Browse Forums Kitchen Corner 1 Jan 12, 2013 1:03 pm I can't decide ! - there will be a lot of cupboards so would like them to recede rather than be a dominant feature. They would be handle-less, softclose. Would gloss or sheen, 2pac or laminex be better for this? I don't like the look of super high gloss though. Don't want vinyl. I got some samples from Polytec, they are melamine, Polar white, sheen and seem quite glossy to me. But I've read on this forum that melamine is not good? Also that 2pac chips & is expensive to repair? I saw some really nice looking laminex, made in Europe apparently, at Schidt kitchen showroom, but was wondering if you can have handle-less drawers using laminex? If not it would have to be 2pac I suppose. They would be white, so any joins would be visible. Are these the only alternatives? The other surfaces will be stainless steel bench along the wall & a timber topped island bench & darkish bamboo floor. This is a rough idea of layout. I was hoping that without handles the overhead cupboards would just look like part of the wall & not be too overbearing. Can't figure out what to do with the bulkhead - it seems a bit big. The ceiling height will be about 3.6 as the floor is being dropped to ground level. This is the floorplan Any advice appreciated! Re: advice wanted on drawers & cupboards - laminex or 2pac? 2Jan 12, 2013 1:27 pm lenarufus But I've read on this forum that melamine is not good? Also that 2pac chips & is expensive to repair?[ ! I am not a fan of melamine for a kitchen. If you intend on selling then its fine. 2pac, chips?? Expensive to repair?? You have been talking to the wrong people. Do some searching on this site and there is a wealth of information on this. Cheap 2pac chips. Proper 2pac will only chip with a really good hit. This good hit would also damage most other finishes. I have two pack in my kitchen with a 3 and 5year old and dont have one chip! Anyone who tells you that it chips has poor quality 2pac! 2pac is the only door finish that can be repaired! A standard kitchen door would cost around $150 to have repaired. If you wanted to replace a melamine door you would have to buy a full sheet, have it cut and then edged. It would cost around $300 for one door assuming you can still get the melamine colour! 2pac can be painted in matt, satin, semi gloss and full gloss in any colour! lenarufus I saw some really nice looking laminex, made in Europe apparently, at Schidt kitchen showroom, but was wondering if you can have handle-less drawers using laminex? You can have the aluminium strip fitted to the top edge to give handless but the sharknose is very hard to do with melamine. Cutting Edge Kitchens and Cabinet Making http://cuttingedgekitchens.net.au http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cutting-Edge-Kitchens/290484196676 Mobile : 0419 430 575 PH: 9452 4772 Fax :9452 4772 cuttingedgekitchens@outlook.com Re: advice wanted on drawers & cupboards - laminex or 2pac? 3Jan 12, 2013 2:27 pm No, we're not selling, we're just doing it for ourselves. Can you have handleless drawers with laminex - or (sorry if stupid question) is it the same thing ie is laminex put on top of melamine?? Also, is there anything else you can use apart from the aluminium strip? Re: advice wanted on drawers & cupboards - laminex or 2pac? 4Jan 13, 2013 9:04 am we are going with laminex for the kitchen doors and to upgrade to handless it would have cost us $1200 so left it and used the money for other things. would have love to go 2 pac put just was not in the budget Re: advice wanted on drawers & cupboards - laminex or 2pac? 5Jan 13, 2013 10:41 am lenarufus . Can you have handleless drawers with laminex - or (sorry if stupid question) is it the same thing ie is laminex put on top of melamine?? Also, is there anything else you can use apart from the aluminium strip? Laminex is a 1mm thick and needs to be glued to the face and edges of the doors. This used to be done years ago but is vary rarely done in kitchens these days. Its a very time consuming job and the edges can chip easily. Most colours in the major companies ranges can be either purchased as a laminte or a lamiwood. Lamiwood is a 16 or 18mm thick sheet of material with a melamine surface glued to both sides. The edges are then finished with a tough 1-2mm PVC edge. I personally would only ever use laminate as a bench top surface with a rolled edge. I would use Lamiwood for the doors over laminate any day. Yes lamiwood or laminate can be used with handleless doors but its harder if you want sharknose. Cutting Edge Kitchens and Cabinet Making http://cuttingedgekitchens.net.au http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cutting-Edge-Kitchens/290484196676 Mobile : 0419 430 575 PH: 9452 4772 Fax :9452 4772 cuttingedgekitchens@outlook.com Re: advice wanted on drawers & cupboards - laminex or 2pac? 6Jan 14, 2013 9:25 am Thanks, that's interesting - I can't believe how complicated this all is! I'm only thinking about the drawers, not the benchtop surface which will be stainless steel & wood ... I hadn't heard about Lamiwood. I found an old thread which says that with white coloured laminex the edges are often a different white & the glue or dirt makes a line along the edges. As Lamiwood is a type of laminex would this be the case? Maybe using a darker colour would make this a non-issue. I need to find a showroom to have a look but there doesn't seem to be one in Sydney except a long way out. Do you know anywhere there are examples on display? The same thread talked about colourboard, this sounds like the samples I got from Polytec. They look good but the sheen surface does show a lot of smears. It also said "The only drawback of a colurboard door is that it can not be profiled or routed - you can only get a flat square edged board made for any specific application." If it can't be routed does this mean that you can't have handleless with colourboard? It's looking more & more like 2pac... ! Re: advice wanted on drawers & cupboards - laminex or 2pac? 7Jan 14, 2013 9:53 am lenarufus Thanks, that's interesting - I can't believe how complicated this all is! I'm only thinking about the drawers, not the benchtop surface which will be stainless steel & wood ... I hadn't heard about Lamiwood. I found an old thread which says that with white coloured laminex the edges are often a different white & the glue or dirt makes a line along the edges. As Lamiwood is a type of laminex would this be the case? Maybe using a darker colour would make this a non-issue. I need to find a showroom to have a look but there doesn't seem to be one in Sydney except a long way out. Do you know anywhere there are examples on display? The same thread talked about colourboard, this sounds like the samples I got from Polytec. They look good but the sheen surface does show a lot of smears. It also said "The only drawback of a colurboard door is that it can not be profiled or routed - you can only get a flat square edged board made for any specific application." If it can't be routed does this mean that you can't have handleless with colourboard? It's looking more & more like 2pac... ! I have a couple of samples in my factory in Brookvale. Lamiwood is the same as colourboard. Yes on light colours you can see a faint glue line, but you hardly notice it. You cant get a colourboard routered or with a profile but there are still options for handless. You could use colour board with a recessed aluminium strip handle, see photo below Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Cutting Edge Kitchens and Cabinet Making http://cuttingedgekitchens.net.au http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cutting-Edge-Kitchens/290484196676 Mobile : 0419 430 575 PH: 9452 4772 Fax :9452 4772 cuttingedgekitchens@outlook.com Re: advice wanted on drawers & cupboards - laminex or 2pac? 8Jan 21, 2013 4:57 pm cutting edge is the silk finish laminates much more to buy then the natural finish that’s in the wall, it’s more about the trap and basin location within the cabinet. If the basin inset or the trap is sideways there is less space within the vanity… 4 1429 Hi, Can anyone give me approx. price for overhead cupboards. TIA 0 16615 Hi brains trust, We had Essastone Unique Calacatta specificed for our bench tops. This has now since been discontinued. What is a good equal alternative? Thank you! 0 77 |