Wooden joinery in the kitchen

Once the main choice for kitchen cabinetry, wooden joinery became less often used when laminated surfaces appeared on the scene in the 1950’s. The past 5 years has seen a slow resurgence in the popularity of wooden surfaces in the kitchen. When used in conjunction with polyurethane painted cabinetry, wooden joinery can add natural warmth and texture to an otherwise stark kitchen space. A diverse range of wooden joinery is available to incorporate into your kitchen design. You have the choice of using either traditional solid timber joinery, timber veneer, or much improved laminated surfaces. For those who know little about the different types of wooden joinery and want to know more a brief description of each can be found below.

Solid Timber

If you’re trying to achieve an authentic look for your timber joinery then solid timber hardwood is the only option. There are all kinds of wood species to choose from but check availability with your kitchen designer or joiner before getting too involved with your kitchen design. Solid timber has the advantage over other timber surfaces because it will not delaminate and is naturally resistant to knocks. However there are several disadvantages in using solid timber including shrinkage, warping and swelling. These problems can be minimised by proper treatment, jointing and gluing techniques so getting a quality joiner to do the work is a must.

Timber Veneer

For the look of solid timber without the expense, timber veneer is a great alternative. It consists of a thin layer of wood glued onto a substrate (usually MDF, plywood or particle board). An advantage of timber veneer is that it comes in large standardised sheet sizes (solid timber hardwood sheet does not) allowing for greater design flexibility. Many timber species are available to choose from and because only a thin sheet of hardwood is used, timber veneer is an environmentally sustainable product.

Laminated surfaces

Laminated surfaces have come a long way in recreating the look of timber joinery. It is a manufactured product consisting of a printed plastic exterior sheet laminated onto a substrate (similar to timber veneer). Laminated surfaces have really championed the revival of timber in the kitchen because of their durability, cost effectiveness and colour range. As well as synthesising the look of natural species it is also available in a huge selection of architectural colours such as warm grey, white and black (very contemporary).