The board inside
- Plywood. Layers of wood veneer glued crosswise. Strong, holds screws and hinges well, and tolerates Singapore humidity better than fibreboards. Our default carcass material. Marine-grade plywood is the choice for sink units and bathroom vanities.
- MDF (medium-density fibreboard). Wood fibres pressed with resin into a dense, perfectly flat board. Takes paint and routed profiles beautifully, which is why spray-painted doors and fluted panels are MDF. Swells if it gets wet, so it stays out of sink cabinets.
- Particleboard (chipboard). Wood chips and resin, usually with a melamine face. The cheapest board, fine for dry wardrobe interiors in some markets, but it holds screws poorly and swells with moisture. We do not use it for carcasses.
The skin outside
- High-pressure laminate (HPL). Resin-impregnated paper sheets pressed under heat and pressure, then glued to the board. Hard-wearing, scratch and heat resistant, available in hundreds of colours and textures including convincing woodgrains. The workhorse of Singapore carpentry and the right choice for kitchens and high-use pieces.
- Melamine-faced board. The decorative paper is fused directly to the board at the mill. Cheaper than HPL, thinner, less impact resistant. Common for wardrobe interiors.
- Wood veneer. A thin slice of real timber glued to the board, then lacquered. Real grain, real variation, and a warmth laminate cannot copy. Scratches and sun-fades more easily; best on feature walls, TV consoles and bedroom pieces away from the stove.
- Spray paint. Primer and lacquer sprayed on MDF for a seamless, grooved or fluted look. The premium finish for doors, with the premium price and a sensitivity to chipping at edges.
- PVC and acrylic sheet. Glossy or matte films and panels. Acrylic gives the deepest gloss; PVC foils are economical but can lift at edges over years in a hot kitchen.
What lasts in a Singapore flat
- Plywood carcass, HPL face, and solid edge banding for the kitchen. It is the combination that survives steam, oil and a wet cloth every day.
- Marine plywood under every sink and in bathroom vanities.
- Veneer and spray paint where hands and heat are not, which is bedrooms and living room feature pieces.
- Soft-close hinges and drawer runners from a named hardware brand, because the hardware fails before the board does.
- Edges matter more than faces. Edge banding that is properly sealed is the difference between a cabinet that looks new at year five and one that is peeling at year two.
How to read carpentry on a quote
Each piece should state: the board, the face material, the length in feet or metres, the internal fittings, and the hardware brand. “Kitchen cabinets, laminate, 20 ft run, plywood carcass, [brand] soft-close hinges, 3 drawers” can be compared. “Kitchen carpentry” cannot. We write ours the first way, and because we make it, we can show you the sample board and the hinge before you sign.