Types of furniture fronts for cabinets, popular materials

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As a rule, furniture buyers focus on the frame and dimensions of the structures, without being interested in what the cabinet front is and what role it plays in the product.

The facade of the cabinet is its front surface, which also includes the design of the doors.

It is the facade that determines the appearance of the structure and allows you to create a unique interior, giving the furniture not only a practical, but also an aesthetic function.

The modern furniture market offers a variety of types of cabinet fronts. This allows you to easily select furniture that will organically fit into the interior of your home.

Design Features

The facade is the visible details on the surfaces of the furniture that determine the appearance and design. The main purpose of facades is decorative decoration of all types of furniture. Facade panels are called:

• doors;
• front walls of drawers;
• cornices;
• decorative overlays.

A variety of textures, materials, color shades and decorative elements make it possible to create a unique interior. Louvered facades have become widespread when decorating premises in country and eco styles. The peculiarity of the parts is that they are easy to change, thereby updating the appearance of the furniture and the interior of the room. Elements can be easily removed from their mounts, replaced with new ones and adjusted in height. The reason for changing facades may be wear and tear, damage by children or pets, or simply updating the design during renovations.

Decorative overlays

Cornices

Boxes

Doors

Coating and texture options

During the selection, not only the material used to create structures is taken into account, but also their appearance. Different technologies can be used for decoration:

• Wood carving – carved facades look really attractive and elegant. The decorating process can be carried out independently or by professionals;
• Enameling – for this, high-quality enamel is applied to the elements, secured with varnish. Typically this decoration option is used for products made from MDF or chipboard;
• Photo printing – the context of photo printing on furniture facades depends on the type of furniture, the chosen style of room decoration and the characteristics of the elements themselves. The use of printing on facades allows not only to decorate their appearance, but also to express the unique taste of the owners. You can choose not only ready-made images, but also your own photos. Furniture with a pattern on the facade is in demand in different interiors;
• Patination – it involves artificial aging of furnishings. For this, special acrylic paints are used. Patinated furniture designs are perfect for classic interiors;
• Lamination involves applying a special film to products made from chipboard or even MDF. Laminating a furniture facade allows you to get an attractive design at a low price. The technology is used for inexpensive interior items. Laminated facades can be used to decorate kitchen units, walls or cabinets.

Textures are selected depending on the appearance of the furniture itself, as well as the color scheme of the room in which it is installed. Therefore, you can choose facades that are white, red or black, as well as those imitating natural wood, metal, stone or other original textures. Before purchasing the furniture fronts you like, you need to correctly calculate their required quantity, for which the dimensions and shape of the piece of furniture for which they are intended are taken into account.

Photo printing

Wood carving

Enameled

Patination

Laminated

Varieties

Fronts for cabinets are classified according to shape, manufacturing technique, and type of opening. According to the production method, there are solid, paneled and framed facades. According to the design, they are divided into straight, curved, radius, and louvered types. The classification by opening type needs to be considered in more detail, as this determines the operational characteristics of the furniture:

1. A swing door is classified as a traditional opening type. The hinges are attached vertically and horizontally. In the case of horizontal fastening of panels, the type is called folding. Design features include ease of use, reliability, and safety. This type is not suitable for small rooms, as free space is required to open the doors. The facade with hinged doors is combined with the interior in the Art Nouveau, classic, and Provence styles.
2. Front doors for wardrobes in the form of a compartment are the best option for small spaces, as they do not require space to open. Most popular for built-in pantries and dressing rooms. Often a combination of wood, metal, glass or mirror surface is used in manufacturing. Despite the ease of installation, the use of combined materials makes the product more expensive. To reduce the cost of installation, it is not recommended to skimp on fittings. This will affect functionality, shorten the user life of the body kits, and also lead to malfunction or damage to the facades. Products with a compartment opening type require special care. It is necessary to prevent small objects, dust or pet hair from getting into the rack and pinion mechanism. All moving parts are subject to regular lubrication with special means, which will significantly extend the life of the facade.
3. Facade roller shutters are not very common. This is due to the difficulty of combining with most interiors. Basically they are made to order according to individual sizes. The materials used are metal, wood, plastic. At a company that produces roller shutters, you can always see samples for furniture facades and choose the appropriate option. Features of the model are that it is equipped with an easy-to-use, reliable mechanism that allows movement in different directions. This type of facade is suitable for cabinets on balconies, pantries, and when covering pipe distribution in bathrooms.
4. Accordion facades are popular for creating unique designer interiors. Saving space is the main feature of this type of design. Along with this, they are characterized by ease of operation, unlimited size, and the ability to replace one of the façade elements. Weaknesses include low wear resistance and the need for careful handling to avoid damage to the sashes.

