Cabinetry materials explained: HMR, MDF, carcass, 16mm vs 18mm and door finishes

The carcass is the box of the cabinet – sides, base, rails and back – that the doors, drawers and benchtop attach to. In Australian kitchens it is usually melamine-faced particleboard, and its quality decides how long the cabinet lasts.

HMR stands for High Moisture Resistant. It is particleboard made with moisture-resistant resin, usually recognisable by its green core, and faced with melamine. It resists swelling from steam and splashes far better than standard particleboard, so it is the standard choice for kitchens, bathrooms and laundries.

No. HMR resists moisture and swelling but it is not waterproof. Edges need to be sealed with edging, sinks need silicone, and leaks should be fixed quickly. For areas that are often wet, ask about compact laminate or other waterproof options.

MDF (medium density fibreboard) is made from fine wood fibres pressed with resin into a smooth, dense board with no grain. It machines and paints very cleanly, so it is used for 2-pac painted doors, shaker and routed profiles, and vinyl-wrapped doors. MR MDF is the moisture-resistant version.

They do different jobs. HMR particleboard is lighter and cheaper and is the usual carcass material. MDF is denser and smoother and is better for painted or shaped doors. A typical quality kitchen uses HMR particleboard for carcasses and MR MDF for painted doors.

Particleboard is made from wood chips and resin; plywood is thin timber veneers glued in alternating directions. Plywood is stronger for its weight and holds screws better, but costs more, so it is mostly used for premium or exposed-edge designs.

It is the board thickness. 16mm is the most common carcass thickness in Australian kitchens and is strong enough for standard cabinets. 18mm is stiffer, holds fixings a little better and sags less on wide shelves, so it is worth it for pantries, tall cabinets and wide shelving.

Sag depends on the span, the board thickness and the load. Long shelves in 16mm board can bow under books or crockery; 18mm board, a shorter span or a centre support prevents it. We plan shelf widths around what you will store.

They are formaldehyde emission classes for wood panels in Australia. E1 is the standard class (1.0 mg/L for fibreboard under AS/NZS 1859.2) and E0 is the low-emission class (0.5 mg/L). E0 is a good choice for bedrooms, nurseries and people sensitive to smells.

Melamine is decorative paper soaked in resin and fused onto particleboard or MDF. It is the most affordable cabinet finish, easy to clean and available in many colours, and most cabinet interiors are made of it. It suits flat doors only.

Both are decorative surfaces, but laminate (high-pressure laminate, HPL) is thicker and made of several layers pressed together, so it resists impacts and scratches better. It costs a little more than melamine and is popular for doors and benchtops.

2-pac is a two-part polyurethane paint sprayed onto MDF doors. It comes in almost any colour from matt to high gloss and suits shaker and profiled doors with seamless edges. It is the premium option: it costs more, can chip if hit hard, and gloss shows fingerprints.

A vinyl film vacuum-formed over a shaped MDF door, covering the face and edges in one piece. It gives a profiled look for less than 2-pac, but it can lift near ovens and dishwashers unless heat shields are fitted.

ABS is the plastic strip glued to the cut edges of melamine and laminate panels to seal them from moisture and knocks. 1mm is standard on doors and panels; 2mm gives a tougher, slightly rounded edge for high-use doors. ABS is chlorine-free, unlike older PVC edging.

Ask for soft-close hinges and full-extension soft-close drawer runners from established brands such as Blum or Hettich. They are the parts you use every day, and good brands come with long warranties.

The panel under the base cabinets, usually 150mm high, that hides the legs and keeps dust and toes out. It can also hide toe-kick drawers or LED strip lighting.

Benches are usually 900mm high including the kickboard, base cabinets are 560–580mm deep under a 600mm benchtop, overheads are about 320mm deep with at least 600mm above the bench, and an island needs 1000–1200mm to the back bench.

No. Engineered stone has been banned in Australia since 1 July 2024 because of silicosis risk to workers. Popular alternatives are porcelain and sintered surfaces, natural stone, quality laminate and timber.

Stone-look benchtops are typically 20mm, or 40mm with a built-up edge for a chunkier look; natural stone is often 30mm; porcelain slabs are around 12mm. Laminate benchtops are made to the thickness of the chosen profile.

Flat-pack comes in standard sizes and needs fillers to fit, and installation is extra. Custom cabinets are made to your exact measurements and installed by the maker. Once installation and fillers are included, the price difference is often smaller than expected.