Melamine coating: properties, applications, characteristics

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Melamine furniture coating - what is it and where is it used? This issue can be sorted out by contacting manufacturers involved in the manufacture of cabinet furniture. This material is used in production for protective purposes. This sample of artificial material is resistant to moisture and shows resistance to mechanical damage. It looks like a plastic surface with different coloring. Most often, its colors imitate the structure of wood veneer. However, melamine compares favorably in cost with natural samples. In addition to furniture, this coating is used for the manufacture of window sills, countertops and interior doors. More on this later.

Material properties

Melamine is most often used as a coating for sheets made from chipboard. To cover such a material, special paper impregnated with a composition of melamine is used.resins. This material has the following number of positive characteristics:

resistant to mechanical damage, it is difficult to leave a scratch or chip on it;

does not react to the presence of water;

shows positive resistance to household chemicals;

has a low cost;

looks very similar to natural veneer;

easy to handle and low maintenance;

UV resistant, so it won't fade when exposed to sunlight

Melamine coating always receives positive reviews, it is freely suitable for the production of bathroom furniture. With its use, not only furniture facades are made, but also other parts of the body. In addition, melamine is suitable for the production of countertops.

Benefits

The use of melamine provides a reliable coating for chipboard or MDF boards that protects the material from various factors. Chipboard sheets with double-sided melamine coating acquire special strength. Among the advantages worth noting:

low material cost;

attractive appearance;

the ease with which it can be processed;

many texture solutions;

large selection of color shades, which allows you to choose panels for any style of interior

Melamine-coated boards are not only visually attractive, but also more safe to use than conventional chipboard samples. Film cover that hidesthe inside of the plate, eliminates the possibility of evaporation of toxic resins. It also eliminates the possibility of swelling of the plate when moisture gets in.

Under standard conditions, the thickness of the melamine coating is in the range of 0.2 to 0.4 millimeters, but in some cases it can reach a thickness of two millimeters. Due to its resistance to open sunlight, furniture made using this material is able to serve for a long time without changing its appearance.

Melamine coating has the ability to give panels made of chipboard the right shade and different textures. Also, the buyer can independently choose between the type of matte or glossy surface. Such a wide choice of execution allows designers to freely create the most unexpected combinations. However, along with many positive qualities, melamine coating has a number of disadvantages.

Disadvantages of budget samples

Furniture made in the economy class category has too thin a layer of protective coating. This creates certain problems during operation. Such a melamine coating is easily damaged by abrasive materials, as well as by contact with metal objects. It is not recommended to use products containing acid when caring for furniture of this type. They may stain the surface of the hob.

Danger of high temperatures

Do not place furniture with a melamine table top near heat sources. The coating does not withstand strong heat and can be deformed. For use in such conditions, pieces of furniture are equipped with special aluminum lining, which significantly increase the cost of products.

Composition of content

A characteristic disadvantage of boards made of melamine-coated chipboard is their loose structure. This characteristic over time can lead to weakening of the structure at the joints using various fasteners. The consequence of such a weakening will be an obvious sagging of the moving elements.

Laminated board

For the manufacture of cabinet furniture, plates with a thickness of two to four centimeters are used. To increase the strength of furniture samples, manufacturers increase the density when pressing sawdust raw materials. For the manufacture of furniture facades, chipboard 16 mm with a melamine coating is used. This thickness allows you to create an ideal ratio of the weight of products with their strength, which is very important when installing fasteners, as well as various fittings.

The technology of manufacturing components from laminated chipboard affects the likely life of the furniture. Particularly reliable are elements with a double-sided melamine coating. The weak point of such components is the end edge. After it gets damaged, the life of the furniture is drastically reduced, as it opens up access to vapors that destroy the inside of the elements. In total, several different methods are used, usingwhich closes the end of the plate.

