When ordering a kitchen, the question always arises of what materials it should be made of. Of course, the main requests are that it be of high quality, "not for all the money in the world," but that it look good and serve for a long time.

Today we're going to talk about the options for materials for custom kitchen facades. We hope that our review will help you make the best choice.

A budget kitchen option is always chipboard. But does the low cost of the material harm the quality of the product? Let's find out.

Decors. Chipboard manufacturers offer a very wide range of decors. First of all, these are uni decors, i.e. monochromatic. You can choose any shade from light to dark. There are almost no restrictions. You will also find a large selection of wood and stone decors. You can find interesting options among the fantasy ones (with different patterns and ornaments). Some manufacturers offer metallic decor. And there are even options for textiles, but very limited.

Chipboard is mostly matte in structure. It can be smooth or rough, repeating the structure of wood. But there are almost no glossy facades. Only a few manufacturers offer limited color options. And it is worth noting that this is not a "mirror" gloss, you will not see a reflection or glossy shine.

There are 2 main advantages of chipboard for facades:

1. Low cost
2. Relative resistance to mechanical damage

While the cost is clear, we'll give a little explanation about mechanical damage. It's possible to damage chipboard facades, but it's not that easy. To leave a scratch, you need to make an effort and use something really sharp. But if the damage has already occurred, the facade will need to be replaced. No restoration to the original appearance is possible.

Disadvantages of chipboard facades:

1. Relative moisture resistance and low water resistance. Such facades can be used in the kitchen, but you need to be careful with water. Steam will not cause any damage to the facades, but you should not fill them with water. Of course, chipboard is reliably edged. However, the slightest damage to the edge or coating with subsequent water ingress will spoil the facade and it will have to be replaced.
2. The second drawback is more of a visual feature. If the chipboard is edged with a 2 mm edge band, then after processing its edges, you can see a cut of the edge that is slightly different in color. However, such corners are smoothed and rounded. There is an option to process the ends with a 1 mm edge banding. In this case, there are no visual inconsistencies in color, but the corners remain straight, not smoothed.
3. In the long run, the coating will wear off. We are talking about decades. And with careful handling and proper maintenance of the facades, this problem may not arise for 10-20 years. 

So, general conclusion. Chipboard facades are a reliable and high-quality budget option. You can choose the right look for any style and design, but the kitchen will hardly look "expensive". Also, you should not be afraid of rapid damage to the facade, but you still need to be careful with it. This is rather a reasonable choice for those who appreciate the "price-quality" option.

Painted facades can be one- and two-sided. Double-sided painting should be used for bathrooms and toilets, while one-sided painting is suitable for kitchens and bedrooms.

Decor. Painted MDF has a very wide range of colors. Its structure can be matte or glossy. This material, unlike chipboard, can be milled. With such facades, you can realize, perhaps, any design desires. However, this does not apply to glossy facades. They cannot be milled.

Advantages of painted MDF facades:

1. Relatively inexpensive material
2. Moisture resistance

Painted MDF is, of course, more expensive than chipboard, but it is the cheapest of all the other MDF facade options. In addition, painted MDF is more resistant to moisture and water. Therefore, this material is chosen instead of chipboard when you want a relatively inexpensive but reliable kitchen.

Disadvantages of facades made of painted MDF:

1. Weak to mechanical damage. Such facades are very easy to damage. Even the smallest scratches remain on them. And glossy surfaces require additional care, as any prints are highly visible on them.
2. Over time, it fades in the sun. Again, we are talking about decades. Painted MDF facades are quite resistant, but after 10-20 years, you will certainly notice a difference between the brightness and saturation of the paint on the parts that were regularly exposed to the sun and those parts of the kitchen where the sun never came. But if your kitchen is not exposed to direct sunlight, you have nothing to worry about.

General conclusion. Do you want your kitchen to look more expensive? Does the design of the facades require special reliefs, carved patterns, or something more original than the usual straight and smooth doors? Then choose painted MDF. With such facades, your kitchen will look stylish and its cost will be quite reasonable. And careful handling will allow you to enjoy its quality for many years.