The kitchen is a place where they do not just cook food, but a cozy atmosphere that is conducive to soulful conversations. And the first thing that affects the surroundings is the kitchen. Its appearance, functionality, ergonomics and practicality contribute to the creation of a favorable microclimate. To feel comfortable in your own kitchen, it is not necessary to invest a lot of money in repairs and furniture. You can create a comfortable environment, even with a modest budget. The main thing is to know what materials to choose, because expensive - this is not always high quality. Here we will figure it out.
General requirements
When ordering or buying finished kitchen furniture should take into account such nuances as:
- the kitchen should harmoniously fit into the interior of the room in color and style of execution;
- if you plan to buy furniture of more than one color, then at the top it is preferable to install light facades, and below - dark;
- high-quality materials for the kitchen at affordable prices can be selected by contacting several companies and compare prices;
- the manufacture of custom-made furniture always justifies the costs, since even in the standard room in each apartment there is something individual.
What are the cases made of?
The largest amount of material is spent on the manufacture of a kitchen furniture cabinet, so the price of a headset will directly depend on the choice of the buyer. All devices and mechanisms are attached to the body, its strength affects the life of the kitchen. Each type of raw material has its pros and cons and you need to know them.
- Chipboard - This is a small wooden shavings mixed with resin, pressed in an extruder into a plate and covered with a protective film. The pluses include the availability and fairly low price of the product. The downside is the loose texture of the board. Initially, all the parts are securely bolted and are in their places, but with careless use, the doors become loose. Re-securing the elements in the same place can be problematic. With each new screwing, the chips become more loose and lose their density.
And also you need to take into account one more nuance - particleboard is afraid of water and even high humidity. The material swells, exfoliates and loses its attractive appearance.
- MDF - a board made of wood-fiber material is an environmentally friendly and safe product, since toxic adhesive mixtures are not used in its production. The material is made by hot pressing, during which a natural substance - lignin - is released from small chips. The result is a durable product that is easy to process and decorative. The advantages of MDF kitchen furniture are strength, resistance to high temperatures. It is safe and environmentally friendly, low susceptibility to fungi and mold. It belongs to the middle price category. The disadvantages include poor moisture resistance.
Accidental contact with water is not dangerous, but with frequent and prolonged contact with moisture, MDF will swell and deform.
- Wooden case - this is plywood or joinery. The usual plywood surface is environmental friendliness, durability, affordability and reliability. The advantage of waterproof plywood, to all of the above, is the ability to survive the flood without changing the original shape. The joinery has similar characteristics. If there is no water-repellent impregnation, then humidity is the number one enemy. Another weakness of the wooden case is that it must be painted.
Facade Options
The facade of the kitchen is his face. It can be performed in the following ways:
- smooth;
- rounded frame;
- frame rectangular.
Resources for their production, presented on the furniture market, allow you to choose modifications for every taste and budget. All of them have different characteristics and external data. Facade panels are made of several materials.
- Particleboard and chipboard. The most budget option, but not the worst. It is easy to process, which makes it possible to combine it with other materials for decorative finishes.
- MDF. For frontal elements, it is used film or dyed. Vinyl film makes it matte, glossy or multi-colored, but with time or under the influence of high temperatures it can peel off. With paint, in particular acrylic, this does not happen - it is more reliable and durable, but the price, respectively, is higher.
- Postforming. This material is created by rolling a layer of plastic on a sheet of chipboard or MDF. The coating is not afraid of high temperatures and mechanical stress. This material has the widest color palette, even the most picky buyer will be able to choose a shade to his liking.
- AGT-plate. Factory plastic cladding of MDF sheets allows to achieve strength, and the side edging reliably protects the facade from the influence of negative factors.
- Veneer. Such panels look like wood, but in fact it is a chipboard or MDF plate covered with a thin sheet of natural wood.
- Solid wood. Natural wood is decorated with carvings and varnished. In addition to the fact that such a facade has a chic look, it will last a very long time, and its cost is decent.
Glass inserts of various colors and textures are often installed on doors. Less popular is furniture for the kitchen with typesetting and combined facades, but there is one too. It is extremely rare that kitchens are made of metal, concrete, glass. Such models are considered exclusive and are made only to order.