When installing, you should not skimp on the quality of hinges, driving mechanisms and accessories for them. This will help avoid distortion of the facades and their rapid replacement.

Roller shutters Types of furniture fasteners, their characteristics and application features

Swing door

Coupe

Harmonic

Shape and color

The color scheme surprises with its severity. It is logical to assume that classic facades are decorated with the natural color of wood: from milky white to dark chocolate black. The latter will be complemented extremely advantageously by golden lines and monograms.

A white wardrobe will be the crowning glory of any interior. A wide range of light shades will make you rack your brain:

• lactic;
• cream;
• ivory;
• beige;
• champagne;
• delicate mother of pearl and other variations of white.

In addition to elegant white, brown is the basis of the palette of classic cabinets. Calm, discreet shades make up the main color scheme of the style. As a rule, they are made plain. Sometimes it is possible to combine decorative elements a little darker or a little lighter, one or two steps.

In a classic interior, flashy bright colors are excluded both in the decoration of walls and in the design of furniture.

The main colors that modern stores offer are:

• cherry;
• Apple tree;
• maple;
• alder;
• beech;
• white;
• wenge magic;
• dark wenge;
• hazelnut;
• dark walnut.

An excellent option for decorating cabinet doors would be patination, that is, the effect of aged wood. Imitation of natural aging looks very noble, creating the impression of a valuable antique. Such vintage will fit only into a truly classic interior with antique vases, massive interior doors with gilded handles, a four-poster bed, and a great-grandmother's chest of drawers.

Classics correspond to strict forms, solid geometry and symmetry. The angles are mostly straight, with occasional roundness. Most often these are cornices at the top of the structure or decorative elements. By the way, in most cases he is modest and reserved. But the beauty of the patterns and ornaments is such that there is nothing more to add.

Manufacturing materials

Wood, MDF, chipboard, acrylic plastic and aluminum are mainly used in the manufacture of furniture facades. When choosing, you need to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type:

1. Solid wood is a traditional material for furniture. For production, solid oak, pine, beech, alder or birch are used. For luxury products, valuable types of mahogany are used - mahogany, teak, rosewood, kempas. Wooden furniture has been tested over the years, it creates a feeling of good quality. Only from wood is it possible to produce slatted fronts for cabinets, which have become popular recently. The advantages of wooden facades are environmental friendliness, strength and safety. Disadvantages include the high cost of products and difficulties in selecting shades of wooden slabs when making a large set. Also, owners of wooden furniture are required to maintain a constant temperature and humidity in the house to prevent it from drying out.
2. MDF facades are the most common composite material. The boards consist of sawdust glued together under high pressure using lignin and paraffin. They do not emit toxic substances when heated. The advantages of fiberboards are low price, presentable appearance, and good performance characteristics.
3. Glass doors give furniture a stylish look and make the interior airy. They are environmentally friendly and wear-resistant. With their help you can create a cabinet with convex fronts. Disadvantages include fragility, care features and cost.
4. Plastic surfaces are becoming increasingly popular. Cabinets with glossy fronts will look great in the kitchen, bathroom, or children's room. The material has excellent performance characteristics - wear-resistant, not afraid of moisture, and hygienic. From polymer it is possible to produce panels of any shape and color with photo printing. The only drawback is the ability to fade over time when exposed to direct sunlight.
5. Fronts for cabinets made of aluminum or stainless steel are new in the furniture industry. They are distinguished by their extraordinary design, so there is no mass production. They are made individually to order for design projects. The only drawback is the high cost, but this is compensated by the durability and originality of the products.

