Furniture melamine - what is it and where is it used? This issue can be sorted out by contacting manufacturers of cabinet furniture. This material is used in production for protective purposes. This sample of artificial material is resistant to moisture and exhibits resistance to mechanical damage. It has the appearance of a plastic surface with various colors. Most often, its colors imitate the structure of wooden veneers. However, melamine compares favorably with natural samples. In addition to furniture, this coating is used for the manufacture of window sills, countertops and interior doors. More on this later.
Material properties
Melamine is most commonly used as a coating for sheets made of chipboard. To cover this material using special paper, impregnated with a composition of melamine resin. This material has the following number of positive characteristics:
- resistant to mechanical damage, it is difficult to leave a scratch or chip on it;
- does not respond to the presence of water;
- exhibits positive resistance to household chemicals;
- looks very similar to natural veneer;
- easy to use and does not require complicated care;
- UV-resistant, and therefore does not fade when exposed to sunlight.
The melamine coating always gets positive reviews, it is freely suitable for the production of bathroom furniture. With its use, not only furniture facades are made, but also the rest of the body. In addition, melamine is suitable for the production of countertops.
Benefits
The use of melamine provides for chipboard or MDF boards a reliable coating that protects the material from various factors. Particularly strong are sheets of chipboard with double-sided melamine coating. Among the advantages it is worth noting:
- the ease with which it can be processed;
- a large selection of color shades, which allows you to choose panels for any interior style.
Melamine-coated boards not only have an external appeal, but also offer greater operational safety compared to conventional chipboard models. The coating of the film, which hides the inside of the plate, eliminates the possibility of evaporation of toxic resins. Also, it eliminates the likelihood of swelling of the plate with moisture.
Under standard conditions, the thickness of the melamine coating is in the range from 0.2 to 0.4 millimeters, however, in some cases, it can reach a thickness of two millimeters. Due to its resistance to open sunlight, furniture made using this material can serve for a long time without changing its appearance.
The melamine coating has the ability to give the panels made of particleboard, the desired shade and various textures. Also, the buyer can independently choose between the appearance of a matte or glossy surface. Such a wide selection of designs allows designers to freely compose the most unexpected combinations. However, along with many positive qualities, the melamine coating has several disadvantages.
Disadvantages of budget designs
Furniture manufactured in the economy category has too thin a layer of protective coating. This creates certain problems during operation. Such a melamine coating easily gets damaged when using abrasive materials, as well as in contact with metal objects. When caring for furniture of such a sample, it is not recommended to use products containing acid. They may stain the surface of the stove.
High temperature hazard
Do not place furniture with a melamine-coated table near sources of high temperature. The coating does not withstand strong heat and may deform. For use in such conditions, furniture is equipped with special aluminum plates, which significantly increase the cost of products.
Content Composition
A characteristic disadvantage of slabs made of chipboard with melamine coating is their loose structure. This characteristic over time can lead to a weakening of the structure at the joints using various fasteners. The consequence of such a weakening will be the obvious sagging of the moving elements.
Laminated board
For the manufacture of cabinet furniture, plates from two to four centimeters thick are used. To increase the strength of furniture samples, manufacturers increase the density when pressing sawdust raw materials. For the manufacture of furniture facades, 16 mm chipboard with melamine coating is used. This thickness allows you to create the ideal ratio of the weight of the products with their strength, which is very important when installing fasteners, as well as various accessories.
The manufacturing technology of components from laminated chipboard is reflected in the probable life of the furniture. Particularly reliable are elements with a double-sided melamine coating. The weak point of such components is the end edge. After it receives damage, the life of the furniture is sharply reduced, as it allows access to vapors that destroy the interior of the elements. In total, several different methods are used, with which the end part of the plate is closed.
Acrylic edge
This is the easiest way to hide the end faces of furniture parts, but it does not differ in durability. Of the advantages of this method, it is worth noting its availability. Firstly, such edges can be selected in various stores that sell furniture fittings. Secondly, they can easily be replaced on their own using an ordinary iron.
