When purchasing new kitchen furniture, we can choose absolutely any color and one of many textures. However, there is a pattern: the more new opportunities there are, the stronger our craving for traditional options. The color, pattern and texture of wood are still of interest to buyers, despite the abundance of other offers. After all, nothing makes a home more cozy and calming than wood or a high-quality imitation of it.
What are they made from? kitchen fronts with a pattern and wood texture? The modern basis for facades is, as a rule, an MDF board. To give it the appearance of wood, it is covered with plastic, film or veneer.
What's good about veneer? Which is better: veneer, plastic or film? What are the disadvantages of veneered facades? Let's figure it out.
What is veneer?
These are thin sheets of wood up to 3 mm thick. Veneer is obtained by peeling, planing or sawing natural wood. At the same time, they try to select areas with the most beautiful pattern.
The purpose of veneer production is economy. The base can be cheap wood or wood-like material. When veneer is glued to the base valuable wood, the product takes on a noble appearance. At the same time, its price remains low, because the use expensive wood minimal.
Veneered facades in the kitchen: appearance
Don’t think that veneered kitchens are boring and unoriginal. Veneer comes in different colors and patterns. It can be matte or glossy, depending on the type of varnish. By the way, varnishing creates additional protection - such facades become even more reliable and durable. Here is an example of varnished veneered facades - matte kitchen nature and glossy “energy palisander” from the Kuchenberg company:
Natura kitchen: silky matt lacquer
Kitchen Palisander: glossy varnish
Veneered facades are often combined with others - for example, with enamel or film. In this case, elements with veneer are located in areas subject to the greatest loads. As a rule, this is the lower level of the headset.
Veneered facades: pros and cons
Pros
1. The veneered surface is natural, and up close it is very noticeable. Plastic or wood-look film simply “screams” about its artificiality. The veneer is noble both in appearance and to the touch.
2. Veneered facades are reliable and durable. Veneer is much more resistant to external influences than film. So, the film scratches and melts quite easily. This poses virtually no threat to veneer. Regarding plastic cladding, then in terms of strength and durability they are similar to veneer.
3. Some damage to the veneered product can be repaired. Veneer is wood, albeit a very thin one. Scratches on wood can be sanded down. Serious “injuries” can be covered with veneer patches. Film and plastic cannot be restored.
4. Veneered facades are much more solid in all respects. Even if they are based on MDF or chipboard, the natural wood coating gives them nobility. Such furniture can be treasured and used for many years. Plastic and film, unlike veneer, are perceived as banal and cheap. And they become outdated over time, since artificial materials are constantly being improved. Veneer will always remain interesting and relevant.
Cons
1. High cost, especially in comparison with film. But plastic is also cheaper.
2. If the veneered facades for the kitchen are not made of very high quality, the veneer may become deformed and peel off. After all, a kitchen is a room where furniture is exposed to various aggressive influences, such as high humidity, overheating, serious contamination. Therefore, when ordering a veneered kitchen, do not save money. Since you have decided on a more expensive option, follow your quest to the end. Contact manufacturers that inspire confidence.
3. Veneer is wood, and unlike PVC, it can darken over time and lose its original shade. This mainly occurs under the influence of light and moisture. Varnishing is a good protection against visual aging of veneer.
Almost no room is complete without an interior door. A variety of materials are used to make doors.
One of the most popular are MDF and veneer doors. Which of them is better can be determined by knowing their main characteristics.
The high demand for MDF interior doors is due to their low cost. The combinations of such doors are huge: from simple canvases to individual design. MDF doors are lightweight, easy to maintain, and they are also resistant to external aggressive environments.
Besides positive side, MDF doors also have disadvantages. Despite the fact that the outer surface of the doors is processed by special means, they are afraid of moisture, ultraviolet rays, chemicals. Such interior doors are inexpensive.
Veneered doors can consist of different materials, but top layer made of veneer. The origin of veneer can be varied: from natural wood or created artificially.
