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Kitchens - Laquered doors / MDF with PVC foil / Acrylic - whats best?

7 replies

planestrainsautomobiles · 13/07/2011 16:46

Hoping that someone who is 'in the know' with kitchens might be able to help...

I've got a few quotes from different kitchen companies but finding it difficult to compare as they all seem to have different types of doors. See list below. Does anyone know which are the best / hardwearing and then maybe list them in order accordingly. Hard to tell which of my quotes is most competitive.

Lacquered high gloss door

High gloss Acrylic

18mm MFC with matching edge lipping. Finished with a top coating of high gloss lacquer

18mm MDF with softly profiled edges encapsulated in a high gloss PVC Foil

Thank you

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 16/07/2011 12:35

foil is rubbish.

it is a piece of plastic film, about as thick as paper, glued to chipboard MDF

it peels, sometimes before the door leaves the warehouse, but especially if it is near a kettle, toaster or above a dishwasher

The other options you mention are all paint. If you can find a laminated finish (only on flat doors) it will be harder wearing.

My own preference is for timber doors, but of course these are more expensive. If you are having a pro fitter (such as a local joiner by recommendation) he can buy from Howdens (trade only supplier but they will let the client look round the showroom) which are quite good.

Kitchen fitting companies are like plastic window installers, they make a high profit and not all are very good.

Kitchen fitters are notorious for poor quality plumbing and electrical work. If you can get local recommendations, ask a plumber and an electrician to do their bit after the old kitchen comes out, and before the new one goes in.

Always ask for a local reference site, of someone else the company has recently done a similar job for, where they will let you visit the householder, ask their opinion, and look at the workmanship. Try to make sure it is not the installer's brother-in-law.

Any tradesman who can't, or won't, let you look at his work in another house, ask yourself why.

If you can't get any recommendations, drive around looking for tradesmen's vans doing similar work locally, note down the address of the house, and the name and number of the tradesman. Try to have a chat with the householder once the work is finished. Householders are usually proud of good work, and very ready to slag off poor workmen.

planestrainsautomobiles · 17/07/2011 19:59

Thanks for the info Piglet - its a great help!

Think we're going to go for german lacquered doors, from an independent kitchen shop that my in-laws have used twice before. They've always had excellent service from them and they've been really quick in getting an initial quote out.

Good to know that foil is rubbish as that was our 2nd highest quote.

We're having the downstairs of our new house completely renovated so our builders will be fitting the kitchen (they are distant family so expecting them to do a good job - seems to work out cheaper than getting the kitchen shop to fit for us).

OP posts:
nocake · 18/07/2011 11:23

We have solid acrylic doors which are beautiful but expensive. Make sure you have a good look at some samples before you choose. We nearly went for a laquered finish from one company but when the samples arrived they were really lumpy.

DOLLYDAYDREAMER · 18/07/2011 17:37

just to say that i've seen many a good kitchen ruined by being fitted by a builder instead of an experienced kitchen fitter who is fully knowledgeable about all the ins & outs of the layout, the kitchen units & the appliances. he will make sure that everything is perfectly adjusted & aligned. electrics are accessible & not hidden behind the appliances. trims are finished off perfectly. etc. etc. also if there are any damages you wont have the argument as to whose fault it was

portgrimaud · 17/10/2014 16:37

I have just taken my kitchen supplier to the Small Claims Court and won my case for the full cost of replacing all my Vinyl wrapped doors, draw fronts & filler panels. My kitchen supplier used products manufactured by a very large producer located in County Tyrone - my kitchen units were supplied in August 2008 - signs of bubbling (vinyl wrapping coming away from the MDF filler) in October 2013 - At first only 2 doors were affected, this spread to 7 out of 19 (various shapes & sizes). I contended that the panels, or the processes used to make the panels failed to comply with the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended). My supplier countered that the goods were out of warranty - after a year arguing he offered to replace the 7 faulty doors FOC - but refused to warrant them, or the rest of the kitchen. The Judge hearing the case agreed with me that the goods failed to meet the requirements of The Sale of Goods Act 1979 and awarded me my costs, the cost of a fitter to exchange the units and the full cost of replacing all 19 items. I have the money and am putting it towards the cost of painted oak units - no more vinyl/foil wrapped kitchen units for me

Weg1 · 23/11/2014 09:59

Hi portgrimaud
Very interested to read about your win in the small claims court. Can you post some details on the specifics of why you won the case?
I had my Vinyl wrapped doors fitted about the same time (autumn 2008), and a similar number of doors, but didn't have any warranty. They are nearly all peeling/blowing - even those nowhere near steam or heat.
Currently looking for replacements - and interesting that showrooms I go into and explain why I'm looking to change the doors, all say - yes, that's a known problem - don't buy them - go for lacquered/acrylic. Shame they didn't say that in 2008!!!! :-(

Saf56 · 03/03/2015 18:10

Yes I too would be interested as 3 out of 9 doors have blown in the middle of the doors, b and q not interested out of warranty

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