6 Kitchen Materials Savvy Remodelers Never Use

Article by Stacy Freed

Durability is key for kitchen remodeling, but it doesn’t have to cost a lot.


About to remodel that old kitchen? Unless you’re cool with treating the hardest working room in your house like a museum exhibit, resist the temptation to buy the cheapest or shiniest materials available. Instead, go for durable options that can stand up to regular abuse.

Trust us: Although it may be tough to leave that raised, tempered glass bar top (ooh!) in the showroom, repairing its first (and second and third) chip will get old. Very fast.

Picking the right materials is easy if you do your homework. “There are amazing products out there,” says Jeffrey Holloway, sales designer at Stuart Kitchens in the Greater Annapolis area. “You’re looking at price point, sanitation, how easy it is to clean the product, its durability, and maintenance.”

Keeping those all-important features in mind, here are some materials to avoid during your next kitchen project.

#1 Plastic Laminate Counters
First off, there’s plenty of great laminate out there. It’s the entry-level, plastic laminate you want to stay away from, Holloway says. These are the ones that look thin and dull, as opposed to richly textured. They scratch easily, and if the product underneath the laminate gets wet (say, from steam rising from your dishwasher), it can delaminate the countertop. That means the edges will chip pretty easily.

Also, one misplaced hot pan on the plastic will result in a melted disaster zone you’ll remember forever.
But if you’re watching your budget, plastic laminate at the next level up is a good choice. “It’s got good color consistency, and there are a lot of retro and trendy patterns available,” says Dani Polidor, an interior designer and owner of Suite Artistry, and a REALTOR® in Pittsford, N.Y.

New laminate counter technology offers scratch resistance, textured surfaces, and patterns that mimic real wood and stone. “There are even self-repairing nanotechnologies embedded in some laminates,” says Polidor. “Other laminates have antimicrobial properties.”

A pro can install high-end laminate for 30 square feet of counter space for about $2,000. Laminate-type material with an antimicrobial finish costs an average $15 to $30 per square foot, according to FixR.

#2 Inexpensive Sheet Vinyl Flooring
You spend all day stepping on your floor, so quality really matters. At the lower price point, about $3 per square foot without installation, the cheapest sheet vinyl floorings tend to be thin.

“If your vinyl floor is glued down and the underlayment gets delaminated, say, by water seeping from your dishwasher or refrigerator, you’ll get bubbles in your floor,” Holloway warns.

Compare that with luxury vinyl tile, which costs about $11 per square foot without installation.

It’s still usually glued down, but it’s a little more forgiving than its less classy cousin. It can come in tiles, which you can grout so they mimic the look of higher-end stone, Polidor says.

#3 Some Laminated Cabinet Fronts
Holloway suggests staying away from lower-end thermofoil cabinet fronts. What is thermofoil? Contrary to its name, there’s no foil or any metal-type material in it. It’s actually vinyl that’s heated and molded around fiberboard. If the cabinet is white and the price is waaaaay affordable compared with other cabinets, think twice.

Cheaper thermofoil has three critical drawbacks:
1. It’s not heat resistant. If near a dishwasher or oven, it could delaminate.

2. It can warp and yellow with age, revealing its cheapness.

3. The “wood” underneath the thermofoil is also poor quality and won’t hold up over time.

But just as with plastic laminate, science has made great strides, and a host of new cabinets are remaking thermofoil’s reputation. “New European laminates have become all the rage for the clean-lined, flat-panel look,” Polidor says. “They’re budget-friendly and can look like wood or high gloss. It’s not your grandmother’s thermofoil.”

And it doesn’t come at Grandma’s prices, either. But the new thermofoil is much more affordable than custom cabinets (see more on this, below) and still satisfies with its rich look and durability.

#4 High-Gloss Lacquered Cabinets
A nice shine can be eye-catching. And spendy. About 20 layers of lacquer go on a cabinet for the high-gloss look. Ding it or scratch it, and it’s costly to repair.

“It’s a multi-step process for repairing them,” Polidor says. A better option for the same look is high-end thermofoil. (See? We said there were good thermofoil options!)

Thermofoil has a finish that’s fused to the cabinet and baked on for a more durable exterior. And it’s way more budget-friendly. This option costs $250 to $350 per cabinet, depending on the style, size, and color. To have a pro apply lacquer to your cabinets, expect to pay $50 to $100 per linear foot. For an average kitchen with 20 linear feet of cabinets, that works out to $1,000 to $2,000.

#5 Flat Paint
Flat paint has that sophisticated, velvety, rich look we all love.

But keep it in the bedroom. It’s not kitchen-friendly. Flat paint, also known as matte paint, has durability issues. It’s unstable. Try to wipe off one splatter of chili sauce, and you’ve ruined the paint job.

About the only place to use flat paint in your kitchen is on the ceiling (unless, of course, you have a reputation for blender or pressure-cooker accidents that reach to the ceiling; then, we suggest takeout).

Instead, you want to use high-gloss or semi-gloss paint on your walls. They can stand up to multiple scrubbings before breaking down.

#6 Trendy Backsplash Materials
Tastes change. So, avoid super trendy colors and materials when permanently adhering something to your kitchen walls. Backsplashes come in glass, metal, iridescent, and high-relief decor tiles, which are undoubtedly fun and tempting. They can also be expensive, ranging from $5 to $220 a square foot, and difficult to install. Pricing varies greatly based on materials, including metal, glass, granite, stone, and marble. After all that work and expense, if (er, when) your taste changes in a few years, it’ll be mighty tough to justify a redo.
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Stick with a classic subway tile at $6 to $16 per square foot. Or, even more budget friendly, choose an integrated backsplash that matches your countertop material. “If you want pops of color, do it with accessories,” Polidor suggests.