Do You Prefer Lacquer or Laminate?

A strong, hygienic and waterproof material, laminate offers countless options in terms of finish and colour. In fact, you can choose between matt and gloss versions...

What is laminate?

Laminate is a special type of coating, usually applied to wooden panels embedded with phenolic resins.
The most common type of laminate isHPL (high pressure laminate), whereby the laminate is created by a process using high pressure and heat to force the individual layers of material together. Each layer is very thin, usually only between 0.02 to 0.05 inches thick.
A strong, hygienic and waterproof material, laminate offers countless finish and color variations. You can even choose between matte and gloss finishes.
The strength of the laminate product itself depends on the materials used in the component sheets of the final product, and the gluing system used to bond the layers together.
For example, when gluing the edges of laminate doors, Scavolini uses polyurethane adhesives which are highly resistant to water, humidity, heat and steam.
When the doors are protected in this way, only minimal cleaning and maintenance is required.

Maintenance

For the normal maintenance of laminate materials, you only need a soft cloth and basic detergent, or just a microfiber cloth (available from many different retailers).
In the case of more stubborn dirt on the laminate materials, soft brushes and/or sponges, used together with cleaning fluids and mild detergents, should get the job done.
For limescale stains, clean with a sponge soaked in a solution of water and vinegar.
Avoid using steel wool, abrasive creams, powdered detergents and acetone, as these rough or caustic materials can actually damage the laminate finish and materials themselves.

What is lacquer?

Lacquer is a bright material, available in a wide range of colors. It consists of a fiberboard panel coated with polyester and polyurethane paints.
The lacquer finish can be matte, gloss or metallic, and covers the entire surface.
Lacquer is more fragile than laminate, and may be subject to changes in color; that’s why the quality of the lacquer is usually judged by the quality of paint it is finished with.
To guarantee long-lasting color, Scavolini uses a high-quality paint, designed to be resistant to fading from prolonged exposure to light.
However, you should still do your best to protect your kitchen from direct sunlight and regularly maintain and clean your lacquer materials regardless.

Maintenance

Lacquer is best cleaned with a soft cloth and non-abrasive detergents, or with a simple microfiber cloth (available from many different retailers).
For more stubborn stains on glossy lacquered surfaces, use a highly diluted solution of ethyl alcohol.
Try to avoid using products like acetone, paint thinner, trichloroethylene, ammonia, ethyl alcohol (this can be used to clean gloss-finished doors, but only in a highly diluted state) abrasive creams and steel wool; all of these products can scratch the finish of the doors and damage them beyond repair.