All of the manufactured board products we've discussed so far can be used as a substrate, or 'core', for a laminated surface.

In practice, the most common substrates for kitchen and bathroom cabinets are MDF and particleboard.

High pressure laminates

High pressure laminates are made from layers of paper or fabric impregnated with resin, such as urea or melamine.

The layers are bonded together under heat and high pressure into a single sheet.

Different colours or printed patterns can also be incorporated into the superimposed layers.

High pressure laminates resist cuts, stains and abrasion, and are highly suitable for bench tops and other surfaces that require a durable finish.

Depending on the strength and durability required, the thickness can range from 0.5 mm to 2 mm.

Low pressure laminates

Most people refer to low pressure laminates simply as 'melamine' - for example, 'white melamine particleboard' refers to a particleboard substrate faced with a white low pressure laminate.

Strictly speaking, though, the melamine is the resin used to impregnate the paper layers that make up the laminate.

The main difference between high and low pressure laminating is the pressure of the press during the bonding process.

Low pressure laminates are thinner and less durable, so they are used in cabinet carcases and shelving, rather than in bench tops.

Timber veneers

When solid timber doors and drawer fronts are used, it is common practice to build the cabinet carcases out of particleboard or MDF faced with a matching timber veneer.

The veneers are generally 'sliced cut' to show an appealing figure in the grain.

Paints and lacquers

There is a wide range of paints and lacquers available as surface finishes.

They are typically sprayed onto MDF and hardboard with as many coats as required for the end use it is designed for.

Cabinet doors and drawer fronts made from MDF often have an inset pattern machined into the face and a high gloss polyurethane paint finish.