PVC kitchen cabinets for a functional kitchen

PVC hollow boards are hollow on the inside and are the more flexible type. Being the more economical option out of the two, they are also light-weight. Unfortunately, this type has a few negatives. They have a low thermal resistance and are not termite, moisture or fire resistant. They are also less sturdy than PVC foam boards.

PVC foam boards are more expensive but have a lot of good qualities. They are thicker, broader and more durable than hollow boards. They are also insulated against heat and may sometimes require detail finishing. PVC kitchen cabinets made from foam boards are more reliable and stronger; they are a better option for your kitchen cabinet design.

• The thickness of PVC foam boards ranges from 1 to 30 mm.
  
  
• PVC kitchen cabinets made from PVC boards, especially foam boards, are fairly sturdy and durable.
  
  
• PVC material for kitchen cabinets is lightweight as compared to other kitchen cabinet materials like solid or engineered wood.  
  
  
• PVC kitchen cabinets made from foam boards are fire, moisture and termite resistant.

• PVC kitchen cabinets are fairly sturdy. However, it is important to note that both PVC hollow and foam boards sag over time and the damage is generally irreversible. Hollow boards will see sagging and damage much sooner than foam boards.
  
  
• PVC kitchen cabinets are much easier to replace than other kitchen cabinet materials like plywood, aluminium, acrylic, etc.
  
  
• PVC kitchen cabinets made from foam board are non-toxic in nature.
  

• PVC kitchen cabinets are easy to work with and install. However, they are quite susceptible to scratches, especially from abrasive cleaners and cleaning equipment.
  
  
• They do not require surface finishing like laminates. However, with PVC foam boards, detailed finishing is necessary; otherwise, there might be irreparable damage to the cabinet.
  
  

• PVC kitchen cabinets made from PVC boards are also prone to discolouration in the long term.

• One wall or straight-line kitchens use one wall for storage, sink, appliance and cooking areas. Since these are short on space and storage, they need to be very well planned.
  
  
• A peninsula layout is best for open layout homes where the kitchen is partially separated from the living or dining area by a divider counter which usually holds under-counter storage cabinets. 
  
  
• A parallel kitchen has two parallel counters along the longer walls. These also included top, wall-hung cabinets along one or both walls.

• The most popular layout is a U-shaped kitchen design. This type of layout features three walls at 90degree angles to each other (forming a U shape), lined with workspaces, storage and/or appliances. The work triangle perfectly fits within this ‘U’ and turns your modular kitchen into the epitome of functionality.
  
  
• Finally, and island kitchen layout includes a kitchen island in the centre of a parallel, L-shaped or U-shaped kitchen. 

What are PVC Laminates?

Modern PVC kitchen cabinets are becoming very popular, especially in rented apartments. Another way to use PVC in your kitchen is PVC laminates. Here the main cabinet is made from a material like plywood and topped by a decorative surface finish of PVC laminate. PVC laminates are laminate sheets made by compressing PVC, thin layers pf paper and resin under high pressure and temperature. The thin sheets range from 0.05 to 2 millimetres.

PVC laminates are very flexible and can bend to 90 degrees. This means they can be used around edges for a seamless look without the need for edge banding. 

They can also be used for more complex designs which includes ridges. They are durable and very easy to clean. They come in a variety of colours, patterns, finishes and textures.

Ranging from matte to glossy, they can also come in textures mimicking wood, stone and metal. They are resistant to moisture, heat, corrosion and termites making it the perfect option for PVC modular kitchen.

Mild detergents and cleaners should be used on PVC laminates. Abrasive cleaners like bleach and cleaning equipment like steel wool will damage the surface and leave scratches.