Purpose of furniture legs, classification of fittings

In the production of the above-mentioned façade panels, no toxic or harmful substances are used. All materials are completely safe. When launched into production, raw materials undergo careful control to ensure compliance with GOST standards.

Aluminum

Tree

MDF

Plastic

Glass

Types of furniture paneled facades

Framing for panels can be made from various materials:

• chipboard;
• MDF;
• natural wood;
• aluminum

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Chipboard frames are popular due to their low cost. Otherwise, they are not so ideal - they cannot boast of durability, they absorb moisture and odors.

MDF structures are the best combination of affordable cost and high quality. MDF frames are environmentally friendly, safe and resistant to negative external factors.

Frame furniture facades made of natural wood are more expensive, but are widely popular due to the ability to give furniture a noble look. As a rule, MDF covered with veneer - a thin layer of wood - is used as a panel in such products. In appearance and to the touch, such panels cannot be distinguished from solid facades made of solid wood.

Aluminum frames are characterized by increased wear resistance, hygiene and durability. In addition, they are perfect for modern interiors.

Colors and decor

In addition to functionality, designers have certain color combination requirements for cabinet furniture facades. You should approach the choice responsibly and determine in advance the colors and facade decor that will organically fit into the style of the room. It is also recommended to adhere to the general rules for creating an interior:

• based on the size of the room;
• observe the contrast of shades;
• take into account the texture of the walls and floor of the room.

Types of hoods built into cabinets, their main advantages

Bright colors and stylish decor make furniture the most memorable element of the decor. For lovers of classics, it is better to choose the color of the facades in one of three tones of room decoration. Mirror or glass facades are considered universal, suitable for any style. You can choose the right colors and their combinations from catalogs by visiting a furniture showroom; it is advisable to ask to see a sample. An alternative option is to entrust the creation of the interior to an experienced designer who will professionally approach this issue.

Styling of paneled facades

Paneled facades have been used since the Middle Ages and have not lost their former popularity.

Modern designers are guided by the experience of centuries-old traditions and offer panels suitable for different styles:

• Gothic (peak popularity from the 11th - 12th to 15th - 16th centuries) - furniture in this extravagant design is characterized by pointed arches, multi-color stained glass windows, wood carvings and ornate forged elements;
• Baroque is a pompous style brought to Russia by Peter I. It is characterized by rich decoration of facades with stucco and carvings. The use of panels of unusual shapes is encouraged - with curls and spirals;
• classicism (XVIII-IXX centuries) - a balanced and harmonious style. Frame facades are made in two contrasting colors and are moderately decorated with forged elements and marquetry.

Cabinet fronts made in modern styles, for example, minimalism or hi-tech, are distinguished by clear lines and minimal decor.

Care Tips

Caring for wooden furniture fronts for cabinets is special. In addition to observing the temperature regime, it is necessary to polish the panels with wax with UV protection and humidify the air. Eco furniture that does not have a varnish coating requires periodic treatment with special insecticidal agents against wood-boring beetles.

To care for polished or laminated surfaces made of MDF or plastic, you need a special product with an antistatic effect, as well as rags made of natural fabric, otherwise you can achieve the opposite effect of attracting dust.

Cabinet fronts made of glass or with a mirror surface require more frequent maintenance. A mild glass cleaner and a special microfiber cloth will do. It is strictly forbidden to use abrasive cleaning agents on glass or polished MDF and plastic surfaces.

Wipe metal surfaces with a soft, dry cloth. Wet cleaning is carried out once a month with gel-based cleaning products. The use of abrasive cleaning agents, hard brushes, and metallic sponges is also prohibited.