Varieties of countertops
The standard thickness of the countertop is 28 mm, but if the headset has built-in appliances, you will have to add another 10 mm. It is this surface that undergoes the greatest mechanical stress, so it should be made of the most durable material. The working surfaces of the kitchen set are made from various raw materials, chipboard and MDF are also listed in this list. A board of appropriate thickness is taken as the basis, and covered with a laminated plastic on top. This countertop is durable, waterproof, easy to attach and, if necessary, changes to another.
But at the same time, the plastic covering the panel must not be exposed to high temperatures, abrasive detergents and chemicals, as well as water entering the untightly sealed table joints.
Artificial stone surfaces
Acrylic countertop pleasant to the touch, while it looks great in both glossy and matte versions. Its main advantage is plasticity. A designer can realize the most extravagant idea with the help of this material. Intricate curves and unusual shapes of kitchen acrylic surfaces will delight lovers of originality. The convenience of using acrylic as a working panel lies in the possibility of eliminating small chips and scratches by grinding. After this procedure, the surface of the countertop acquires its original form. Contact with pigmented substances may leave marks on a light acrylic surface. Water is not dangerous for her.
It should be remembered that the material is not heat resistant.
Quartz Agglomerate - It consists of natural quartz chips and its synthetic resin binding. By external data, it is in no way inferior to natural stone, and when adding coloring pigment it can be presented in different colors. The material has increased resistance to microcrack formation, does not need special care, and in strength is not inferior to granite.
Porcelain Tiles - A fairly new composite material with increased strength, durability and other qualities that are inherent in the working area of the kitchen. In the building materials market, it is presented in various colors, imitating concrete or natural stone. The disadvantage of granite countertops is the complexity of the restoration. If damaged, it may be easier to replace the entire panel than to dismantle it and send it in for repair.
Natural stone countertops
Marble - This is a beautiful and attractive material that is suitable for the kitchen interior of any style. However, its practicality leaves much to be desired. Despite the fact that it is a natural stone, it is quite fragile and has a porous structure. This means that even spilled coffee or juice will leave a mark on the countertop. The surface can be sanded, but this procedure is expensive. Before choosing the granite plane of the desktop for the kitchen, you need to make sure that there is no radioactive background of this mineral. Neither hot pots, nor high humidity, nor microorganisms, nor fungus are afraid of this surface. Color and texture retain their original appearance even after decades.
The only caveat to be considered is the large weight of the granite surface. This should not be forgotten when designing its supporting structures.
Selection recommendations
Buying new kitchen furniture is usually accompanied by a renovation. It is necessary to plan and order a kitchen set before the start of the repair of the room, in extreme cases, during it. Otherwise, all wishes will be difficult, and sometimes impossible, to realize. A pre-washed sink, stove or range hood may limit the functionality of kitchen furniture without fitting into the built-in design.
It will be easier to choose the material of the kitchen from a variety of offers by comparing several similar options.
No matter how strange it may sound, the most practical of all the variety of models will be a white, glossy kitchen set. Fingerprints and drops of water will be invisible on it. All impurities are easily eliminated, the furniture shines again with cleanliness. But bright white has its drawback: when exposed to direct sunlight, the kitchen becomes yellowish. Therefore, if the shade is unprincipled, you can take beige or ivory.
For lovers of dark shades, there is also a way out - choose a surface with a rough texture or with a “wood look” pattern. The heterogeneous relief of the facade is less prone to contamination, but it is more difficult to care for. If, nevertheless, the choice fell on the kitchen from chipboard, then the class of its environmental friendliness should be E-1. It is advisable to make facades from it in dark shades, since a black strip cannot be avoided at the junction of the edges. All ends of the surfaces must be glued with PVC film, which is necessary for safety and to extend the life of the furniture.
For a creative and creative approach to kitchen design, the best option would be MDF. Its variety of colors, textures and finishes is simply amazing. Open shelves are, of course, savings on facade material, but a very impractical thing. Over time, they turn into a storehouse of dusty and unnecessary things. But if you really want to save money on something, then you can do it on the fittings, equipping all the drawers with drawers, and the cabinet doors with lifting mechanisms. It is very fashionable and modern.
About what material to choose for the facade of the kitchen, see the next video.