Melamine is a widely known and popularly accepted material used to produce cabinets in modern homes. Its durability and wise variety of hue makes it possible to have pattern possibilities. When Melamine is fused with plywood, it becomes a viable and sustainable option for cabinetry. Most woodwork designers employ its long-lasting coloring ability for modern and classy designs at very affordable costs.
On the other hand, wooden cabinets last based on the type of wood you have purchased. Generally, good cabinets with top-notch quality can last for so many years. Wooden cabinets are a lot stronger than melamine cabinets because they are made from stronger types of wood. A wooden cabinet made from high-quality wood can last for decades if it is properly cared for and if the wood is protected from moisture with the appropriate chemicals and polyurethane layers required.
Wood and Melamine are both made from real wood. The only difference is the glue that holds each of them together.
| Melamine Cabinet | Wooden Cabinet | |
| Longevity | They typically last, but it’s hard to re-attach successfully when the glue or edges move slightly or get loose. | Wooden cabinets last long as well. It could be affected by weather changes but can also be easily repaired. |
| Style and Appearance | Some high-end melamine cabinets look like wood from a distance and can come in various designs. | Wooden cabinets have a stylish and traditional edge to their look. |
| Cost | Melamine cabinets can be purchased at almost half the price of an average wooden cabinet | Wooden cabinets are more expensive and could appreciate with time |
| Weight | Melamine cabinets are usually heavier and need extra screws to support theirexcess weight. | Wooden cabinets do not weigh as much as melamine cabinets. |
| Maintenance | Melamine cabinet surfaces are easier to clean compared to wooden cabinets. | Unique products are required to clean wooden surfaces as it is hard to get rid of the grease and stains. |
Contents
Key differences between Melamine and Wood Cabinets.
Durability.
Melamine is one of the most durable cabinet materials in the market today, known for its very high resistance to increasingly excessive moisture, stains, and even heat.
Cabinets made from Melamine will not easily peel away due to their fusion with other materials. It also won’t tear away like other fused products.
On the other hand, natural wood options will expand and subsequently contract when there are temperature changes and consequently will be susceptible to warping over time. Warping, often, can also be caused by liquid or excessive moisture. While it would take a significant amount of water or years of temperature and humidity changes, warping is something to be very mindful of when it comes to natural hardwood cabinets.
Flexibility
Compared to wood, Melamine cabinets come with quite a large variety of design flaws and limitations.
Melamine particularly will almost always come in a slab (flat) door style. Subsequently, everything else will be balanced because Melamine is restricted to just slab doors.
Adding any fashionable crown or trim for decoration will also end up flat, with no opportunity to modify or customize the design to your preferred style or design.
Natural wood cabinets are your best bet if you want to explore your creative abilities. Wood cabinets allow you to modify and customize the design to your style, just the way you want it.
Cost
Generally, the cost of cabinet materials depends on a lot of factors. Factors ranging from the grade of the wood to the current market conditions down to the manufacturer of the material.
Melamine is largely embraced as very cost-effective in pricing, and over time, this has made it a popular, affordable choice for most people’s kitchen cabinets.
The overall cost of natural wood cabinets, on the other hand, will differ. This difference depends on the type of wood you select and the kind of finish you apply to the material you choose.
Easily find woods, like Oak, Birch, and Maple can be easily gotten throughout North America, making them cost-effective. Walnut and Cherry are rarer and considered high-end, ultimately increasing the cost.
Appearance
Melamine cabinets are popularly used to replicate different wood designs, but they also come in different colors and textures.
Most manufacturers carry hundreds of different melamine cabinet selections from which you can choose.
Natural hardwood has options available, such as Oakwood, Maplewood, and a host of others. Each of them has its unique wood grain and hue. They offer a uniqueness not found with Melamine and are very aesthetically pleasing.
Because they are natural products, no two cabinetry pieces from the same wood will be exactly alike at all. Even the trees they are made from are not the same, and each tree has its qualities, howbeit they all look beautiful together.
Maintenance
Melamine Cabinets are generally said to clean up more efficiently and effectively than wood cabinets. The slick, hard surface it has responds to a damp cloth quickly and readily. Dirt, grime, spills, or food cleans up fast and doesn’t penetrate, leaving you with a speak and span cabinet.
Wood cabinets are very tough to clean, and special products designed for wood cleaning should be used to prevent damage to the cabinet. In cases where wood cabinets have not been cleaned regularly, deep-down dirt and grime can be very difficult to remove without sanding, and it isn’t quite convenient to start sanding to cabinets at every instance.
Similarities of Melamine Cabinets Vs Wooden Cabinets
There are not a lot of similarities between Melamine and wood.
Material
Wood cabinets are made from manufactured wood. It is somewhat similar to something called particleboard.
Melamine is exceptionally stronger and is made using an entirely different process.
Aesthetics
Melamine is flexible and can be matched to suit any design idea. Most melamine cabinets have laminates attached to them.
This way, it can be used to match any style of decoration.
Wood is also extremely flexible and can match any décor to give off a classy and traditional look and feel.
Conclusion
Some people like the idea of natural wood and do not want to use any artificial products. Some people may focus solely on having a consistent, uniformed aesthetic design from high-quality textured Melamine.
If you are working with an extremely stringent budget or you want to renovate your apartment, using standard Melamine is a very reasonable and affordable choice for you. Natural woods like birch or maple are your best bet if you want something more natural and traditional.