The use of unsuitable detergents and tools can cause damage to furniture facades.

The selection of facades for furniture is a responsible process; it is carried out taking into account many factors. Having considered the nuances, the available types, their main characteristics, you can choose the best option for the interior of the apartment, and knowing all the subtleties of care, you can significantly extend the life of the furniture.

For glass and mirrors, use a mild cleaner

To prevent furniture from deteriorating, you need to treat it with polish

To care for furniture, you should use a special microfiber cloth.

Photo of furniture with paneled framed facades

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Attractive, practical and affordable, frame cabinet fronts allow you to make your interior unique, creating a special, cozy atmosphere in your home. And their high performance characteristics will ensure durability of the furniture complex, allowing owners to use it for many years.

How to choose the right cabinet fronts

It is necessary to select facades for cabinets depending on the purpose of the furniture. For example, the facades for a bathroom cabinet must be resistant to moisture; the covering for the doors of a kitchen unit must withstand temperature changes, because First of all, the door that is located next to the oven suffers. For a wardrobe in the hallway, a mirrored façade is suitable, for a nursery - doors with photo printing, for an office - classic wood or leather.

On such doors, especially if they are dark in color, fingerprints are visible.

The most important thing is to strictly follow the rules of furniture care so that it pleases its owners for as long as possible.

Economy class laminated chipboard facades

In contrast to expensive wooden facades, we can highlight the option of making them from laminated chipboard.

Production technology

Chipboard is a particle board. The texture of the material does not allow milling, so chipboard facades are always smooth, without reliefs. The ends are edged with PVC edges or framed with aluminum or plastic edging.

Conventionally, we can divide two types of laminated chipboard facades:

• The chipboard serves only as a basis for cladding with more expensive materials. For example, plastic and veneer, some types of acrylic and enamel with varnish.
• Laminated chipboard coating acts as facade cladding. The range of colors, imitations of wood textures, and various embossings is huge. There are options for glossy laminated chipboard, with a matte, smooth surface and embossing of different shapes and depths. Diversity allows you to implement really interesting design solutions at a very inexpensive cost.

Features of chipboard facades

Facades made of moisture-resistant chipboard are suitable for kitchens and bathrooms. For living spaces, in particular bedrooms and children's chipboards, it should be class E. Do not forget that the main binding element of wood-based materials is formaldehyde resins, which have a detrimental effect on health. Environmentally friendly products that meet international standards and manufactured in Russia (for example, Kronostar), Austria (Egger) and Germany are in great demand and approval.

Particular emphasis is placed on the ends of the facades and their processing. The surface does not emit phenol since it is laminated. But the slab itself has raw edges. Also, a guarantee that after a certain period of time moisture will not get inside the slab and the facade will not deteriorate is processing at the highest level. For processing the ends of laminated chipboards, PVC is mainly selected, with an edge thickness of 2 mm.

What is a facade for cabinets

At its core, the facade is a decorative door that hides the contents of the cabinet. It is the appearance of such a door that is responsible for the first impression on the general appearance of a furniture product - a kitchen set, a wardrobe, a chest of drawers, a cabinet.

Prefabricated facades and CNC: advantages and disadvantages

Now that we have found out what prefabricated facades and facades made on CNC machines , let's take a closer look at their advantages and disadvantages. Let’s agree right away: we will not discuss specific materials (these are the topics of separate articles), but will focus on technologies.

Let's start with the CNC. So, the advantages of CNC-made facades :

• low price;
• if you use standard templates, the production speed is high;
• predicted result, i.e. you can be sure that the machine will not “crash” the production.

Such products have one significant drawback: they are a relatively budget option for facades.

What attracts prefabricated facades :

• high precision and quality of workmanship due to manual fitting and assembly;
• you can use different materials: from cheap laminated chipboard to expensive solid wood, or a combination of them (for example, a solid frame and an MDF panel);
• It looks chic and prestigious.

Disadvantages include the relatively high price .