Best Materials for Cabinet Making

Most cabinet makers are in agreement that the most important decision to make about design is what materials to use. Even if the craftsmanship and design are wonderful, if you’ve picked a wood or other material that doesn’t work for space it is going to be used in then the cabinet will be nowhere near as high quality as it could have been. Different materials work for different environments, and naturally, they have a huge impact on the price. High-quality, solid materials are often more expensive. In this article, we’ve explored some of the best materials used for cabinet making.

MDF

MDF stands for Medium Density Fiberboard. This is made out of recycled fibers from other woods and is milled in a high-pressure environment to create denser, heavier materials to make things out of! It is relatively affordable but also doesn’t really peel or crack easily, this is why it has become very popular for use with flat pack furniture. It is also smooth and easy to paint over with colors you desire.

Plywood

Plywood material is also low cost but it is good at resisting moisture, this means that it is often more popular for use in bathrooms, for instance. You can coat the plywood with laminates or other types of veneer which can also help to stop water from having a negative effect on the wood.

Stainless Steel

When most of us think of a cabinet we think of some sort of wooden finish, however, it isn’t always the case. Steel can be used, and this is especially popular if you are making cabinets to be used in industrial kitchens which are designed to last a long time. Steel may not be as aesthetically pleasing in a home but if you are looking for something incredibly robust and hard-wearing then it might be that you opt for stainless steel.

Particleboard

This is far from being a traditional material used for cabinet making. This material is made out of wood chips and other particles which are effectively glued together. It isn’t overly firm as it is held together purely by adhesive. However, particleboard is affordable and can be used in the right circumstances to good effect.

Hardwood Veneers

Wood veneer is a hardwood, it is peeled from a wooden log and then glued to other materials such as MDF and particleboards to create a finish. This isn’t what you would make a whole cabinet out of, but it is lightweight, inexpensive and creates a hardwood finish where there wouldn’t otherwise be one.

Best for Kitchen

The best materials for use in the kitchen need to be able to deal with hot temperatures and also be hard-wearing, especially if they’re in a kitchen which will see a lot of use. In a commercial setting, it could be worth using stainless steel. For the home, MDF materials can be fine to use MDF or other types of composite materials. A veneer or coating will definitely be advisable as this can stop any water or anything else that splatters from becoming difficult to clean, the veneer will be wipeable.

Best for Bathroom

Plywood is the material we advise if you are going to use wooden materials for cabinets in your bathroom, it is resistant to water and also has the option to be used with coatings and veneers. These can help you to create a cabinet which copes not only with water getting on it by splashing, but also humidity won’t degrade the wood.

Conclusion

There is an element of personal preference here, and you should also think about the way your kitchen and bathroom is used, and how likely it is that your cabinet will be exposed to water or other conditions that can damage it. Though you may think of cabinets as being made out of wood, they are often made of woods that are composites of other materials, especially if buying flat-pack or affordable home furniture. Cabinets made out of hardwoods are usually reserved for rooms where heat and water won’t play such a big part, so MDF and other composite woods are advised for both your bathroom and your kitchen.