It’s a Material World: Different types of materials used for cabinetry in Israel
Posted on 21. Feb, 2010 by buyitinisrael in Interior Design
By Zev Shalev
Materials for cabinetry in Israel ©iStockphoto.com/Serhiy Zavalnyuk
After buying a new home in Israel, you will likely need to buy or have a carpenter build the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom cabinets and possibly desks and bookcases as well. In the process you may face great confusion as you begin to hear a wide range of terms such as sandvich, sibbit, etz maley, melamine, dikt, masonite, shleiflak, and mdf, to name a few.
The primary material in kitchen cabinetry is wood. But an important distinction is what the carcase, or the body, of the cabinet is made of, as opposed to the doors or drawer fronts of the cabinetry. When you look at kitchen cabinetry and see a wood-grain door, that’s no indication of what the carcase is made of. It is prevalent that Israeli kitchen vendors will tell you that the kitchen they will provide is “etz maley” which literally means “solid wood”. That is not a misrepresentation because all of the components of the cabinetry (except for the hardware) are made of one type of wood product or another.
But a wise consumer needs to know more than that. It’s been said that ‘forewarned is forearmed’ so let’s try to clarify some of these terms so that you’ll know what you’re getting and why:
- The carcase (or body) of the cabinet refers to the walls, backs, tops and bottoms of each kitchen unit. The standard material used in Israel for this purpose is plywood, or “sandvich”. Traditionally, carpenters have encouraged consumers to use this material by claiming that it is more water resistant than some other wood products. However, using plywood is not an automatic guarantee that you’re getting a quality product- has it been approved by the standards authority (machon hat’kanim)? Has it been protected during transportation and storage from sun, heat and moisture? Many of my clients have been tempted to buy a kitchen from carpenters using plywood because they feel that this is the only issue to consider. When they discover shortly after installation that the wood is infested with worms, they realize the wisdom of the old saying, “penny wise and pound foolish”. Price is not the only consideration. Reputation and recommendations are critical. [Tip: As most Israeli consumers feel that “sandvich” is a guarantee of quality, some carpenters will tell you that even the doors of their cabinets are made of “sandvich”, in their attempt to impress you with the quality of their work. Any carpenter who tells me that he makes cabinet fronts of sandvich loses my vote on the spot- sandvich is a great material when used in a static application (as in the body of the cabinet) but it should never be used as a cabinet front.]
- Most European kitchen cabinetry, including top of the line international brands, are made of chipboard or “sibbit.” When a piece of chipboard is soaked in water, it will absorb the water and be deformed. However, with proper maintenance, this material should be as serviceable as plywood over a period of time. As with most other products, there are also different levels of quality of chipboard and it is important to buy from a reliable supplier.
- The door and drawer fronts are what we see and what gives the kitchen its character. One of the most popular materials used is laminate (called “formica” in Israel) and the color and texture choices are almost unlimited. Laminate is easy to maintain and durable. But laminate is a thin material and must be bonded to a sub-surface, which is structurally, the door or drawer front. MDF (a term also used in Israel) means Medium Density Fiberboard. This is a manufactured wood product which is used as the actual cabinet front on most kitchens. A number of years ago there was a scare regarding MDF emitting toxic vapors but most suppliers today have overcome that issue and the material is used worldwide.
- A consumer interested in real wood rather than laminate might consider veneer (called “forneer” in Hebrew). This is a thin sheet of real wood bonded to a subsurface (again- usually MDF).
- When you hear the term “shleiflak” that refers to painted cabinet fronts. A good quality shleiflak kitchen will have a finish that is as smooth as that of a new car. Another variation of this type of finish is called “epoxy”.
- With formica or veneer, the carpenter generally buys the material from a supplier so the sample that you see will likely be what you actually receive. However, if you’re considering cabinets with painted fronts, ask the carpenter if he does the painting himself or if he buys the doors from a supplier. If it’s the former, it’s advisable to ask the carpenter to prepare for you a sample door in the color and finish that you’re considering. That will give you the opportunity to see the quality of his work and to decide on the actual color that you want.
Ultimately, the choice of materials will be based on your taste, budget, suggestions made by friends and acquaintances, and recommendations made by the supplier. But before you shop it is important to familiarize yourself with the relevant terminology so that you know what to ask for and make sure you’re getting what you want.
The writer is a freelance interior designer and space planner with more than 20 years experience with the English-speaking community across Israel. Zev can be contacted by telephone +972 523-834-208 or by email at zev@shalevdesign.com.
The contents of this article are designed to provide the reader with general information and not to serve as legal or other professional advice for a particular transaction. Readers are advised to obtain advice from qualified professionals prior to entering into any transaction.
© Copyright 2010.
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