Doors made of natural veneer stand out for their unusual and stylish design However, their cost is much higher than that made from artificial material. The texture and color palette of veneer doors depends on the type of wood. Due to their high cost, such doors are not particularly in demand; increasingly, buyers prefer to purchase doors from artificial veneer. They are not that strong, but appearance they are barely distinguishable from natural ones. Veneered doors are more demanding to maintain.
The differences between MDF and veneered doors are obvious. Natural doors made of veneer have the natural color of wood and characteristics characteristic of natural material. MDF doors created artificially, their texture is identical.
Veneer doors can be restored if mechanically damaged, which cannot be done for MDF doors. The price indicator also varies significantly; naturally, the doors are made of natural material will not be cheap.
When making a choice in favor of one door or another, you should rely on your own wishes regarding the further operation of the door, taking into account all the nuances and possibilities.
A common solution today for kitchen furniture– cabinets made of chipboard and facades made of MDF. There are several types of decorative layer that cover MDF facades. Their features must be taken into account when choosing furniture for the kitchen.
1. MDF facades covered with film
This coating is obtained by applying PVC film to an MDF board. Large selection colors, patterns and textures - with marble or wood stylization, and a relatively low price determine the popularity of this option. In addition, the facade covered with PVC film is not afraid of moisture, sunlight and is reliably protected from dirt.
The option of film facades will be economical in terms of total cost kit and unpretentious in terms of care - it is easy to wash with ordinary detergents, but without the use of abrasives.
But such facades also have a significant disadvantage, which is important to know about when buying furniture for the kitchen - when high temperatures The film can peel off, and if there is mechanical damage, it will no longer be possible to restore the facade; you will have to replace it completely.
2. MDF facades coated with paint
Coating facades with enamel and varnish will cost more than film. Choice bright colors here is practically unlimited, so find suitable solution won't be difficult. In case of mechanical damage, such a facade can be restored.
However, when choosing painted MDF facades, you need to take into account: they fade when exposed to sunlight, are also afraid of high temperatures, and cannot be cared for with alkaline detergents.
3. MDF facades lined with plastic
Plastic for MDF facades also offers a wide variety of colors and textures, including those imitating natural materials. But in terms of strength and durability, it is superior to the first two options.
He is not afraid of moisture, sun rays and mechanical damage.
However, if the façade is damaged, it will not be possible to restore it. Also, over time, the plastic on the edges can peel off. And the price for such facades is higher than for painted or film-coated ones.
A separate issue is the care of plastic facades. They are easy to wash, but you will have to do this quite often, no matter which option you choose - glossy or matte finish.
4. MDF facades lined with veneer
The most expensive option, which is difficult to distinguish from products made from natural wood. Wood-look film or plastic is significantly inferior to natural veneer here.
The undeniable advantage of kitchens with MDF facades lined with veneer is the price compared to solid wood kitchens.
Facades lined with veneer look beautiful and solid, are resistant to moisture, but it is better not to expose them to constant contact with water and direct sunlight.
Since a kitchen with veneered MDF facades is not cheap, pay more attention to the choice of manufacturer. Large manufacturers with extensive experience have necessary equipment For proper operation with materials, including for veneer cladding so that over time the coating does not peel off and the furniture does not lose its appearance.
Which option to choose, depends on each specific case. If you need an inexpensive, easy-to-clean kitchen, it is better to choose facades covered with film. If durability is considered the main selection parameters, without focusing on the issue of price, then MDF facades, covered with plastic. Painted facades - for those who are looking for something original color scheme for the kitchen. And facades lined with natural veneer - best solution for a respectable and noble interior kitchens.
In this article:
Wood is the undisputed leader among materials that serve as the basis for interior doors. For its decorative and protective cladding, paints and varnishes, laminate (and its varieties), veneer, and fine line are used.
