BWP / marine plywood
- Advantages
- Handles the humidity and moisture load of a coastal kitchen well.
- Maintenance
- Wipe spills promptly; keep sink-base joints sealed.
- Recommended use
- Base units, sink cabinets, tall units.
Specification
Materials & Finishes, Explained Plainly
Every material below has a place and a limit. We list both, so the specification you approve is one you understand — not a list of trade names.
01
Cabinet core
HDF-HMR board
- Advantages
- Dense, flat surface that takes edge-banding and finishes cleanly.
- Maintenance
- Avoid standing water at cut edges.
- Recommended use
- Wall units and shutters where weight matters.
WPC / PVC board
- Advantages
- Does not absorb water, so it suits the wettest positions.
- Maintenance
- Simple wipe-down; avoid abrasive scrubbing.
- Recommended use
- Under-sink and utility-area cabinets.
02
Shutter finishes
Laminate
- Advantages
- Widest range of colours and textures at the most accessible cost.
- Maintenance
- Mild detergent and a soft cloth.
- Recommended use
- Everyday family kitchens.
Acrylic
- Advantages
- High-gloss, seamless surface with strong colour depth.
- Maintenance
- Shows fingerprints; needs regular wiping.
- Recommended use
- Wall units and feature runs.
Matt PU / lacquer
- Advantages
- Soft, non-reflective finish that hides marks well.
- Maintenance
- Non-abrasive cleaner only.
- Recommended use
- Contemporary and minimalist schemes.
Veneer
- Advantages
- Real timber grain, each panel individual.
- Maintenance
- Periodic polishing keeps the coat intact.
- Recommended use
- Tall units and open-kitchen elevations.
03
Countertops
Granite
- Advantages
- Heat-tolerant and hard-wearing; widely available locally.
- Maintenance
- Periodic sealing on lighter stones.
- Recommended use
- Hob runs and heavy-use prep areas.
Engineered quartz
- Advantages
- Non-porous and consistent in colour across slabs.
- Maintenance
- Soap and water; use a trivet for hot vessels.
- Recommended use
- Islands and full-length counters.
Sintered / porcelain stone
- Advantages
- Very low porosity with large-format slab options.
- Maintenance
- Minimal; avoid point impact at edges.
- Recommended use
- Waterfall island edges and splashbacks.
04
Hardware & handles
Soft-close hinges and channels
- Advantages
- Quieter operation and less shutter wear over time.
- Maintenance
- Occasional alignment check.
- Recommended use
- All drawers and shutters.
Tandem box drawers
- Advantages
- Full extension, so the back of the drawer is genuinely reachable.
- Maintenance
- Keep runners free of grit.
- Recommended use
- Base storage and pantry pull-outs.
Profile / gola handles
- Advantages
- Handle-free look with an easy grip along the shutter edge.
- Maintenance
- Wipe the channel during regular cleaning.
- Recommended use
- Minimalist and open kitchens.
05
Glass, aluminium & lighting
Aluminium-framed glass shutters
- Advantages
- Lightens tall runs and keeps crockery visible.
- Maintenance
- Glass cleaner; check frame screws yearly.
- Recommended use
- Upper display units.
Under-cabinet LED profiles
- Advantages
- Removes shadow from the working counter.
- Maintenance
- Dust the diffuser occasionally.
- Recommended use
- Above every prep surface.
Back-painted glass splashback
- Advantages
- Seamless, joint-free surface behind the hob.
- Maintenance
- Wipe after cooking to prevent build-up.
- Recommended use
- Hob and sink walls.
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