Kitchen Cabinets
Most kitchen cabinets in New Zealand are made from chipboard, known in the trade as Weetbix. Some better kitchen makers use HMR (High Moisture Resistant) board. This is a much better choice because it will resist liquid spills (not uncommon in the kitchen) and help prevent the swelling that happens when chipboard gets wet.
Other, usually older generation, kitchen makers still use MDF board for their kitchen cabinets, which is stronger but not much more water resistant than chipboard. Whichever material is used the board will usually be covered in Melamine, a white low pressure laminate material.
You do have choices. The cheapest is raw MDF board, which you paint yourself. Melamine covered board, white being the cheapest but you can choose other colours at extra cost. Timber veneered board, in which wood veneer is used instead of melamine - this will need lacquering to protect it. Plywood can be used, which is strong and durable. Most expensive but very nice in the right setting, is solid timber, which gives more than a touch of opulence to a kitchen.
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