With the development of integrated cabinets today, they have entered the homes of ordinary people and become an indispensable part of the scenery for ordinary families. The overall cabinet mainly includes cabinets, panels (door panels), countertops, and hardware. There are many types of cabinet materials available at various prices. How to buy the cabinets you like, how to make the design reasonable, beautiful and practical, and how to avoid the traps in the purchase, you must do your homework well.
1. Cabinet.
1. Particleboard
Most cabinets are made of particleboard, and a few parts are made of medium-density board. Particleboard is made from natural wood that is broken into granular shapes and then pressed into boards. Its waterproof performance is better than that of medium-density board, and it is currently the main material for kitchen cabinets.
Particleboard
According to the structure of particleboard: a. Single-layer structure particleboard; b. Three-layer structure particleboard; c. Gradient structure particleboard; d. Oriented strand board; e. Waffle board ; f. Molded particleboard;
According to the surface condition: Unfaced particleboard: a. Sanded particleboard; b. Unsanded particleboard. Veneer particle board: a. Impregnated paper veneer particle board; b. Decorative laminate veneer particle board; c. Veneer veneer particle board; d. Surface-coated particle board; e. PVC veneer particle board, etc.;
Standard cabinet material: melamine particleboard (including entrance kitchen cabinets). The main material of melamine particleboard is to cut natural logs, crush them into small, specified shapes, add environmentally friendly glue, and refine them under high temperature and high pressure. Melamine board is made by adding colored paper to a plain board and pressing it at a high temperature of 600°C. The Chinese environmental protection standard is 100mg ≥ 40 grams. The lowest European standard is E-1 level, 100 mg ≥ 10 or less, E-O level standard is 100 mg ≥ 3 or less, and super E-O means no formaldehyde. ?Domestic manufacturers mostly use Lushuihe particleboard from Jilin Forestry Group, and its quality has passed the European E-1 level standard, ≤8 mg/100g dry board, (Grade A premium product).
Characteristics of Aijia/Grid EGGER particleboard: The materials are selected from several species of conifers growing in the cold zone of the European continent. In order to make the board have good physical properties and reprocessability, a small amount of sawdust is mixed in during the processing. Particleboard overcomes the shortcomings of natural wood and has physical properties that are not easily deformed and stable. Therefore, particle board is a kind of board made by cutting, crushing and destroying natural logs, high temperature and high pressure, which is more suitable for furniture production and use. ?The surface of Aijia board is smooth and not easy to deform. It is also a green and environmentally friendly product. The harmonious unity of shape and function can perfectly reflect the excellent quality of the product.
2. Medium-density board
It is an artificial board made of wood fiber or other plant fibers as raw materials and applied with urea-formaldehyde resin or other suitable adhesives. MDF is soft and durable. Impact, easy to reprocess. Poor moisture resistance. It has good flatness and is usually used in panel furniture and office furniture. Because the MDF is easy to loosen after tightening, and the strength of tightening after loosening is insufficient. Because medium density has good flatness, it is more suitable for door panels and countertops. When used for box panels, it is subject to certain limitations during the assembly and fastening process.
What needs to be noted is the thickness of the board. Most are 16mm, but of course there are also 18mm. The thicker the board, the more expensive it is. Many people only care about the door panels and countertops. In fact, there are also tricks here. The advertisements show 18mm panels, but after signing the contract, they will be replaced with 16mm panels. Many people didn't pay attention. The actual quality of the cabinet should be considered: 1. Board material, 2 thickness, 3 edge sealing. Edge sealing is very important. The thicker, the better and more durable it is, so that the formaldehyde inside the foam board will not evaporate.
2. Panel (or door panel)
1. Solid wood board
It has the effect of returning to nature and returning to simplicity, and the lace corner treatment is in contrast to the luster of the paint. The craftsmanship requirements are high and the classical style can be better expressed. It should be noted that not all so-called solid wood boards are solid wood. The door frame is made of solid wood, mainly in cherry wood, walnut color, and oak color. The door core is made of medium-density board with solid wood veneer. Generally, concave and convex shapes are made on the surface of the solid wood and painted on the outside, thus maintaining the original wood color and soft shape.
