Why prefer PVC Kitchen Cabinets over Wooden Cabinets in the Indian context?
When you are renovating or planning a new kitchen for your home, the material of the kitchen cabinets plays an important part. In fact, a lot of people do not think much about this aspect in depth. It's like if your neighbor has used plywood, you would go for it too. If your friend has a glossy looking laminate kitchen cabinet, then you would be game to re-create it too. However, this shouldn’t be the case.
The surface of the materials used in kitchen cabinets not only showcase the aesthetic appeal of the kitchen but should also be durable enough in holding/storing your kitchen accessories and appliances. Hence I feel that choosing the material for kitchen cabinets should be done after enough deliberation and research. Now that we have two materials in hand — PVC, and wood for the making of kitchen cabinets, let us go through some pros/cons of each of them.
PVC — When I say PVC (poly-vinyl chloride), the first thing that comes to mind is bathroom and plumbing materials. However, of late, PVC kitchen cabinets have become quite trendy. Some of the advantages that PVC cabinets bring to their users are,
Pros:
1) They are cheap in comparison to wooden cabinets
2) Installation of PVC cabinets is easy.
3) Easy to clean, so they are literally maintenance free
4) It is easy to source or replaces your PVC sheets/boards.
5) PVC cabinets are durable
6) Your PVC cabinets will not be infested by termites or even water, as PVC is termite-free, waterproof and also anticorrosive.
Cons:
1) PVC boards do not offer an array of color options when compared to wood
2) Though PVC sheets/boards are easy to install, the hinges and screws that are used for holding them tend to loosen with time. In short, over time, their holding power is not that good when compared to wood or even plywood.
3) PVC cabinets are not resistant to fire.
4) Discoloring after a couple of years and also not being scratch-resistant are other complaints from users of PVC cabinets.
5) In comparison to wood, kitchen cabinets made from PVC have a short life span.
Wood — Wooden cabinets (solid wood cabinets) are many times the preferred choice for homeowners during kitchen renovations. This is primarily because they have the ability to create a perfect balance between durability and style. Some of the top hard (solid) woods used in making kitchen cabinets in India are sesham, teak, and marindi.
Pros:
1) Highly strong and durable and can hold a lot of weight.
2) Available in several colors, grains, and patterns.
3) Adapts wonderfully well for both traditional and contemporary kitchen designs.
4) You can paint them or re-stain them to give a new and polished look
5) Has more customization option when compared to PVC
6) Wood kitchen cabinets have a longer life span compared to PVC.
Cons:
1) Expensive when compared to PVC cabinets
2) Installation is not that easy as compared to PVC
3) Wooden cabinets are prone to humidity
4) There are chances of the wood denting if the quality of hardwood is not good.
Both these materials have their own set of pros and cons. So, if you want to go for something in between these two materials, then plywood laminates is another very popular option. You can look into this material too. However, make your pick only after an informed decision.
