Choosing kitchen cabinet materials for a Lagos home
MDF, plywood, HDF or solid wood? How heat, humidity and budget should shape your choice of carcass and finish.
A kitchen is the hardest-working room in the house. In Lagos it also deals with heat, steam from long cooking sessions and high humidity for much of the year. The material your cabinets are built from decides how they look in five years, not just on handover day.
Start with the carcass
The carcass is the box behind the doors. It carries the weight of worktops, sinks and appliances, so it matters more than the finish.
- Marine or moisture-resistant plywood holds screws well and copes best with damp. It is the safest choice for sink and dishwasher units.
- Moisture-resistant MDF or HDF is smooth, stable and good value for wall units and dry areas. Standard MDF swells if water gets in, so avoid it under the sink.
- Solid wood looks beautiful but moves with humidity. It works best for doors and accents rather than whole carcasses.
Then choose the door finish
Doors are what you see and touch every day.
- High-gloss lacquer or acrylic reflects light and suits modern kitchens, but shows fingerprints.
- Matte laminate or PET hides marks, cleans easily and is very durable.
- Shaker and painted doors give a classic look and can be repainted later.
- Wood veneer brings warmth at a lower cost than solid timber.
Worktops
Quartz is non-porous and easy to keep clean. Granite is tough and heat-resistant. Marble is beautiful but stains more easily, so it suits clients happy to care for it. Ask to see full slabs, not just small samples, before you choose.
Hardware is not the place to save
Soft-close hinges and full-extension drawer runners take thousands of openings over the years. Good hardware is a small part of the total cost and makes a cheaper cabinet feel expensive.
A quick checklist
- Use moisture-resistant boards around the sink and dishwasher.
- Leave ventilation around ovens and fridges.
- Seal every cut edge.
- See the worktop slab before it is cut.
If you're planning a kitchen, send us your room sizes and we'll suggest materials that fit your budget.