Painted wood kitchen units

[Marmitelover55]

Help - I am trying to decide between kitchen units. I have narrowed it down to 2 shaker style ones - one is painted MDF and is very smooth and the other is painted oak and has a bit of texture/grain. There is about a £700 difference. Cost is important, but will I regret choosing the cheaper MDF ones? Thanks.

depends what you spend the £700 on !! you could use that money to get better more efficient appliances!!

Why don't you just get the ones you like the best. I think smooth looks better but that is just my opinion.

I have already ordered the appliances! However, other things have also cost more, so it would be good to save on this. I just don't want to regret it....

Some are wood frame with an MDF panel in the middle. My sil has an all MDf painted door, no wood. She regrets it. She said its destroyed with chips and the corners are damaged.

I think these are all MDF. Wouldn't the wood chip as easily as the MDF?

You can touch up paint on wood. Much harder to paint MDF and if it splits or frays there's not much you can do with it.

I'm just relaying her experience but it's enough to put me off considering MDF.

Someone else might have another view.

Her kitchen is only about 3 years old and was custom made.

we had painted MDF and loved it - got an unusual shade you couldn't get in any other way, and it lasted at least 5 years (til we moved house).

We have painted MDF doors and are very pleased. Our independent kitchen designer / fitter told us that he used to provide real wood doors but stopped as they grow, shrink and warp slightly over time due to the weather. I guess there are various grades of MDF, but I would imagine you would have to hit these doors very hard in order to damage them.

Thank you - I think I will probably go with MDF.