Acrylic edging

This is the easiest way to hide the end faces of furniture parts, but it is not durable. Of the advantages of this method, it is worth noting its availability. Firstly, such edges can be picked up in various stores that sell furniture fittings. Secondly, they can be easily replaced by yourself using an ordinary iron.

Postforming

This solution was made possible with the use of innovative technologies. This method allows a continuous plastic coating to be applied to the edge surface on all available sides. Thus, the possibility of moisture getting on the chipboard surface is completely excluded. This end face protection method is used in the manufacture of window sills and melamine table tops.

Aluminum trims

What are the features? When using this method of end edge protection, the use of the thinnest layer of melamine coating is allowed. But at the same time, the plate receives a fairly reliable coating with a long service life.

Facade components

For pasting facades, too, several methods are used. The most common of these is considered to be a method in which a protective film is applied to a pressed base using high pressure. In the budget version, pasting is used using multilayer paper, which is impregnated with a melamine resin composition.

Tabletops

With the use of melamine coating, it is possible to produce notonly the materials needed for the production of furniture bodies, but also window sills with countertops. For this purpose, a plate having a thickness of 40 mm is used. This helps to give the material extra strength and make it more rigid. Thus, the tabletop has the ability to withstand heavy loads.

An additional advantage of this material is the ability to display various forms. The main thing is that the elements do not take a minimized form. With the help of such reinforced plates, combined countertop window sills are made, which can significantly save kitchen space.

This material is perfect as a work surface for kitchen sets. The melamine coating of the tabletop makes the surface resistant to aggressive factors. However, in this case, it is recommended to close the ends of the panels with aluminum plates to avoid exposure to high temperatures. This is the most reliable way to protect the end face, significantly extending the performance of furniture.

When purchasing a melamine-coated countertop, it is not recommended to save on the thickness of the protective layer, because only such samples show maximum resistance to household chemicals and mechanical damage. The thick layer of protective coating can guarantee a long service life without loss of appearance quality.

Melamine doors

Melamine door coating - what is it? It is necessary to consider the quality of these goods in more detail. These products haveexcellent balance in relation to price and quality. Doors with such a coating are in demand every year, which is achieved due to the high performance characteristics of the material. Such interior doors can become a decoration of any interior, taking various shapes and colors.

Distinguishing Features

Melamine coating for such doors is created using multilayer paper. They are treated with a composition synthesized from melamine-formaldehyde resin, heated to a high temperature. This material received the second name - laminated plastic. The material has a fairly even and attractive surface, it is resistant to high humidity, as well as to mechanical stress.

With the help of this method, interior doors, facades of furniture sets, as well as countertops are made. Unlimited possibilities in terms of coating colors allow you to display any fantasy on the surface of the material. It can be either the texture of wood or stone, or all kinds of pictures or photographs that retain their original appearance for a long period of time.

Advantages of doors with this coating

For those people who have not yet had to deal with products of this group of goods, it is useful to learn about all the advantages of the material, which has recently become very popular:

1. This material is UV resistant. And this means that withover time, it does not fade when exposed to direct sunlight, retaining its original appearance for a long time.
2. The door leaf created in this way is lightweight, making it easy to install and transport, and provides a secure, sagging fit on the hinges.
3. A melamine-coated door will not gain weight or change shape when the surface comes in contact with water. And this means that it will never start to creak or create other problems during operation.

Despite many excellent qualities, the cost of the material always remains within reasonable limits, favorably distinguishing this category of goods. Interior doors of this sample are most widely used in the interiors of country cottages and summer cottages. However, the modern range of these products offers a choice of various samples of a fairly respectable look, quite suitable for office or apartment furnishings.

The endless color options of various models allow you to choose a solution suitable for almost any conditions. In order to find the necessary option, it is enough just to start the search, and then the desired model will definitely be found. There is also a rich choice among all conceivable door designs. It can be deaf door leafs or with built-in glasses. They can have either one leaf or two, and if desired, they can consist of components of one and a half size.