This can ensure the special visual effect of the wood, and the combination of the frame and core board can ensure the strength of the door panel.
Strengths: scratch-resistant and high-temperature resistant. The texture is good, the texture is natural, and the environmental protection is relatively good. Compared with other materials, the thermal conductivity is small.
Disadvantages: The color is determined by the tree species, and there are few colors to choose from. It has poor acid and alkali resistance, is not suitable for too dry or humid environments, and is troublesome to maintain. The price is high.
2. Metal plate
Metal door panels are the latest popular color, bold and avant-garde, with a personalized style and sense of the times. Its structure is a metal plate on a medium-density board that has been specially oxidized, finely brushed and polished, and a dense protective layer is formed on the surface.
Strengths: Wear resistance, high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance. Metal has strong plasticity, fine texture, is easy to clean, and does not emit odor. Clean lines, long life, and durability.
Disadvantages: Easily deformed, easily leaving groove-like pits after a slight collision, and scratches are difficult to repair. The colors are mainly cold tones, giving it an "icy" feel and lacking the warmth of home.
3. Fire-resistant board
Fire-resistant board is currently the mainstream material for integral cabinets. The base material is particle board or density board, and the surface is decorated with fireproof board. Its characteristics meet the requirements for cabinet use, adapt to the special environment in the kitchen, and cater to the development trend of cabinets that combine "beauty and practicality".
Strengths: Wear-resistant, high-temperature resistant, and scratch-resistant. Anti-penetration and exudation, easy to clean. Bright color, not easy to fade, delicate touch, affordable price.
Disadvantages: poor waterproof performance. Compared with paint and resin materials, the color and fashion sense are slightly worse. It has poor plasticity and cannot create three-dimensional effects such as concave and convex.
4. Paint board
The base material of the paint board is density board, and the surface is baked at high temperature by spraying imported paint six times (three bottoms, two sides, and one light). The characteristics of the paint board are that it is bright and easy to shape, has a strong visual impact, and is very beautiful and fashionable.
Advantages: The surface paint can effectively waterproof. The entrance is bright and the surface is smooth. Strong anti-fouling ability and easy to clean.
Disadvantages: Afraid of bumps and scratches, damage is difficult to repair. Color difference is prone to occur in kitchens with a lot of oil smoke. The technology is advanced, and the price of products using imported paint is on the higher side.
5. Resin door panel
Resin door panel refers to a door panel covered with mirror or frosted resin material. The hardness is usually higher than that of baking paint, and it can be divided into two types: mirror surface and frosted effect material.
Resin boards are mostly treated with colored spray paint. The whole board is imported from the original. It is a material for making high-end glasses and has high cost performance. The luster is delicate, the color is soft, the surface is smooth and easy to clean, and it is not easy to discolor, but the high temperature resistance is not very good. Consumers who pursue fashion can choose cabinets with mirrored resin panels, but since they are easily scratched, they should pay attention to maintenance during use.
Advantages: safety, environmental protection, light weight. Rich colors, translucent and stylish, and can be infinitely thickened. The moisture-proof function is outstanding and it is not easy to deform. The impact resistance and load-bearing capacity are much more than 200 times higher than that of glass, and it is not easy to break.
6. Blister board
The base material is density board, and the surface is formed by vacuum blister or one-time seamless PVC film pressing molding process. It is the most mature cabinet material. It is the most convenient and most suitable for people's lives. This kind of cabinet door panel has two effects: glossy and matt. It not only has the bright luster and gorgeous quality of baking paint, but is also tougher and more wear-resistant than baking paint. The door panel does not need to be edge-sealed under normal dimensions, and it is waterproof, moisture-proof, has good hardness and flexibility.
Advantages: rich colors, lifelike wood grain, pure and bright single color. Not easy to crack and deform, resistant to scratches, stains and fading. The seamless PVC film pressing molding process does not require edge sealing, and there is no glue opening problem. Routine maintenance is simple and no special maintenance is required.
