How to tell the quality of a gloss kitchen
When you buy a gloss kitchen, it’s important to take into account the type of gloss door you’re buying. Gloss kitchen doors vary in terms of quality and how long they’ll last.
The purpose of this blog is to help you understand the differences between the different types of gloss kitchen doors available. This should help you to make a more informed decision when buying your kitchen.
Foil, PVC, or vinyl wrapped gloss kitchen doors
A thin layer of paper mixed with resin (foil) or plastic (vinyl/PVC), wrapped around an MDF base. These are the lowest-quality type of gloss kitchen doors.
The problem with these doors is they peel. Once a wrapped door has started peeling, the only option is to replace it, which is usually costly.
Many of the gloss kitchens sold by places like Howdens, Wren, and Magnet are this type.
Acrylic doors
Hi Gloss Acrylic doors are another type of gloss kitchen. These are good-quality. They come in two forms: either solid acrylic, eg. Parapan, or acrylic faced (a thin layer of acrylic, bonded onto an MDF base). A smooth, highly reflective, mirror-like finish characterises acrylic gloss doors.
The main benefit of gloss acrylic doors is they are hard wearing. Therefore, if you think the kitchen is going to take a lot of wear and tear, acrylic could be a good option.
Hi Gloss Acrylic kitchens do however have some disadvantages though. Firstly, you can see where the door has been edged on all sides. Secondly, they cannot be repaired. So, if you scratch or chip an acrylic gloss door, it cannot be repaired like a lacquered gloss door can. Thirdly, customers often find shading differences between acrylic doors after their kitchen has been fitted. Also, if you do need to replace an acrylic door several years down the line, the new door will almost certainly be a different shade to the original ones.
Hi Gloss painted and lacquered kitchen doors
This type of door is also good-quality. They’re made by applying several coats of high quality lacquer/paint to an MDF base. Like acrylic doors, these also have a smooth, highly reflective, mirror like finish.
This type of door has several advantages over acrylic gloss doors. Firstly, it doesn’t have any visible edges. Secondly, they don’t get scratched like acrylic gloss doors, and if they do, they can be repaired. Thirdly, unlike acrylic doors, there’s virtually no risk of shading differences.
Painted and lacquered gloss doors do have one disadvantage though and that is durability. Unfortunately, there’s a risk that a painted and lacquered gloss door could chip on the edge. However, as mentioned previously, a chip on a lacquered door can always be repaired. Also, chipping is only really a problem with fully lacquered doors. If you buy a lacquered door with a pvc edge, the risk of it chipping is very low.
Our free service recommends the best value kitchen showrooms in your area. Their kitchens start at similar prices to places like Howdens and Wren, but are higher-quality.
All offer free, no-obligation quotes.
Read what our customers say about our service below:
“Kitchenfindr recommended a showroom who were much better value than most of the other showrooms I’d previously looked at”
Hannah Malone, Esher, Surrey
“The kitchen your guys came up with is far more competitive than anything I have had quoted so far”
Samantha Michaels, Watford, Herts
“Lloyd was able to point me to local independent kitchen retailers offering greater quality and value compared to the high street chains”
Mohammed Hashi, Northolt, Middx
“No-one should buy a kitchen without speaking to Kitchenfindr first”
Bal Pabla, Romford, Essex
“If you’re looking for a good value kitchen supplier, these are the people to speak to first!”
Natalie D R, Stanmore, Middx
Find out more
For more info on Acrylic doors visit the Parapan website