Of course, there are orders for doors made of polymers, metal (for example, aluminum frame with glass inserts). The decoration uses stone (both artificial and natural), various fabrics, and leather. But the share of these materials in mass production is low - such doors are, as a rule, made to order for small-scale or piece production.
Consumers evaluate doors according to standard criteria:
- price,
- quality,
- external attractiveness,
- operational characteristics.
But for manufacturers, the features of materials that can simplify process, reduce costs or, on the contrary, create additional problems during storage, transportation and processing. Let's consider the pros and cons various materials used in the production of interior doors.
About saving raw materials and cost of doors
Just 70 years ago, natural solid wood was the only material for making interior doors. But the lack natural resources forced me to look for other solutions. The reason is simple: from 1 m3 of high-quality solid wood, about 2.5-3 units of doors are produced, and from the same amount of industrially suitable wood - no more than 2.
Due to the shortage of raw materials, the price of solid wood doors has gradually turned them into premium products. In average price category veneer and fine line reigned. Therefore, the most optimal combination“environmental friendliness - quality - price” today they consider an array coniferous species, lined with natural veneer.
From 1 m 3 of wood you can get about 400 m 2 of veneer, which is enough to make 10-15 doors. And if the tree is grown and processed using technology fine-line, 1m 3 will be enough to produce 20-25 doors (less waste).
The use of cellular technology in the production of interior doors made of MDF (chipboard) made it possible to fill the low price segment wide assortment range.
Of course, the quality of such products corresponds to the cost, but from 1 m 3 of wood it is possible to obtain 50-65 doors of the following design:
- frame - MDF/chipboard, 5 cm thick (sometimes replaced with inexpensive wood);
- internal voids - “honeycombs” made of chipboard/MDF (wood boards with special internal round channels);
- external cladding – MDF sheets, which are additionally decorated (painting, laminate, veneer).
Natural solid wood in the production of interior doors
A door made entirely of furniture board is a beautiful and wear-resistant thing. Its cost depends, first of all, on the type of wood. Expensive wood used in mass production - beech, oak, maple, mahogany. The price for such doors “starts” at $500. Therefore, higher demand is noted for products made from “soft” wood (for example, pine, spruce), their cost is quite budgetary - from $200.
Array- a material that is fastidious in storage and processing. Only thoroughly dried boards and panels can be used in production to avoid deformation and warping of the wood. At the same time, an array of low quality (for example, with knots or curved beams) is guaranteed to lead to defects. Therefore, when harvesting yourself, you sometimes have to reject up to 60% of lumber.
Advantages of the array:
- structural strength of the doors, reliable fastenings, good adhesion of the door leaf to finishing materials;
- the ability to launch a full production cycle workshop, which will allow you to independently produce raw materials for doors;
- a material that “speaks for itself” - massive doors do not need special advertising, they are known as a product high quality and the corresponding price.
Flaws:
- unique individuality of the structure of each door;
- poor tolerance to humidity and temperature changes;
- a door made of solid wood has significant weight, so the fittings (especially door hinges and locks) must be of high quality, designed for high loads;
- there is a high probability of cracks forming in places where the lamellas are glued together when using low-quality glue or insufficient drying of the source material.
Therefore, during serial and mass production, solid interior doors are covered with a decorative and protective layer of natural veneer.
Fine line and veneer
To reduce material consumption in production door leaves veneer sheets began to be used - thin sections of wood (0.6-1 mm), which are glued together to achieve high density.
But natural veneer has special nuance– the uniqueness of the wood structure. Therefore, in mass production, where it is necessary to achieve the same indicators (including in the drawing and in color scheme), a high percentage of waste occurs. But most often such defects are discovered after the tint or varnish has dried - on final stage production.
A new wood industry product helped solve the “eternal problem” - veneer made using Fine-line technology. It is made from industrial wood of fast-growing poplars and abacha, grown in a special way so that the structure is uniform and the workpieces are free of knots and other defects.
