Types Of Kitchen Cabinet Finishes
When refacing your kitchen cabinets, you are faced with several different types of potential finishes. Each type of finish comes with its own distinctive set of advantages and disadvantages: understanding what each type of finish can offer your kitchen cabinets can help you choose the right finish for your kitchen.
Rigid Thermofoil Finishes
Rigid thermofoil finishes, more commonly referred to as RTF, are made out of a layer of vinyl which is then adhered to layers of fiberboard. The vinyl layer is textured to give off the appearance of wood grain, and can be easily shaped into a wide variety of different designs and patterns. Furthermore, vinyl comes in a wide range of different colors, which means that you can customize the appearance of your kitchen cabinets to match the rest of your kitchen fairly easily. However, it should be noted that once observed up close, RTF will no longer look like wood, which can ruin the illusion.
Wood Veneer Finishes
Wood veneer finishes provide the natural and luxurious aesthetic of wood which is emulated by RTF, but not quite achieved. Wood veneer finishes are made up of a single thin layer of wood which is placed over the fiberboard that makes up the door of your cabinets. This veneer can come in a wide variety of different hardwoods, and can be easily stained to alter the color. However, wood stains are somewhat limited in their color choices when compared to RTF and plastic laminate finishes. Additionally, it should be noted that since wood veneer uses real wood instead of synthetic materials, it is the most costly of the three main available types of kitchen cabinet finishes, making it less than ideal for kitchen remodeling which is being done under a tight budget.
Plastic Laminate Finishes
Offering a midpoint in terms of investment between RTF and wood veneers, plastic laminate finishes are made completely out of a variety of plastics that are used to laminate the fiberboard of your kitchen cabinet doors. They come in a wide selection of colors and, like RTF, are textured to give the illusion of wood from a distance. Furthermore, both plastic laminate finishes and RTF are more resistant to moisture than wood veneer finishes, helping to cut down on long-term maintenance. However, unlike RTF, they are not as easily shaped, which means that there are fewer design options to choose from, despite carrying a slightly higher price tag.
For more information, talk to a professional like Unity Cabinet & Granite.