Postforming countertops for the kitchen: what it is, features, pros and cons, useful tips

The kitchen is the most important room in an apartment or cottage. After all, a person needs to eat, get strength for the next day. A large part of life takes place in the kitchen space. Therefore, it must be decorated properly. Modern design trends have reached a new level. Now the postforming tabletop is in vogue. A well-known product is hidden behind an unusual name. But how are such items made? What is remarkable about them? What are the options for their finishing? Let’s figure it out.

Today, postforming countertops are in vogue. A well-known product is hidden behind an unusual name..

What is postforming?

Often inexperienced people ask themselves the question: what is the postforming of the kitchen countertop? The answer is plastic finishing of the glued wood board. In production, chipboard or MDF is used for this. In terms of the manufacturing method, these two materials are very similar. The first stands for chipboard. It is based on pressing and gluing woodworking waste. Formaldehyde resin is used here as a binder..

The post-formed worktop made of chipboard looks great in the kitchen interior

The chipboard manufacturing process is as follows. First, the shavings 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 mold, where pressing takes place. After the resin has dried and set, 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 over in two layers.

Kraft paper.

Decorative plastic layer.

The next stage of production is postforming. The cooled chipboard sheet is pasted over 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 gluing plastic on a chipboard sheet

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

The final stage is the coating of the plastic surface of the chipboard with a layer of melamine. This is a kind of finish that gives gloss, presentation, and also protects the product from mechanical, chemical damage, and extends its service life..

This is how the finished chipboard looks like for the countertop – stylish and neat

The production of postforming worktops for the kitchen from MDF is carried out in a similar way. The only difference is in the plate itself. MDF is a fibreboard that is pressed and glued using a paraffin base. MDF is cleaner and more environmentally friendly than chipboard, since formaldehyde resin is toxic, but paraffin is not.

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

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

The table top has a greenish tint, because it is impregnated with a special moisture-proof compound

Advantages and disadvantages of postforming

The technology of cladding kitchen countertops with plastic has been used for more than a dozen years. During this time, the process has been modified, processed and refined several times. Over a long period of time, users have also been able to appreciate such wonderful products as kitchen worktops made using postforming technology..

Postforming kitchen worktops have proven themselves in the market

This is what people celebrate.

During operation, such a coating is not afraid of cleaning and powder abrasives..

If you do not cut with knives on the table, 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 worktop fits perfectly into the overall interior design of the kitchen and has an attractive price.

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

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

How to choose and care for your countertop?

First, let’s figure out 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 from a specific supplier;
storage conditions in the warehouse (if possible).

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

Before ordering a countertop, you need to measure the dimensions of the kitchen, and it is better to call the furniture team at home, so that they independently take a measurement from the room.

Be sure to inquire about the seam processing method (if available) and the edgebanding. In some cases, they can be faced with metal strips, in other cases, they can be pasted over using the hot glue method with the same plastic. The second way is of higher quality.

Before buying a countertop, find out how the seams were processed

The postforming tabletop does not require any special care. No need to clean the surface with abrasives. Prefer liquid cleaners. All joints must be treated with a sealant to avoid water ingress. But you should immediately remove excess moisture that has got into such a place, even if there is an abundance of sealant there..

Give preference to gentle cleaning agents, so you will preserve the beautiful look of the countertop for a long time.

Stylish examples

Thanks to the unique texture of the facing plastic, kitchen countertops have any patterns and structures. It is very easy to make an imitation in production for 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 marbled kitchen countertop

Tables processed in a glossy format look especially beautiful. For classic styles such as Provence, English and Scandinavian, as well as modern Hi-Tech and Minimalism, the gloss is very suitable.

Let’s look at an example of the French Provence style, in a cross with a Scandinavian motive..

Provence style kitchen with postforming worktop

Finishing starts with the floor covering. Planed parquet boards treated with colorless varnish will look good. The latter must be applied in several layers to protect the wood from dirt and moisture. Birch or ash will do. It is important here to make the floor white..

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

The kitchen set is bought in the color of the floor covering. Find a quality product with standard cabinetry. Ordinary straight doors are also suitable, but they will not look so beautiful.

The table top is matched with a marble texture. Choose another dominant interior color. Since one is already there – white. It is set in the “Provencal” style. The second color is green, for example. Then the plastic covering of the desktop of the headset will be white and green, in a marble texture. Make part of the apron the same structure as the work table.

Postforming Provence Style Marble Top Kitchen

Purchase hanging shelves the same as floor cabinets. Whitewash the walls with a simple whitewash, or paint with white paint. Place vases with green plants around the perimeter of the kitchen table. Since we have a double style – Provence, combined with a Scandinavian motive, white and green colors will be the best choice, fully characterizing both directions. But you can add a little beige, warm shade to white..

Provence style postforming kitchen worktop combined with Scandinavian style

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