Peeled veneer is obtained from this wood, glued in stacks using a special program, and painted to give the most identical appearance. Therefore, a fine line from one batch will be guaranteed to have the same parameters and characteristics.
Advantages: naturalness of the material, and when using fine-line technology - stability of color and structure. The use of veneer is a chance to reduce wood waste in production and diversify assortment range. This material makes it possible to make accessible doors, reliably imitating expensive breeds. For example, natural mahogany or wenge veneer costs 5 times more than its fine-line “version,” not to mention solid wood.
Cons: Fine-line has low strength (the material is based on soft poplar, so you should not expect special wear resistance from doors made using this technology). Even multi-layer varnish does not save. On the contrary, hardened varnish coating, applied to a soft base, increases the likelihood of cracks or a special “white halo” even from a minor impact.
But natural veneer is made from hardwood and is designed to protect soft wood from accidental damage. But high cost and large number defects are an inevitable drawback of this material.
MDF, chipboard
Chipboard, and subsequently MDF– the most economical material in terms of conservation of natural resources and production costs. For the production of slabs, wane, fine gauge, branches are used - in a word, wood waste. The doors of these materials have the most low cost(especially when facing with laminate - a synthetic film with a pattern).
To reduce costs, many manufacturers make only the frame from solid wood (for example, from pine slats), and cover the surface of the canvas with embossed or smooth MDF boards(chipboard).
Advantages:
- low price;
- the possibility of decorating (painting, pasting) for any material, not limited to wood;
- low weight (11-20 kg) allows the use of almost any fittings - according to the client’s choice and capabilities;
- the structures do not dry out and are much less sensitive to moisture and temperature changes than solid wood doors.
Flaws:
- the appearance reminds many of plastic (especially the “Finnish” white smooth doors);
- not resistant to damage - upon impact, dents are formed that cannot be repaired;
- contain formaldehydes that are harmful to health;
- have weak ends of the door leaf;
- coloring – low strength.
Materials used for external decoration of interior doors
1. Laminate– paper impregnated with acrylic or melamine resins. With the help of full-color printing, a very believable imitation of an expensive finish is achieved, but paper remains paper - it fades over time, is easily deformed from mechanical damage and under the influence of moisture, and has poor adhesion to the base material (especially on curved elements).
2. Two-chrome laminate– a polymer film with the addition of corundum, which is specially treated to be resistant to ultraviolet radiation, scratches and abrasion. It holds well both on planes and on elements with a large radius of curvature. Reliably imitates natural veneer.
3. Veneer– a thin cut of wood, thanks to which even a door made of MDF or laminated pine beams looks no less impressive in appearance than a door made of solid wood. Resistant to accidental damage, it allows you to significantly expand the range - from the usual oak to wenge, mahogany and other exotic species.
4. Paint and varnish products– for protection and imparting a spectacular glossy or noble matte shine finished products varnish is applied to them in several layers (if necessary, after preliminary tinting). Although many manufacturers use at this stage manual labor, but automation of the process will help eliminate a large number of hidden defects, ensuring smoothness, absence air bubbles and uniform coating of the door leaf.
Is eco-veneer a competitor to natural veneer? To answer this question, you should study information on this topic. First you need to define the terms. Natural veneer is a very thin layer of cut. This includes southern oak and wenge. Fine-line, or reconstructed veneer, is created in a similar way, only the raw materials for its production are trees that were grown specifically for the production of this type of material. But eco-veneer, the price of which can vary from 3.5 to 10 thousand rubles, is an artificial material, but it perfectly imitates the relief and pattern of real wood.
Natural and artificial eco-veneer. Reviews
Interior doors coated with natural veneer are especially highly valued among buyers. These interior products fit perfectly into various interiors, thereby providing a stylish and sophisticated decoration of the rooms. Natural, lively tones of veneered doors bring a harmonious mood to the monastery, filling the house with warmth and comfort. They can be the most different options performances and styles.