7. Wood veneer
Wood veneer refers to the use of coating technology to veneer the surface of the board with solid wood, which can highlight the wood texture, soft texture, good environmental protection performance, and at the same time Can have a classic or modern style. Generally, it is 0.6mm both inside and outside.
Advantages: Novel shape, good texture, door panels do not need edge sealing, waterproof and moisture-proof, no deformation, smooth surface and no oil leakage, easy to clean, lower cost than solid wood, for people who like natural wood grain but don’t want to Great for people who pay high prices.
8. Glass door panel
Glass door panel is a commonly used material in wall cabinet doors. It not only makes the kitchen more transparent, but also adds a bright color to the overall cabinet.
Advantages: Good light transmittance, rich colors, and does not emit odor. It has good moisture-proof and fire-proof properties, and there is no deformation problem.
Disadvantages: The material is brittle and fragile, so you need to pay special attention when using it. The plasticity of the surface is poor and the coloratura is less. Additionally, stains appear to be more noticeable.
3. Countertops
Materials that can be used as cabinet countertops include: marble, fireproof board, stainless steel, and artificial stone. Among them, artificial stones are divided into: color stone, crystal stone, cloud stone, celite (quartz stone), composite acrylic, and pure acrylic.
Marble---its advantages are: hard texture, wear-resistant, and natural texture.
The disadvantages are: 1. There are pores on the surface and it is easier to leak; 2. It is not easy to process and there are gaps in the splicing. 3. It contains the radioactive element "radon" which is harmful to the human body. Not suitable for places where the elderly and children often move.
Fireproof board---a countertop made of medium density or particleboard as the base material, with a 0.8~1.2mm thick fireproof board veneer pasted under high pressure and bent to form. The fireproof board countertop has good physical and chemical properties, rich colors, wear-resistant, easy to clean, anti-corrosion and anti-corrosion. However, it is more difficult to deal with countertops with corner joints and countertops with uneven heights. Once they are not handled well, they will easily crack, bulge and become glued.
Stainless steel - Stainless steel countertops were very popular in old-fashioned kitchens in the past. They are deeply loved by people for their wear resistance, dryness resistance, waterproofness, easy cleaning, erosion resistance, non-aging, and long service life. With the introduction of the concept of integrated kitchens, integrated cabinets have gradually replaced old-fashioned cabinets. Stainless steel countertops have also been gradually replaced by artificial stones with bright colors and seamless splicing due to gaps in splicing, stringent dimensions for production and installation, and complexity of processing. With the current advancement of welding technology, seamless welding has been achieved, and stainless steel countertops have also made a comeback. Especially by integrating the basin and the countertop, the stainless steel countertop has overcome its own shortcomings and regained people's favor with its unparalleled texture.
Artificial stone-artificial stone countertop is a chemically synthesized decorative material that has emerged with the introduction of integrated kitchens.
Depending on the composition, there are currently the following types of artificial stone countertops on the market:
1. Selishi: The first generation product of artificial stone, the main ingredients are Unsaturated resin, aluminum hydroxide powder, acrylate monomer, pigment, etc. In order to reduce costs, many small manufacturers use calcium powder instead of aluminum powder, which makes the countertop dull, brittle and easy to break, corrode and leak.
2. Crystal stone: The essence of crystal stone has not changed much compared to color stone, except that more materials with large particles and high transparency are used in color mixing and pigments. I once did an experiment in a countertop processing workshop---the crystal stone countertop after being tempered at high temperature has more pores than ordinary colored stone.
3. Cloud stone: Cloud stone is a kind of artificial stone that is more expensive than crystal stone, has patterns that imitate natural patterns, and has a harder texture. Due to its shortcomings in processing and texture docking, it has not been used on a large scale. It is generally used in the packaging of other exterior walls, columns, and lighting decorations.
4. Sailite is also called quartz stone: Quartz stone is a kind of stone that has only appeared in the past two years. It contains natural quartz, has a hard texture, is naturally luxurious, wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and has no leakage. leak. However, the processing and splicing are more complicated, and there are traces of splicing. At present, the more popular one on the market is Spanish celite.
