Postforming kitchen worktops: what is it, features, pros and cons, useful tips

The kitchen is the most important room of an apartment or cottage. After all, a person needs to eat, get strength for the next day. A rather large part of life takes place in the kitchen space. Therefore, it must be decorated as it should. Modern design trends have reached a new level. Now come into fashion countertop with postforming. Behind the unusual name is a well-known product. But how are such products made? What is remarkable about them? What are the options for finishing them? Let's get it right.

Postforming countertops come into fashion today. Behind the unusual name is a well-known product.

What is postforming?

Often, inexperienced inhabitants ask themselves: what is postforming a kitchen worktop? The answer is the finish of the glued wooden plate with plastic. In production, they use chipboard or MDF. According to the manufacturing method, these two materials are very similar. The first stands for wood chipboard. It is based on the pressing and gluing of woodworking industry waste. As a binder, formaldehyde resin is used here.

A postforming worktop made from chipboard looks great in a kitchen interior

The manufacturing process of chipboard is as follows. First, the chips are placed in a special container. Then it is poured with heated resin. The resulting mixture is thoroughly mixed to a homogeneous consistency and poured into a special form where pressing occurs. After drying and setting the resin, the press is removed from the mold, and the finished chipboard sheet is removed and sent to the warehouse for cooling.

An example of what a finished chipboard sheet looks like for a future countertop

The next stage of production is postforming. The cooled chipboard sheet is pasted in two layers.
Kraft paper.
Decorative plastic layer.

The next stage of production is postforming. The cooled chipboard sheet is pasted in two layers.

Kraft paper is pre-impregnated with the same resin, and then glued to a chipboard sheet using hot pressing. The second layer is plastic. The principle is the same: the layer is heated to a temperature of 300 degrees, then, under the influence of the press, it is glued to the sheet.

The next step is sticking plastic onto a chipboard sheet

Kraft paper is glued in several layers. The larger, the better the adhesion of the plastic to the chipboard panel.

Kraft paper is glued in several layers. The larger, the better the adhesion of the plastic to the chipboard panel.

The final step is to coat the plastic surface of the chipboard with a layer of melamine. This is a kind of finish, giving gloss, presentation, as well as protecting the product from mechanical, chemical damage, and extending its service life.

It looks like a finished chipboard for a countertop - stylish and neat

The manufacture of worktops for postforming for the kitchen from MDF occurs in a similar way. The only difference is in the stove itself. MDF is a wood-fiber board that is pressed and bonded with a paraffin base. MDF is cleaner and more environmentally friendly than particleboard, since formaldehyde resin is toxic and paraffin not.

When choosing a countertop, remember that a MDF countertop is safer than a chipboard

For the kitchen space, the coating must be moisture resistant. For this, at the production stage, chipboard and MDF are impregnated with a special moisture-proofing composition. This can be understood by the greenish color of the product.

The countertop has a greenish tint, because it is impregnated with a special moisture-protective composition

Advantages and disadvantages of postforming

The technology of lining kitchen worktops with plastic has been used for decades. During this time, the process was modified several times, processed and refined. For a long period of time, users were also able to appreciate such wonderful products as kitchen worktops made using postforming technology.

Kitchen worktops made using postforming technology have established themselves in the market

That's what people say.
During operation, such a coating is not afraid of cleaning and powder abrasives.
If the table is not cut with knives, then scratches and scuffs are not visible for almost 10 years.
The worktop fits perfectly into the overall interior design of the kitchen.
The cost is relatively low, and the quality is excellent.

The countertop fits perfectly into the overall interior design of the kitchen and has an attractive price

But there is one drawback. It relates to chipboard countertops. The point is the toxicity of the adhesive used in the manufacture of panels. Although two classes of toxicity are sold, one of which is less harmful than the other, people with allergies report their adverse effects. For all other users, this factor is not a drawback.

For people with allergies, it is better to choose a worktop from MDF, it is less toxic

How to choose and care for a countertop?

First, let's deal with the issue of choosing a product. What you should pay attention to when buying or ordering is:

• product quality;
• customer reviews;
• the number of customers in the store or at a particular supplier;
• storage conditions in the warehouse (if you can see).

When choosing a kitchen worktop, read customer reviews on product quality

Before ordering countertops, you need to measure the dimensions of the kitchen, and it is better to call the furniture team to the house so that they independently take measurements from the room.

Before ordering countertops, you need to measure the dimensions of the kitchen, and it is better to call the furniture team to the house so that they independently take measurements from the room.

Be sure to find out about the method of processing seams (if available) as well as about the sealing of edges. In some cases, they can be lined with metal strips, in another, they can be glued with the same plastic using the hot glue method. The second way is better.

Before buying countertops, find out what method the seams were processed.

The postforming worktop does not require special care. No need to clean the surface with abrasives. Give preference to liquid cleaners. All joints are necessarily treated with sealant to prevent water from entering. But you should immediately remove excess moisture that has fallen into such a place, even if there is an abundance of sealant.

Give preference to gentle cleaning products, so you keep the beautiful look of the countertop for a long time

Stylish examples

Due to the unique texture of facing plastic, kitchen worktops have any patterns and structures. It is very easy in production to make an imitation of natural wood, stone, ceramic tiles and even natural glass. In addition, on such a surface, in modern production, patterns are printed, landscapes and photographs are applied.

Stylish marble countertop

Especially beautiful look tables processed in glossy format. For classic styles such as Provence, English and Scandinavian, as well as for modern Hi-Tech and Minimalism, gloss is very to the face.
Let's look at an example of the French style of Provence, mixed with a Scandinavian motif.

Provence style kitchen with postform worktop

Finishing begins with flooring. Planed boards for parquet treated with colorless varnish will look good. The latter must be applied in several layers to protect the wood from dirt and moisture. Suitable birch or ash. It is important to make the floor white tone.

The color of the countertops and the floor is almost identical, which makes a beautiful ensemble in the kitchen

The kitchen set is bought in the color of the floor covering. Find a quality product with standard paneling. Ordinary straight doors are also suitable, but they will not look so beautiful.
The tabletop is selected with a marble texture. Choose another dominant interior color. Since one is already there - white. It is set by the "Provence" style. The second color, for example, is green. Then the plastic cover of the desktop headset will be white-green, in marble texture. Make part of the apron of the same structure as the desktop.

Provence style marble kitchen topforming

Purchase shelves the same as floor cabinets. Whiten the walls with a simple whitewash, or paint with white paint. On the perimeter of the desktop of the kitchen set, put vases with green plants. Since we have a double style - Provence, combined with the Scandinavian motif, white and green colors will be the best choice, fully characterizing these two directions. But in white, you can add a little beige, warm shade.

Worktop postforming in the kitchen in the Provence style, combined with the Scandinavian style

Try to combine several styles of interior decoration. So you get an unusual, unique design, not like the rest. And post-forming worktops fit perfectly into your fantasies.

Worktops postforming will look great in any kitchen

What countertop to choose for the kitchen?

50 photo ideas with a postforming worktop in a kitchen interior