These solid wood doors and drawers are usually attached to cabinet boxes covered in matching wood veneers. Whether you have the budget for custom-built solid wood cabinetry or are thinking about a builder upgrade, examine the cabinet doors closely to see if the grain is uniform. Solid wood doors likely will be pieced together, so you want to make sure that grains match. Wood veneer cabinet doors look like their solid wood counterparts at first glance, but they cost much less. Particle board and MDF are the substrates that mid-range buyers usually see when they compare model kitchens.
Particle board is made by finely chopping sawdust and resin.
Laminated cabinets also are popular offerings. Some manufacturers compress resin with vinyl instead of paper because it is thought to be even more durable. Although every color under the rainbow is available, white laminates never seem to go out of style. And while solid-color glossy laminates are popping up in displays, they show more fingerprints and scratches than matte finishes and may not be the best choice in heavily used kitchens. Manufacturers also offer more realistic wood-look laminates than they used to.