5. Composite acrylic: Composite acrylic countertops are the most cost-effective among all artificial stone countertops. Its main components are acrylic, aluminum hydroxide and particles added about 20% to saturated resin, and other materials accounting for about 2% (depending on different colors).
Its price, gloss, hardness, corrosion resistance, etc. are relatively moderate, making it a mainstream product in cabinet countertops.
6. Pure acrylic: The main ingredients of pure acrylic countertops are Grade A methyl acrylate and aluminum hydroxide. It has a fine gloss, is non-toxic and has no radiation, is easy to clean, is corrosion-resistant and has no leakage. It is currently the most ideal cabinet countertop material. At present, there are two pure acrylic brands in the Qingdao market: Samsung Xingrong and DuPont Corian.
Through the above analysis, it is not difficult to find that marble cabinet countertops have gradually faded from people’s vision. Colored stone countertops are also used by some customers who are pursuing affordable prices. Colored stone countertops with a market price higher than 300 yuan/meter are not necessarily good, but it is best not to use countertops with a market price of less than 300 yuan/meter. Fireproof board countertops are generally not chosen by anyone except for some imported brands whose quality is guaranteed and still in use. Stainless steel countertops currently use 0.8mm 304 stainless steel plates on the market, which can fully meet the needs of use. It is called 1.0mm in the industry. Composite acrylic countertops are currently the mainstream product on the market. Depending on the brand and quality, the general price is between 800 and 1,200 yuan/meter. Quartz stone countertops are currently sold better in the market from Spain, with prices ranging from 1,780 to 3,780 yuan/meter depending on the color. Pure acrylic countertops are currently mainly sold by Samsung and DuPont brands on the market, with prices ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 per meter. It is a high-end product and is favored by many high-end consumers who pursue quality of life and are relatively wealthy.
? IV. Hardware
The hardware accessories of cabinets are one of the important components of modern kitchen furniture. The realization of most functions of cabinets requires the support of hardware. . Generally speaking, there are seven types of hardware accessories: hinges, slide rails, damping, air supports, hanging codes, adjusting feet, and skirting boards. At present, the top hardware manufacturers on the market include: blum, Haidishi, glass, etc., and their hardware accessories products are all trustworthy.
1. Hinge: It is the most important hardware accessory of the cabinet. According to statistics, cabinet doors are opened and closed as many as 100,000 times in 10 years! Therefore, the quality of the hinges is very important for the normal opening and closing of the cabinet doors. There are two indicators to measure the quality of hinges. One is structural strength, and the standard is whether it can be opened and closed 100,000 times under a door load of 75 pounds. The other is the corrosion resistance of the surface. The indicator is whether it can resist corrosion for 48 hours after salt water spray. Damping hinges are a commonly used configuration today and can be seen in the quotations of many cabinet manufacturers.
2. Slide rails: Drawer slide rails are second only to hinges in importance in cabinets, and are mainly used in drawers and pull tabs. There are three main types of slide rails used for cabinets: ordinary base type, metal side plate type and luxury all-inclusive type. The appearance, function and price of the three are very different. Ordinary bottom-type slide rails have a simple structure and low price. The drawer side panels need to be made of wooden boards. The width of the drawer should not exceed 600mm during production. The structure of the metal side plate slide rail is similar to the former, because the structure has steel plates on both sides of the drawer. The appearance is more refined. It is also stronger and more durable than the former, and the price is moderate. Luxurious all-inclusive drawer slides with built-in patented pulleys. The noise is extremely low when sliding, and the drawer has a large load capacity. The heavier it is, the slipperier it is. The inner corners are curved, with no sanitary dead corners, making it easy to clean and fully pull-out. The unique design makes the items stored in the drawer clear at a glance and convenient for direct access.
3. Damping: The main purpose of damping product design is to reduce the impact force between door panels and cabinets, extend the service life of door panels, reduce noise during kitchen operations, and create a quiet and comfortable indoor environment. There are three ways to achieve the damping effect: one is hydraulic damping. The representative product of this structure is the EKA damping door closer imported from Italy. It will leak oil after a period of use and loses its damping effect after a period of time. Most domestic cabinet suppliers that attach great importance to quality no longer use it. The second is silicone oil matrix type. Its representative product is BLUM's luxury damping drawer. Its damping is stable and will intelligently realize the damping effect according to the strength of the operation. However, there is currently no closed-door drawer with this principle on the market.
