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Materials (Laminate vs. 2 Pac)

When it comes to organising your kitchen renovation, an early consideration is often deciding what material you would like your cabinetry made from.
It is important to reach a verdict on this as early on at the quoting stage! This is because your chosen material is one of the single more important decisions that will heavily influence the price of your renovation.
That is exactly why we have pulled together a comprehensive comparison between the two most common kitchen renovation materials; 2PAC and Laminate. In this post we are going to be comparing the positives and negatives for each choice, as well as showing examples of the visual differences.
Before we get too specific, let us define 2PAC and Laminate. 2PAC is essentially a hardened paint finish for your flat pack kitchen cabinetry. Whereas Laminate is a synthetic product made through the process of compressing plasticised sheets of paper together. This laminate veneer is glued to the surface of your cabinetry, which comprises of MDF board, and edging tape is applied for a seamless finish.

Colour

When it comes to colour it depends on the exact hue of cabinetry you are looking for as to which option will serve you better out of 2PAC and Laminate.

With 3 leading brands of laminate, there are hundreds of colours to choose from and a series of finishes from each range so you are spoilt for choice. Polytec, Formica and Laminex are industry leaders who each provide a varied selection of block colours, woodgrains, stone effect, marble look and many more options. However, 2PAC provides even further flexibility within your colour options, allowing you to personally mix your own paint shade and obtain the precise hue you desire.

Finish

You will find that laminate is available in finishes such as; matte, textured, semi-gloss and high-gloss depending on the look you wish to achieve.

Laminate options are also available for fingerprintless finishes. When it comes to 2PAC, you are able to select the level of shine for your paint finish; satin, semi-gloss and gloss.

Profile

A significant difference between 2PAC and laminate is when it comes to profiling. A 2PAC kitchen allows you to add character with different levels of profiling and routing, helping you achieve a ‘Hamptons’ style kitchen.

Whereas laminate will always be a flat surface, sometimes with a slight texture if a woodgrain material has been selected.

Thermo-laminated vinyl is the only product that can help you achieve a ‘Hamptons’ profiled kitchen using laminate. This product sits roughly in the middle of the price spectrum and does come with disadvantages so it is a lesser used product. A downside to thermo-laminate is that it does not withstand high-heat temperatures in certain parts of the kitchen and as such will bubble and melt.

Durability

Laminate is a particularly hard-wearing material that resists the majority of scratches and nicks that kitchens can be prone to. This hard-wearing material shows remarkedly little wear and tear over time.

While laminate is a harder surface than 2PAC, you are able to touch up the paint on your 2PAC cabinetry when small nicks or scratches occur. Laminate is less likely to chip but there is no way to amend imperfections on the cabinetry once they happen.

Price

There is no doubt that 2PAC is a significantly pricier option than a laminate flat pack kitchen. 2PAC costs roughly 40% more than your standard laminate finish. This price is again markedly increased when it comes to selecting 2PAC cabinetry that is profiled in any way.

The total price of cabinetry will increase parallel to the amount of routing required for a Hamptons style finish. As a result, a profiled 2PAC kitchen may cost double the budget as a laminate equivalent of the same size of kitchen.

While laminate is certainly the most cost effective choice of kitchen material and you are not deprived of colours and finishes, 2PAC cabinetry allows you to have more design control over the colour and profiling of your kitchen. If you are looking for a Hamptons style kitchen, 2PAC will almost always be your only option. However, if you are looking for a flat surfaced kitchen and comparing between the two options – Laminate is a great way to reduce the overall cost of your Flat Pack Kitchen.

Download the guide to ordering a flat pack kitchen

Looking to order a flat pack kitchen but don't know where to start?

Laminate Benchtops

We supply only laminate benchtops and are not a supplier of stone.

At Aussie Cut, your choices for your custom made cabinetry includes 2 pack and laminate using Australian made HMR or MR MDF board in a wide range of brands and colours.

Hardware

Your kitchen cabinet plans need to include ideas about decorative and functional hardware. Selecting hardware that offers a balance of style and functionality is important in achieving the perfect finishing touches for your kitchen.

We source all of our drawers, runners and hinges from internationally renowned supplier Blum Hardware, so the quality of our flat pack kitchens is guaranteed. You have the option to select drawer runners that are; regular, semi-soft close or completely soft close all at different price points. Ask your Aussie Cut Sales Manager about the differences to decide the best option for your budget and renovation.

Assembly

Not only do we manufacture made to measure kitchens– we can assemble them too! At Aussie Cut we custom make any type of kitchen for trade, residential and commercial applications.

Our team of experienced cabinet makers can assemble your kitchen as individual units, to make the installation process even quicker and easier! While we do not offer install, we do have a guide you can follow to find a kitchen installer that can assist with your renovation.

Delivery

We offer our very own delivery service, and can deliver to your door in as little as five working days. With two factories in South East Queensland, we offer a local delivery service to anywhere in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast or Gold Coast.

We cater to the cabinet making and building industries, as well as DIY customers, and can arrange delivery for projects of every size. Just as we can manufacture as little or as many made to measure cabinets as you require – no job is too big or too small. You also have the option to arrange your own freight delivery for large scale projects, including freighting and international shipping.

5 Easy Ways To Order Your Custom Made Flat Pack Kitchen Today

We use the fastest CNC machine on the market and are equipped with our expert team of cabinetmakers to ensure the precision and quality of our work, so that you get exactly the result you are looking for, every time.

If you would like to talk to our team about custom made cabinetry, get in touch today using some of the below contact options available to you.

01

Submit a Contact Form or Email Us

Head over to our contact page and submit a form to get in touch with our team. Alternativley, you can email us any sketches you might have to our Brendale (sales@aussiecut.com.au) or Sunshine Coast (sunshinecoastsales@aussiecut.com.au) offices. 
02

Submit a 'Cabinet Order Form'

You can email through your completed cabinet or board order forms to our Brendale (sales@aussiecut.com.au) or Sunshine Coast (sunshinecoastsales@aussiecut.com.au) offices.
03

Call our friendly team.

You can call our sales team at any time to discuss your renovation plans further.
04

Order Online

You can now use our online ordering system – goCabinets – to design your project from start to finish and send your order straight to our factory with just one click. Whether you are looking for your very own flat pack kitchen or to simply order a few stand-alone cabinets, goCabinets gives you complete control to design and order your Aussie Cut renovation. Order online HERE.
05

Head into a showroom

Visit one of Aussie Cut’s factories in Brisbane or the Sunshine Coast. Both the Brendale and Warana branch feature showrooms, and display just some of the great products Aussie Cut have to offer. You can view our locations and operating hours on our contact page.

Get In Touch

To discuss your renovation, you can get in contact directly with one of our Queensland branches. You can also request a quote online through our user-friendly form.

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Download the guide to ordering a flat pack kitchen

Looking to order a flat pack kitchen but don't know where to start? Fill out the form below to download our complete guide.

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