Kitchens in polymer

Polymer or wood, does the material change and the style of cooking?

The coating of a kitchen shutter, be it in polymeric, in laminate or other material, is the first approach in the choice of a model. The purely aesthetic appearance of a kitchen, in fact, is undoubtedly important and certainly has the most influence in the first place.

In this regard is the design of the shutter of the furniture that determines the final appearance, the surface finish of the material used, the color and any other forms or insertions of different materials or simple notches or indentations in the thickness of the same.

It is precisely this set of characteristics that determine, among other things, the style of a kitchen: classic, modern, minimalist, rustic glamor or luxury style, shabby chic or contemporary.
Among all these different styles there are some for which is the same material to determine the final appearance, otherwise impossible to obtain with different materials.

It happens, for example, with the shabby chic style or the rustic style, where wood is the protagonist for the composition of the shutter, whether veneered or solid, but it also happens in the case of modern kitchens with doors in the new technical materials, of which I have written about in other articles.

For most of the other styles, especially those that tend to modern, the materials used are manifold, but to achieve the same stylistic effect. It happens, for example, in the case of the plain modern wood, which can be either veneer or made of plastic material with wood effect or in melamine that reproduces the grain of natural wood.

Kitchens: from laminate shutters to those in polymer

Also the colored shutter can be made of the base material and then lacquered, with paint shiny or opaque, or made of materials that reproduce the effect of a lacquered surface. It is, in fact, coatings in laminated sheets that can efficiently substitute the paint, making the shutter more resistant to wear and scratches, without forgetting about the look, quite accurate with the original lacquered.

These are solutions that, in addition to responding to practical needs, based on economic criteria more favorable, as the lacquered door is considered, rightly, among the most valuable in terms of surface finish, so it is definitely more expensive than the cousin in coated sheets of alternative materials.


The economic advantage of a kitchen in laminate, among other things, is not only tangible in the immediate but also in the long term, as it is definitely less delicate, and if the basic materials used are of quality, it will surely last longer while maintaining the original aesthetic characteristics.

The coating in polymer is an evolution of the laminate. Compared to the latter is just as convenient to use and maintain, resistant to scratches and shock, easy to clean.

Like the laminate also the shutter in polymeric consists of a panel with the wood fibers of the type Medium Density (MDF), E1, of the same thickness 18 mm. The difference is in the PVC that covers, with a single sheet, completely the door in the outer part including the edges.

In this case the sheet of polyvinyl chloride is thermoformed at high temperatures so as to become a single body with the panel itself, whereas in the case of a laminate shutter is clearly visible on the edge of the cladding sheet. The thickness of the PVC for the polymer varies from 0.3 to 0.9 mm and, compared to normal thermoplastic laminates that become only flexible, these sheets are deformed and stretched. Throughout the coating process of the shutter with the sheet of polymer occurs in a very simple way: the contoured panel of MDF is sprinkled with polyurethane glue with which to adhere perfectly to the sheet itself.


The use of membrane press at high temperatures makes sure that the air in excess is expelled so that the sheet of polymeric perfectly adheres to the leaf that is free from cracks or edges (which are present in the laminate doors). The final look is thus very similar to a real wooden door and it is possible with this technique to realize also complex shutter, for example with inserts or bosses.

The sheet of polymer is to all effects of the family of the melamine laminates, ie equipped with a protective layer that makes the coating of this type very resistant to impact and abrasion, as well as resistant to the action of acids.

Kitchen models in polymer

Almost all manufacturers of kitchen furniture have in catalog models with shutters in polymer, in addition or instead of the classic laminate. Compared to the latter finish, is to be noted that a kitchen in polymer has a slightly higher cost, all to the advantage, however, aesthetics and therefore the possibility of manufacturing more complex decorations, the same performance, maintenance and durability.


GeD catalog has the kitchen Edì in polymer, characterized by shutters with horizontal incisions with stave effect, typical of the contemporary style. The door structure is in MDF 19 mm thick, pantographed to create, in fact, the stave effect.

The door is then covered with a sheet of thermoformed laminate in polymer, available in 5 colors or in two versions Oak effect. To complete this model there are glass shutters with aluminum frame and frosted glass translucent lacquered black or white, opaque satin or mirror.


Dibiesse proposes Easy 13, a model of style kitchen very fresh and young, in glossy and matte polymer. It is suitable for multifunctional spaces, typical of the way of modern living as it also includes pieces to decorate the living room, in a flexible and informal way.

It is available with external handle or without handle, with undermount throat. There are 19 colors for the version in polymeric glossy, 13 for mat and 10 for the wood effect, from the ash in various shades to the larch or oak: all species currently most used in the furniture industry.