Count of chipboard with a layer of plastic above – this is the most budget version of the countertop for the kitchen. If you are looking for a really cheap kitchen in the market of finished products, then in the catalog of inexpensive options you should only expect furniture with such a countertop, because the stone countertop, a solo wood or concrete counterattack seriously increase the total cost of the kitchen. If you make a kitchen to order, then you are free to order yourself a countertop from any material convenient for you.
What is the cheap kitchen from?
The price of the kitchen, which is made to order, will also depend on the materials of the boxes and accessories. The simplest and cheapest kitchen set is completely made from chipboard (both furniture and countertop) and is supplemented by basic fittings. At the same time, improved accessories can increase the total cost of furniture by 5-10 thousand rubles, and sometimes by a large amount. Most often, people who want to save on fittings, but at the same time buy a stone countertop, are advised to do the opposite, that is, to buy a good but budget countertop from chipboard, and at the same time invest in accessories. The reason that the manufacturer of kitchens advises to set up such priorities, as a rule, is his desire to provide you with durable furniture. Cheap fittings quickly breaks, and although, you can fix it, it is not as simple as it seems. In kitchens with cheap fittings, closers and rails most often break down, along which the boxes walk. And this causes more inconvenience than scratches on the countertop (inaccurate handling of the countertops from the chipboard can get small scuffs).
Buy a countertop from chipboard or pay for a stone?
Counts of natural or artificial stone are popularized on the market. Such countertops have many advantages associated with their resistance to different influences. Laminated countertops cannot boast of this stability, so you will have to use cutting boards and put hot pots on the stands. In all other respects, including in the convenience of washing, countertops from chipboard do not cause trouble.
Count of chipboard, if damaged, can visually give out a cheapness of the kitchen, although for this they must really be seriously damaged. As a rule, small scratches on the upper layer of plastic are noticeable only at a certain angle and with a certain light.
Laminated countertops may differ from each other, despite the fact that their basis is chipboard. The upper layer of plastic has different thickness and other varying qualities.
The total service life of a countertop from chipboard is 20 years, however, in fact, most manufacturers produce products that functions perfectly without complaints about 40 years (and a number of companies even gives such a long warranty).
Some laminated countertops are easily repaired – you can replace the upper layer of plastic.