MDF worktops for a kitchen set (24 photos)
Content
The kitchen is a fairly popular place in an apartment or house. In order to equip the kitchen, it is necessary to carry out a selection of the most acceptable furniture, and therefore carefully think through every detail of the interior; probably the most important object of the kitchen is the countertop, which is the main working area of the kitchen. She should be inherent in maximum comfort and attractive appearance. Now tabletops for kitchens made of MDF or particleboard, which are characterized by a relatively low cost and maximum convenience during operation, are becoming increasingly popular. The cladding for these products is plastic.
An acceptable combination of a high-strength surface, an optimal level of hygiene, as well as protection from various influences of the kitchen have contributed to an increase in demand for plastic worktops.
Classification of plastic countertops
Kitchen worktops made of MDF or chipboard are special plates that cover furniture cupboards from above, and also act as a working type surface for various activities. The basis of plastic laminated countertops is usually a chipboard, and in more rare cases, a fiberboard type board, i.e. MDF.
Also, glossy chipboard can sometimes be used, where gloss acts as the main cladding. In the manufacturing process, plastic is applied to MDF or particleboard using the factory method. The base receives a coating in the form of several paper layers of medium density, which are preliminarily impregnated with a special production composition, after which the material is carefully processed, during which the high-temperature regime is activated. In parallel, low or high pressure is applied.
As a result of such exposure, the paper sheet becomes a dense monolithic coating. The finished composition has very good characteristics of water resistance and strength, which are very important for the countertops themselves.
The plastic coating, called HPL, is made using a smooth spot processing method using special production presses that use a high level of pressure. This type of plastic is characterized by very high strength characteristics, as well as resistance to wear, when compared, for example, with CPL plastic, which is obtained after completion of the processing process using low-level pressure. Among other things, the degree of quality of plastic countertops is based on the basis used in the form of MDF or particleboard and also on the technology of plastic cladding.
The main advantages of plastic worktops
At a reasonable price, plastic kitchen worktops have many important advantages: comfortable operating conditions, excellent combination possibilities. A wide variety of products sold allows the selection of kitchen worktops in various styles. Strong and fairly strong sealing makes it possible to protect the surface of the countertop from the effect of swelling in case of exposure to a certain amount of moisture.Products can also be used as working coatings for the kitchen during a long period of operation.
The main advantages of plastic worktops:
- Resistance to fire, as well as heat resistance of the material - the plastic type of tabletop cladding can withstand contact with a very heated frying pan or pan if necessary.
- Resistance to mechanical influences (various scratches or cracks) and various kinds of abrasions.
- Resistance to the effect of water vapor, as well as aggressive chemicals, and this order has some relevance in the kitchen environment.
- Simplicity in basic care - a plastic countertop is not able to absorb dirt from the kitchen. The product is easy to clean and also wash. Plastic coating does not require care using special preparations.
Increased color-type stability - plastic products do not undergo a burnout process when they are exposed to ultraviolet rays. The plastic product type HPL is created on the basis of a variety of colors, which includes approximately eighty shades.
In addition, if you have a desire to install an outstanding product in the kitchen, you can order a plastic cover for the countertop with a beautiful image. In this scenario, the paper used to create the art coating is printed using attractive printing techniques.
Cons of plastic countertops
The main disadvantage of plastic countertops is that they are not externally as attractive as the products, which were used to create a stone of a natural appearance or decorative glass.
On the coating of plastic, which has uniform layers of paint, it is practically impossible to distinguish any scratches or scuffs. If cutting boards are not used, then barely noticeable traces of using the knife will swell over time, and moisture will gradually seep into the inside of the countertop, and this will lead to external damage to the countertop. If you carefully use the tabletop made of plastic, you can increase the shelf life of the product.
It is important to take into account the fact that if the manufacturer claims a high level of resistance to moisture (up to ninety percent), you still should not relax - during installation, as well as during cutting of kitchen-type appliances, the joints of the product should be processed using silicone sealant, paraffin or wax, edges, and various sealants.
If the installation process was carried out incorrectly, or during operation, the plastic worktop is exposed to external influences from air and liquid almost regularly, then moisture can penetrate into special joints, and this causes the chipboard to swell. According to the international standards of this kind, cases do not constitute a violation of the basic requirements for a particular type of material.
Despite all the above disadvantages, plastic kitchen products are in great demand due to the optimal price-quality ratio.
Some important tips
In specialized stores you can find a huge variety of products both domestic and foreign production. You can buy a countertop, which is made in the form of a plate.
The thickness of such a countertop reaches from twenty-eight to thirty-eight millimeters, and the length is from two to four meters, while the product has raw edges of the rear and side views.
The most inexpensive countertops for kitchens are products that are laminated with plastic based on light pressure (CPL).Such a plastic coating can be inferior in a significant way in terms of operating characteristics (resistance to wear and moisture) to HPL plastic, which is made on the basis of high pressure.
To indicate the moisture resistance of a chipboard, manufacturers often resort to the use of a green dye, which gives the cut a special shade of the corresponding sample.
