terms of quality, medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is an excellent choice for doors and drawers. MDF is a composite material created from recycled fibers, resin, and wax, which are combined and pressed together under high pressure.

Pros: MDF is strong, and highly durable.

Pros: MDF is resistant to warping and expansion from temperature changes and moisture.

Cons: MDF is not as strong as other cabinet materials, like plywood or hardwood. It is susceptible to sagging and damage if cabinets and drawers are overloaded.

5) Expanded PVC foam board

Although this cabinet material is somewhat more expensive than chipboard, it offers several advantages worth considering. PVC foam board is composed of lightweight, foamed PVC, which provides numerous benefits.

• It is moisture, corrosion, and chemicals resistant.

• They will not decay with time and the color remains in the same new look for a long time without fading.

• These PVC foam boards are fire resistant. It can resist acid, moth, heat, vibrations, noise and light.

• It is waterproof.

• It supports superior quality wood processing.

• This is an ideal substitute for the wood, aluminum and other types of composites.

• It features smooth plate surface that is hard with the minimal scratching and thus becomes ideal for cabinets and furniture.

• It also features high thermal and acoustic insulation properties.

• It is self-extinguishing and flame retardant.

• It features light texture. It is portable and can be transported easily to any location.

• Any common carpentry tools can be used on this material for working.

• This PVC foam board can also be nailed, drilled, pasted and saw or involved in any other processing.