It is worth noting that in lately became especially popular new type coverings for interior doors is eco-veneer. Reviews about this material are positive. Those who have already tested products created using this material note that it reproduces in the smallest detail the pattern and texture of real wood, accurately conveying its relief and color. Since the moment eco-veneer doors became especially popular, manufacturers have been trying to satisfy all the expectations of their customers. They are constantly working to create better, high quality artificial turf.
What is eco-veneer?
If we consider this type material from a technical point of view, it is a multilayer technological plastic, characterized by wear resistance to various types abrasion, as well as increased impact resistance. Eco-veneer completely copies the texture of natural wood, imitates its color and pattern. Sometimes from a distance this material is even confused with standard veneer, but up close it shows itself as it does not have such a respectable appearance. Its plastic texture still cannot fully convey the aesthetics of natural wood.
However, it is worth noting that eco-veneer easily imitates any wood color palette. Plastic acquires special realism due to embossing and volume, however, up close it is still noticeable that this is not natural veneer. So far, there is no technology that would completely replicate the texture of wood, but this particular material is closest to this goal. It has outstripped laminate and a number of other artificial coverings and is an excellent inexpensive alternative to veneered interior doors. Its attractive price is considered one of its main advantages. Products with artificial, but similar to natural coatings are much cheaper.
Peculiarities
If we consider practical side, then eco-veneer is not inferior to its natural competitor in a whole list of parameters, and in some positions it is even better than it. Doors made of this material do not fade and are not destroyed due to influence environment, and therefore can be installed in any room. Their coating is resistant to ultraviolet radiation and does not deform from clicks or other mechanical influences. It cannot be damaged by acids, various chemicals and detergents. So, what is eco-veneer? This is a material that can maintain its original appearance for decades. It may not need repairs for quite a long time.
Comparison
Speaking about the advantages of eco-veneer, first of all it is worth highlighting its durability. Of course, the average person will be of little interest in the resistance of a material to acids and alkalis. This is most likely important for the use of doors with such a coating in chemical industry workshops. But the resistance of products to absolutely any detergent is already significant for the consumer. Plastic more practical than wood, more resilient.
Production
Eco-veneer is created using two-belt presses continuous action. Its technological process provides constant precise temperature control. It is also important here perfect cleanliness premises.
Analyzing in more detail the question of what eco-veneer is, it becomes clear that this material requires strict adherence to the manufacturing sequence. First it is served in work area specialized equipment, where it is pressed under pressure with a constant and continuous increase. This leads to the complete elimination of gas and air inclusions from all layers of the material. The initial product turns out to be very plastic, which in theory provides a wide range of design possibilities. But at present, the range of interior doors made from eco-veneer is much more modest than veneered ones. So far they are inferior natural beauty natural wood.
The production technology of the two types of doors indicated above differs. According to experts, it is unlikely that veneer will have a worthy competitor in the near future. But this artificial turf, like eco-veneer, has already made a significant breakthrough in this area.
Good choice
Modern manufacturers constantly surprise with innovative discoveries. This also applies to door coverings. As an alternative to traditional veneered doors, eco-veneer models have been created that are resistant to temperature changes, do not dry out, and cracks do not form on their coating.
What is eco-veneer for modern man? This is a material that fully meets all consumer expectations. It is environmentally safe and is made from natural fibers wood, which in the process of special technological processing are tightly fastened together. Interior door designs made of such material can be installed anywhere due to their special resistance to any aggressive external environment, durability. Today, their range is constantly expanding. You can successfully choose a model for any interior of a house, apartment, or office.
In conclusion
When deciding what to choose: natural veneer or eco-veneer, it is advisable to be guided primarily by practical considerations. If you need a truly durable and high-quality product, lean toward the second option. Interior doors made from eco-veneer retain their excellent appearance for many years.