Not all kitchen doors are equal.
Most people buying a kitchen aren't experts, and need help to understand why some kitchens cost more than others. We believe it is important to balance VALUE and QUALITY, and to provide our customer with honest information to allow them to make an educated decision on which kitchen is right for them. Please find an insight into the different types of gloss door finishes below -
A high gloss look door can be achieved in 4 main ways - With Foil/Vinyl (poor finish , in our opinion), with Acrylic (good finish), with a Lacquered paint (excellent finish)or with Glass (the best finish).
FOIL AND VINYL doors are generally offered by the larger kitchen retailers and many independent studios A layer of foil or vinyl is heated then wrapped round the MDF door. The finish achieved is generally unreflective, and has a bobbly look sometimes referred to as an "orange peel" effect.. But the real problems can start with foil doors if they get scratched , quite easy to do in a busy kitchen. This allows moisture in, which will cause the foil to De-Laminate. When a door De-Laminates the finish (colour) on the door lifts from the MDF surface, this normally means cost and effort to replace the door.
ACRYLIC (GOOD) - These doors have a layer of acrylic laid on top of the MDF, this provides nice smooth reflective finish. Its also much more robust than foil doors as it is thicker, scratches will still show but it won't lift in the same way as foil or vinyl. The layer of acrylic can be seen if you look at the edges of the door.
PAINTED AND LACQUERED (EXCELLENT) _ Created with multiple layers of a lacquered paint. This provides a very high quality mirrored finish, which appears totally smooth. The finish also wraps around the edges of the door. These doors can be chipped or scratched, but can be repaired if needed. German manufacturers excel in this type of finish, and many UK companies don't offer this or cannot achieve the same quality of finish consistently.
GLASS (BEST) - Toughened safety glass which is painted on the reverse and bonded to the MDF door. The high gloss look offered is excellent, with a very smooth and reflective finish maximising the amount of light bounced around the kitchen. Glass doors offer exceptional fit feel and finish, they are very resilient and ideal for clients who value sophisticated looks, quality and functionality!