The third is air pressure damping. The representative product of this method is Hettich's damping drawer. When the force is slightly stronger, the drawer loses the damping effect. Improper use will cause damage to the cylinder and completely lose the damping effect. The fourth is mechanical spring-type damping. Door closers and drawers all use this method of damping. This method has stable effects, no aging, and trustworthy quality. Its representative product is Hettich's damping door closer.
4. Gas supports: Cabinet gas supports are divided into flip-up type, translational flip-up type, vertical translation flip-up type, folding flip-up type, etc. according to the form of flip-up; they are further divided according to the weight of the supporting door panel. It is an ordinary type and a heavy support type. The common types of supports currently used in the market include air pressure supports and damping air pressure supports. The support force of a single air pressure supporter is 80 Newtons. If the cabinet door panel has a width of lt; = 600mm and a height of lt; Support, if the door panel width >900mm or height >500mm, heavy support will be used. Supporting providers include Germany's SUSPA, Italy's HUWLL, etc. Their products have been overhauled by the market for a long time and are trustworthy.
5. Hanging code: The accessories used in cabinet installation and wall cabinets have undergone three generations of improvements since they directly affect the safety function of the product. The first generation of surface-mounted ABS engineering plastic hanging code has been passed through the automatic Tapping screws to fix the side panels affects the appearance of the wall cabinet and has poor load-bearing performance. Most cabinet providers have eliminated it. The second generation is a hidden steel hanging code. The main feature is that it is installed hidden between the back panel of the wall cabinet and the wall. Between the body, it does not affect the appearance of the wall cabinet, and the load-bearing performance has been improved, with a single support bearing 65KG; the third-generation steel hidden hanging code is based on the second-generation product in terms of connection and fixation with the solid side panels, The installation process of the hanging piece has been innovated, and the stress-bearing parts have been strengthened. The single support weight is 70KG; the main brands include German Hettich, CAMAR, Spanish INDEX, etc.
6. Adjusting feet: There are two types of adjusting feet: PVC and ABS adjusting feet. PVC is cheap and often made of recycled plastic. It has poor load-bearing performance. The adjusting feet made of ABS engineering plastic are sturdy and durable. They have good load-bearing performance and can more effectively support the weight of the entire cabinet.
7. Skirting boards: There are three types of skirting boards: wooden skirting boards, PVC skirting boards and aluminum skirting boards. Some manufacturers use the leftover corner waste from making cabinets to make wooden skirting boards to reduce costs. However, because the distance between the skirting boards and the ground is very close, the wooden material easily absorbs water and becomes damp. After a period of use, the wooden skirting boards will become "fat" and become moldy. Both PVC baseboards and aluminum baseboards are recognized by experts as not only waterproof and moisture-proof, not moldy or rusty, but also beautiful and durable. In particular, aluminum skirting boards will almost never be damaged for life (the price of the skirting boards should be included in the overall cabinet).
What material is good for cabinet door panels?
1. Solid wood door panels
As we all know, cabinet door panels made of solid wood have the visual effect of returning to nature and returning to nature. . High-end solid wood materials, through exquisite technical processing and the highest craftsmanship in paint color, although the price is expensive, the quality and appearance are beyond words, and they are loved and welcomed by people with strong funds.
2. Painted door panel
The raw material of the painted door panel is medium density board, which is made through milling, grinding, multiple spraying, grinding and polishing of primer and topcoat. , bright and rich in color, easy to take care of, and can also be shaped and curved. It will also be one of the good choices for modern people.
3. Melamine board
Melamine board, also known as double-veneer board and one-time molded board, is wear-resistant, hard, beautiful, economical and affordable. Melamine cabinet door panels are bonded with industrial glue, so excessive formaldehyde content cannot be avoided, so be very careful when purchasing.
Everyone has different opinions, preferences, and pursuit of different value points, so choose accordingly.
Simple, practical, beautiful, generous, and don’t forget the virtue of frugality.
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