If you’re searching google for “What Are Melamine Cabinets?”, we have the answer. Melamine is a great option for budget-conscious homeowners who want to have highly durable and easy to clean kitchen cabinets and cabinet drawers. Melamine is fabricated by heat-sealing a substrate between paper which has been saturated with thermally fused melamine resin. The substrate can be plywood, MDF, or pressed wood. Thermally fused melamine is a mixture of formaldehyde and melamine which is fused into larger and safer molecules.
What Is Melamine Board
Melamine is used in various industries and because of that there are different chemical make ups. For example when chemists are talking about melamine they are talking about Cyanuramide. In this form the material is considered harmful if ingested.
In contrast the melamine used to create melamine kitchen cabinets and melamine cabinet drawers are made from thermally fused melamine (TFM). These products are manufactured using formaldehyde, yet are constructed to be safe through the combination of the melamine resin and the formaldehyde. This blending of chemical make ups results in larger molecules and neutralizes the potentially harmful characteristics of formaldehyde.
This makes melamine board safe for installation in kitchens, bathrooms, and even safe for the woodworkers who construct cabinet elements to size for our cabinetry projects.
Melamine’s Design Flexibility
TFM is a thermally bonded surface material which covers medium density fiberboard, plywood, or pressed wood. Before the TFM is used to encase the substrate it can be printed with any design or color desired. This makes Melamine a highly desirable option for cabinetry projects for homes or commercial properties.
Re-modelers, kitchen designers, and savvy homeowners love the wide variety of colors that can be ordered. This highly customizable characteristic of melamine allows an incredible level of unique design.
The Melamine Pros & Cons
Understanding what Melamine is made from, that it is safe to build with, and the other characteristics of Melamine helps equip designers and homeowners alike to make the best decisions for their cabinetry projects.
A Safe Building Material
Melamine or TFM is safe to work with and install in our kitchens and bathrooms. The material is produced with formaldehyde, yet because of the way it is bonded with the melamine resin it is not harmful.
Made From Sustainable Sources
The substrate melamine is thermally fused to is sourced from recycled wood scraps and sustainable-growth forests. Melamine is usually made from products which use pressed board, medium density fiberboard or plywood. This means that the production of melamine cabinets and melamine cabinet drawers does not rely solely on freshly cut lumber, as is the case for solid wood.
More Affordable Cabinetry
Melamine cabinets and cabinet drawers are less costly to make when compared to solid wood alternatives. This means that designers can offer homeowners more for their money. Flexibility in choice means that budget can be used for fixtures and other ornamental embellishments.
Melamine Drawbacks
There is no perfect building material. Wood costs more but is lighter and holds screws better. Melamine will not split like wood, but it can shatter with enough blunt force. When this happens rough wood substrate is exposed. The substrate is also highly absorbent and will expand and warp when it gets wet. These issues can be mitigated by using melamine which has quality substrates like custom graded MDF cores. High quality MDF core melamine provides better anchoring for screws and fasteners used to install cabinet doors.
Melamine Can Be Repaired
Life happens and so does damage to kitchen cabinets. Thankfully melamine can be repaired, re-glued, and otherwise reconditioned to look like new. Sections that are peeling can be glued back down or like-colored wood filler can be used to fix areas that chip or large breaks.
Choosing Melamine For Your Kitchen
Melamine is designed to as an affordable, easy to clean, and attractive option for homeowners. Being able to get a kitchen or bathroom which is beautifully finished with a wide variety of colors for less than solid wood is an attractive option for many designers and homeowners. This makes choosing higher quality appliances or counter-tops a more affordable option. Melamine is a hugely popular building material for both melamine cabinet and melamine cabinet drawer boxes.
Stay tuned for more from the expert drawer box manufacturers at DCDrawers.com