Materials Used In The Construction Of Kitchen Cabinets

By Author: Vikram Kumar
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Before you buy new kitchen cabinets, it could be helpful for you to know what materials are commonly used in the construction of cabinetry. This will help you decide what you want your cabinetry to be built from.

Plywood and particle board of a high quality are commonly used in cabinet construction. Both of these materials are purchased in sheets that are 4’x 8’ and come in varying lengths. Plywood is actually formed from layers of thin wood veneers. These are glued and pressed together. The wood veneers are glued with their wood grains each running in right angles from each other. This increases the strength and durability of the product. Plywood is a quality workable product that can be purchased relatively cheap. This type of wood sheeting resists shrinking and warping. Birch is a common form of hardwood plywood that is used frequently in kitchen cabinets. Birch plywood is strong and has a nice grain pattern that is suitable for cabinetry with natural finishes.

Particle board is sheeting that is made from chips and wood shavings; even some of the sawdust is used. Those chips and wood particles are sprayed ...
... with a resin or glue, then a few other chemicals and components are added and the wet wood chips are shaped into sheets. Then those sheets are cold compressed so they form the usable board. The resins that are used to glue these wood chips together determine the future uses of the particle board and the quality of the board. Particle board is mainly used because it is cheaper than plywood, and plywood is cheaper than solid wood pieces. Particle board does have a tendency to sag and if moisture is introduced to this product it will swell and start to come apart.

Different solid woods are used in the construction of cabinetry. Cherry wood is one of the more expensive woods used, but both maple and oak are used frequently.

Laminates like “Formica” are frequently used in the construction of these furniture pieces. These laminates are sometimes applied to the cheaper wood products to give them the look of higher quality merchandise. The laminate “Formica” can be used on the top of the base units to form a seamless countertop surface. It is cheaper than ceramic tile or marble. Countertops are fashioned from many different materials including stainless steel.

The wood on the cabinetry will be either stained or left natural in color and then it will have one of several types of finishes applied to it. It may be shellac, varnish, lacquer or polyurethane. Each of these finishing products produces a clear shine enhancing the beauty of the wood. They also provide some protection to the wood from moisture and chemicals that will be used to clean. Their presence also helps to deter pests such as termites from investigating your wooden furnishings.

You have many choices ahead of you if you are shopping for cabinetry. If you look online you will find several options available to you so you can view the different products and decide which ones you prefer.

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