Best Finish for your Kitchen Cabinets

Cabinets in the kitchen are the most essential components and the finish adds aesthetic appeal to your kitchen. So it’s very important to take some time to choose the best finish for kitchen cabinets.  There are a number of finishes available in the market such as laminates, acrylic, polymer etc. Laminates and acrylic are the most popular choices. They differ in terms of aesthetics, pricing and durability.

Acrylic finish is non-toxic and reflective high gloss finish which can give a perfect smooth finish to the cabinets. It is available in an array of colours and will give a mirror like resemblance to the kitchen cabinets.

Laminates are made by pressing together thin layers of flat paper and plastic resins. The upper layer is printed with a decorated pattern. Laminates for kitchen cabinets are pressed with high pressure.

You will find more variety in laminates than acrylic finishes. Laminates for kitchen cabinets are available in matt, gloss and ultra-high gloss too. Apart from colours, laminates are available in various textures like wood.

Laminates are heat and moisture resistant. They are hard-wearing and durable when compared to acrylic finish and can be treated for antibacterial properties.

Acrylic is more expensive when compared to laminates. Laminates offer durability and variety at a lower cost, making them ideal for those on a budget. 

Home is the Reflection of Your Personality

It is an accepted society norm today that your lifestyle choices, the way you dress up, your home and the environment you live in reflects your social standing. The concept of luxury living has evolved and is here to stay for sure. In the end, what everyone wants is a perfect home and lifestyle that becomes your comfort zone and extension to your personality. 

In today’s times, home décor and styling has become intrinsic to expression of self and is also becoming a story told through design. In reality, the home space has been converted into a possession reflecting the social status of the owner his personality too.

To fulfil this new demand, architects, interior designers and developers are continuously raising the bar by providing international standards in terms of architectural and landscape design, facilities and services offered to the consumer. This trend of luxury living has led to an influx of luxury designs, cutting edge designs and high end projects.

Homes have now becomes luxury segments. New and innovative materials are being explored without caring about the cost. Furniture is now pieces of art and art is being adapted to add elegance.

So when thinking about building or renovating your home, do not forget about laminates for your home décor. Yes, laminates can be used at various places in your home - furniture, wall panels, flooring and kitchen.

There are a number of laminate designs available in the market. Decorative laminates give a great aesthetic appeal in terms of patterns and finishes. Laminates are available in solid wood textures and natural materials. They are also available in bright colours.

Simple laminates or decorative laminates are also available in an array of finishes – gloss, matte, metallic etc. The most important thing is that laminates are durable and scratch resistant. They are resistant to moisture, heat, wear and tear. But when exposed to excess water, they warp. Laminates are also easy to maintain. You just need to dust the regularly. Everyone is ready to go the extra mile to express their living or lifestyle choices. 

Laminates for Kitchen Design

Kitchen is the heart of every home. It also needs some styling. Every now and then, the kitchen needs to be revamped with a touch of creativity. But it is quite a task to select the best material from plethora of options available in the market. Right from the flooring to door, kitchen cabinets and countertops, kitchen laminates design highlight grandeur of your kitchen area.

There is a variety of kitchen laminates design available which are affordable, sturdy, easy to maintain and are suitable for all types of kitchens.

Let us have a look at some top laminates for kitchen design.

1.       ColorCore:

·         ColorCore are solid colour laminates introduced by the Formica Group. This range of kitchen laminates design offers a new facet to designer and decorative surfaces.

·         The laminate is thick and strong, scratch resistant and can tolerate heavy pressure. The durability makes it and excellent choice for kitchen laminates design

·         This range offers creativity with 5 beautiful new decors and choice of 8 surface finishes. These are sophisticated textured laminates. 

2.       Jeans Finish:

·         Denim Fiber is an award winning laminate design, introduced as part of Formica’s Global Series. It has Gloss and Jeans Finish.

·         It’s amazing true to touch feel due to its classic denim diagonal twill creates a directional texture.

·         Jeans finish laminate is a good choice for your kitchen as it gives a distinctive look and also protects it from daily wear and tear caused due to various kitchen activities.

3.       Stone Texture:

·         The stone texture is very close to the look of a real stone and the precise consistency in the surface makes its appealing.

·         This texture has two finishes – A) Snowcrust – The fine texture and a light colour base creates an effect of illusory depth of shadows and cracks. B) Alabastar finish has a dark base colour having natural texture of alabaster imprinted.

All these laminates for kitchen are durable and are resistant to high pressure, wear and tear. 

Laminates Vs Granite

Granite is a very elegant stone and it's natural beauty captivates everyone. But the realities of the material are often distorted and lost in visual appeal. Laminates offer great alternatives and are cost effective too. Here are some myths about granite and facts about laminates that shed light to some misconceptions about both the products.

Myth 1: Granite is easy to clean and maintain

Fact: Granite requires deep cleaning on regular basis. Granite cleaners are very expensive and is advisable to not use the common household cleaners to avoid ruining the surface.

Laminate sheets are easy to maintain. They can be cleaned with a clean, damp cloth and mild liquid detergent or any household cleaner.

Myth 2: Granite is resistant to bacteria and stains.

Fact: Granite being a porous material, it can be highly susceptible to bacteria growth from food and liquid. Standing water, grease, wine can leave stains on the granite countertops which can be difficult to remove.

