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Understanding Material & Finish Matching

When designing a kitchen, it’s important to understand how different materials accept color, texture, and finish. Each material type—such as MDF, thermofoil, and melamine—has its own characteristics, which can result in subtle or noticeable variations in color and sheen.

Why Finishes May Not Match Perfectly

  • MDF doors are painted or wrapped differently than
    melamine/particleboard panels, so the surface texture and light reflection can vary.

  • Thermofoil doors have a smoother, wrapped finish that may look different when placed next to melamine components.

  • Melamine panels, fillers, and toe kicks are printed finishes on a composite substrate, which will never be an exact visual match to painted or wrapped MDF.

Even when the color name is the same, the material absorbs the finish differently, which may result in a slightly different shade or sheen.

Recommendation for a Perfect Match

To achieve the closest and most consistent appearance:

Order doors, panels, fillers, and toe kicks in the same material and finish whenever possible.

For example:

  • If choosing painted MDF doors, choose painted MDF panels and accessories

  • If choosing thermofoil doors, its best to choose mdf thermofoil panels and accessories. Melamine panels and accessories are cheaper but may vary in color.

This ensures:

  • Better visual consistency

  • More accurate color matching

  • A smoother and unified overall look

Important Note

Some minor variation is normal and expected across all cabinetry manufacturers. Choosing matching materials will always minimize differences and create the most cohesive finish.