Postforming
Such a solution was made possible using innovative technologies. This method allows you to apply an inextricable plastic coating on the edge surface from all available sides. Thus, the possibility of moisture entering the particleboard surface is completely eliminated. This method of protecting the end face is used in the manufacture of window sills and melamine table cover.
Aluminum lining
What are the features? When using this method of protecting the end edge, it is allowed to use the thinnest layer of melamine coating. But at the same time, the stove receives a fairly reliable coating with a long service life.
Front components
For gluing facades, several methods are also used. The most common of them is the method in which a protective film is applied to the pressed base using high pressure. In the budget version, gluing is used using multilayer paper, which is impregnated with a composition of melamine resin.
Countertops
Using a coating of melamine, it is possible to produce not only the materials necessary for the production of furniture, but also window sills with countertops. For this purpose, a plate having a thickness of 40 mm is used. This helps give the material extra strength and make it more rigid. Thus, the countertop has the ability to withstand heavy loads.
An additional advantage of this material is the ability to display various forms. The main thing is that the elements do not take a minimized form. With the help of such reinforced plates, combined window-sills-countertops are made, which significantly save the kitchen space.
This material perfectly serves as the working surface of kitchen sets. The melamine surface of the countertops makes the surface resistant to aggressive factors. However, in this case, it is recommended to close the ends of the panels with aluminum plates to avoid exposure to high temperatures. This is the most reliable way to protect the end face, significantly extending the operational characteristics of the furniture.
When purchasing a countertop with a melamine coating, it is not recommended to save on the thickness of the protective layer, because only such samples show maximum resistance to household chemicals and mechanical damage. A thick protective coating can guarantee a long service life without loss of appearance quality.
Melamine doors
Melamine door cover - what is it? It is necessary to consider in more detail the quality of these products. These products have an excellent balance in the ratio of price and quality. Doors with such a coating are in demand every year, which is achieved due to the high performance characteristics of the material. Such interior doors can become an adornment of any interior, taking various shapes and colors.
Distinctive features
The melamine coating for such doors is created using multilayer paper. They are treated with a composition synthesized from melamine-formaldehyde resin, heated to high temperature. This material received the second name - laminated plastic. The material has a fairly smooth and attractive surface, it is resistant to high humidity, as well as to mechanical stress.
Using this method, interior doors, facades of furniture sets, and countertops are made. Unlimited possibilities in terms of coating colors allow you to display any fantasy on the surface of the material. It can be either the texture of wood or stone, or all kinds of pictures or photographs that retain their original appearance over a long period of time.
The advantages of doors with this coating
For those people who have not yet had to deal with products of this group of products, it is useful to learn about all the advantages of material that has recently gained great popularity:
- This material is resistant to ultraviolet rays. And this means that over time it does not fade when exposed to direct sunlight, while maintaining the initial appearance for a long time.
- The door leaf, created by this principle, has a low weight, which greatly simplifies installation and transportation, and also provides a secure fit on the hinges, avoiding sagging.
- A door with a melamine coating will not gain weight and will not change shape when the surface comes in contact with water. And this means that it will never begin to creak or create other problems during operation.
Despite many excellent qualities, the cost of the material always remains within reasonable limits, distinguishing this category of goods. The most common interior doors of this type were in the interiors of suburban cottages and cottages. However, the modern assortment of these products offers a choice from various samples of a fairly respectable look, quite suitable for the environment of an office or apartment.
The endlessness of color options for various models allows you to choose a solution that suits almost any conditions. In order to find the necessary option, it is enough just to start the search, and then the necessary model will certainly be found. There is also a wide selection of all conceivable door designs. It can be deaf door leafs or with integrated glass. They can have either one leaf or two, and, if desired, can consist of components of one and a half sizes.