Laminate sheets are non porous and non resistant too.

Myth 3: Granite being a real stone is good for the environment

Fact: Significant fuel and energy is required to mine granite or any other stone from earth. Granite is non-renewable resource and it is found that some less expensive granites emit radon gas which is not good for health.

While laminates on the other hand, especially Formica laminates are made from FSC wood and recycled papers, both of which are sustainable.

Myth 4: Granite adds resale value to your home

Fact: Adding granite countertops may help a home sell faster, but it won't necessarily change the value. It costs only 20-25% of its cost to the overall home value.

Formica creates stone, granite, quartz ad wood inspired laminates. These laminates add an amazing visual appeal to the home at a great value.

Exploring more and more options and deciding a budget will help define a solution which is best for your home.

Why Laminate Sheets for Home Decor?

One of the most affordable ways to refurbish your home is through the use of  laminate sheets. These are available in a variety of shades and patterns with wooden textures or designer prints that can be customized. High pressure laminates are considered to be one of the most durable decorative surface materials and help renovate living spaces into a plush, classy and modern urban space.

Following are some of the advantages of using laminate sheets to help you choose better.

Firstly, laminate sheets guarantee good quality products as finest quality logs are sent to companies that manufacture sheets.  Secondly, laminates add to the overall strength of the product. In modern day flush doors, which are not cut out of solid wood, but manufactured from a variety of materials ranging from cardboard to scrap-wood, laminates are the best products that can be used to ensure durability. Hence, laminate sheets raise the standard of the finished goods.  Another worth mentioning quality of laminates available today is that they are fire-retardant. Special chemical treatment is applied to these laminates which delays temperature rise, for them to be effectively used in kitchens & other high traffic areas like cinemas.

Now let us have a look at how laminates enhance interiors.

Laminates are commonly used to make furniture pieces such as beds, sofas, tables etc. They are a popular choice because of their aesthetic appeal, economical nature and easy availability. Like in bedrooms, laminates are used as wall highlights that serve the purpose of creating a partition which is functional and attractive at the same time. Other areas where laminates are applied are in wall shelves in bathrooms, kitchen, and bookshelves. Like it is seen in kitchen cabinets, where plywood is used with decorative laminates.

Hence, these are some qualities that make laminate sheets worth a buy.

Preparation for Installation of Laminates

Installing laminates for flooring is a big task. Whether you are doing it yourself or hiring a professional, it is better to know and understand common problems that may occur. You can avoid some problems if you know what to look for and how to properly handles the laminate sheets.

Always check the sub-floors as they are typically cement or concrete and develop weakness over time. If you place the laminate sheets on uneven and weak sub-floor, the new floor will be compromised, damage the laminate locking system, creak and create micro gaps in the new floor. Use a level to see how flat the floor is. If there are gaps larger than 1/8", then you may need self-levelling mortar to level the surface. Any areas that peak higher than 1/8" will need to be lowered to create an even surface. Wooden floors need to be sanded down and concrete floor will need grinding.

Cheap laminate flooring has a higher chance of being defective, so always choose a quality material. Purchase approximately 15% more laminates than you expect will be needed.

Install a proper underlayment of a thin, hard layer of cement board, foam or wood. It protects the floor from moisture and prevents warping and buckling. Plywood underlayment is easy to install and usually cheap.

Remember to monitor the temperature of the laminates. If the flooring has been left outside or in a cold atmosphere is fully contracted. If you install the laminate sheets while it is cold, it will later cause cracks and humps in the floor. Let the floor warm up overnight before installing.

Do not forget to inspect each piece of the laminate and follow the manufacturer's installation directions. Leave a small amount of space around edges of the room where you are installation the flooring, else the floor may warp.

Changing Trends in Laminates

The homes of new generation are being built with style and unique design. Nowadays people don’t like compromising in giving out money for their home interiors. It can be either a sofa set or the laminates, everything should be good.

This demand of style and design has created a demand for laminates in the global market.

Laminates can be used in different ways in home or office. It can be used on wall panelling, kitchens, study room, on the wall panelling etc.

Laminates are now being used widely in hotels, gyms, lounges, restaurants etc. Laminates give a very different kind of feeling to the owner and also the person who sees it.

Now people are usually purchasing thin laminates instead of plywood as the plywood has become too old fashioned and plywoods are too thick in comparison to laminates.

Colour core

The best and easy way to replicate the seamless look every one love can be done with Colour core with acrylic in laminate interior surfaces. Colour Core removes the dark line sometimes associated with laminate edges.

The Matt finish colour core can increase the levels of wearability and is able to reduce the visual impact of chips and scratches. Colour Core can be used perfectly for applications such as bench tops, countertops, point of sale units and work surfaces.

High Pressure Laminates

High pressure laminates are mostly wood fibre. The demand for high pressure laminates in India has increased over the years. High Pressure Laminates can be used for churning out a variety of building components such as cabinets, countertops, store fixtures and wall panels.

Cabinets, furniture, and store fixtures were the biggest markets for laminates in the year 2012, accounting for a combined 60 % of the total demand.

The three key features of laminates that drives the market are:

Design and style trends

Coordination

Global accessibility