I love the cleanability of the melamine surface.

Spilled oil on unfinished plywood.... Egad!

I was going to have Formica, but then the plywood came in gorgeous. I couldn't bear the idea of covering it, so my cabinetmaker got it factory finished with a really hard, low or no VOC finish. Most plywood isn't that fancy. Mine is zero VOC, and even the B side is pretty. The A side is more like AAA.

Melamine - very easy to maintain and uniform surface. But my interest is in how the interiors of cupboards function not what they look like (couldn't care less).

Hi, all. Thanks for the responses!

But is one considered more durable/better quality over the other?

I read that plywood holds screws better than melamine? I don't want to fill up kitchen cabinets with all my heavy dishes and things and have to worry about the weight!

Thanks!

My parents have melamine shelves and they have started to warp slightly. I have had plywood in the past, and had my new cabinets made with plywood as well. I love the looks and durablity, never had any problems.

Consider this: Would you rather buy melamine or solid wood furniture? In my experience, the wood holds up much better in the long term.

I paid more for Plywood, will get them in a few weeks. It is suppose to have a birch laminate and a polyurethane finish. We have been told to plan on using shelf liners to protect it.

Plywood is stronger and does take a screw being removed and replaced better. It also weighs less so holding the uppers why installing is easier.

The MDF and melamie is just fine and will last you. I have it in my master bath. The custom cabs normally have the plywood, possibly so it looks better. I wanted the custom look.

I'd rather have solid wood furniture, but I'd rather have melamine kitchen cabinets. That's because the melamine is easy to clean and structurally sound enough for years and years of wear. (My old cabinets were about 25 years old, and they were holding up just fine.)

I do understand why people buy plywood cabinets, because they do look nice. But for someone like me, whose budget is limited, melamine seems like a no-brainer. All the functionality (or nearly all, depending on your viewpoint) and reasonable looks at a decent price. I would not choose to give up anything else in my kitchen to get plywood cabinets. (Obviously, your priorities may be different, and your budget may be larger.:)

Calypsochick, in the U.S., plywood is usually considered to be better quality. In Europe, as I understand it, virtually all cabinets are made from particle board, so it's not considered an inferior material. Even in the U.S., there are tons of cabinets made from particle board that hold up just fine. Most cabinets sold at big box stores are particle board; most cabinet manufacturers, including higher-end cabinets like Wood-Mode, make particle board cabinets. All of the slick, high-end modern kitchens (at least, I think all), are particle board. Virtually all of the closet systems, garage systems, and laundry room cabinets are made of particle board. Manufacturers use construction methods suited to particle board, such as Confirmat fasteners.

I don't think you have to be concerned with your cabinets, no matter what you choose. Say the worst happens, and a particle board shelf sags a bit. Well, I'd just flip it over.

I'll put in a vote for plywood for its durability. If the melamine is on particleboard, just make sure it doesn't get wetted for an extended period of time. Plywood comes in different qualities but I think it is a hands-down better building material in places that are humid, may get wet, or carry a load.

I am so happy to see this thread as we now have entered a cabinet co. called "Decor" into our consideration. They are made in Canada, and use melamine interiors. We have low humidity, but I am just trying to learn all I can to make a good decision.

BTW, anyone heard of Decor?

As pointed out screw holding has to do with the substrate material not the melamine (impregnated paper a bit like laminate). Because furniture grade particleboard or MDF is more uniform and stable they are considered better substrates for the application and adherence of melamine product (melamine can be applied to plywood). ANSI has new guidelines for particleboard (released last year) that aren't available on-line but ask your manufacturer what ANSI grade they are using and see if they will send you the specs.

Frameless cabs usually don't exceed 36" because 3\4 inch PB will sag without a center support for the shelf. Even 5\8 PB is pretty sag resistant over a 30" expanse in my experience.

Particleboard is the preferred and industry standard material in the construction of frameless cabinetry because of its stability. Decor looks like a frameless manufacturer. I've heard of them but they don't have dealers in this part of Ontario. Ask your dealer why they carry them and not another brand.

Here is a link that might be useful: guidelines and specs for PB

So the European cabinet makers who use melamine interiors, like Poggenpohl, their interiors are basically melamine-coated particleboard or melamine-coated plywood?

The place I went to is a high-end custom cabinet maker. Basically I have a choice for the interiors. So when the guy was saying I can do melamine, plywood, painted plywood, whatever I want....that means their melamine is most likely melamine-COATED plywood or melamine-COATED particleboard? And are we saying that particleboard is better than plywood? What is the difference?

We are going to be getting frameless cabinets, with full overlay Shaker-style mdf doors that are white.

I'm not really so much concerned with ease of cleanup as opposed to what is considered top-of-the-line in terms of quality and durability overall.

Thanks so much for all the responses so far! This has been very helpful and I'll be able to go to my cabinetmaker with all the proper questions.

Attached gives a good overview. Quality - to whom? Lot's of buyers won't have a thought beyond there engagement with the appearance and impact of the kitchen. In the US a buyer with a little knowledge will not identify frameless with quality (if they recognize it as frameless) and will probably tend to think polyurethaned finished plywood (wood) interiors are high end. This same buyer will probably be impressed by granite countertops, ceramic flooring and stainless appliances.

With a discerning buyer who knows kitchens - they will recognize frameless and know the advantages. Whether they prefer a melamine or wood veneer will probably come down to taste and experience but melamine is a more resistant to seepage which is always an issue when using Particleboard or MDF. No question PB or MDF are the substrate most appropriate to frameless construction and the melamine will bond better to them and be more durable.

No Poggenpohl dealer around here but Impuls uses melamine interiors and I think Alno does too.

Here is a link that might be useful: industry comparison article

Has anyone had issues with PB coated melamine in regards to holding hinges or other screwed in items? How have the cabinet boxes held up over time? I thought we were paying for plywood with melamine interiors and was shocked when I saw PB boxes (with melamine coat) being installed. I reviewed our contract and it only states "melamime interiors" so yes it's our fault for not making it stipulated earlier. Or is this an industry assumption that melamine is always only applied on PB? Am I worried for no reason about quality? There seems to be 2 very different camps in this so I just can't tell. Anyone know an approx cost for 26 linear feet of custom cabinetry (we have non standard depth on one wall) or what the % upcharge would have been to go to plywood boxes with melamine coat? I guess I'm looking to hear plywood would have been so cost prohibitive we would have picked the PB core anyways. Lesson learned that "custom" didn't automatically include plywood boxes and to be more scrupulous.