Materials
Melamine vs Vinyl Wrap vs Painted MDF: Which Cabinet Finish Is Right for You?
An honest, side-by-side comparison of the three most popular South African cabinet finishes
6 min read · Cupboards2Cabinets design team
Almost every South African kitchen quote uses one of these three finishes. They behave very differently over a ten-year life.
01Melamine
A factory-bonded decorative surface on board. Hard-wearing, colour-stable, and the best value per square metre. Limitations: flat panels only, and the edge banding is a visible detail — insist on 2mm ABS, not thin tape.
02Vinyl wrap (thermofoil)
A PVC film heat-pressed over routed MDF, so it allows shaker and profiled doors at a moderate price. The weakness is heat: wrap adjacent to an oven or a kettle station can lift at the edges over time. Specify heat deflectors and keep the kettle off the front edge.
03Sprayed / painted MDF
A two-pack sprayed finish gives the deepest, most seamless colour and can be resprayed years later. It is the most expensive of the three and can chip on sharp corners, but it is the only option that is fully repairable on site.
- Melamine: best value, flat doors, excellent durability
- Vinyl wrap: profiled doors at mid price, heat-sensitive
- Sprayed MDF: premium look, repairable, highest cost
The takeaway
Melamine for value and durability, wrap for shaker on a budget, sprayed MDF when the finish itself is the point.
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