Stainless steel is a common material used to make kitchen countertops and cabinets. Cabinets made of steel are much more common in commercial premises such as restaurant and hospital kitchens than they are in residential kitchens.
There are several reasons that make stainless steel a good choice of material for residential kitchen cabinets. This article discusses some of these reasons in order to show that solid wood is not the only material that you should consider for your kitchen cabinets.
A More Spacious Kitchen
Cabinets made of stainless steel can make your kitchen space look less crowded and make it appear bigger than it is in reality. This is because the stainless steel surface of the cabinets will reflect away light from the sun in all manner of directions as such light penetrates into your kitchen space. Such reflection of light increases brightness levels inside the kitchen, thereby giving the illusion of a more spacious cooking area.
Heat Resistance
This is one of the main reasons why stainless steel cabinets and countertops are preferred in restaurant kitchens where the heat levels are almost always above average. Steel does not expand as easily as solid wood does when exposed to high temperatures. Expansion and contraction of solid wood in accordance with temperature changes is known to cause shrinkage and warping of the said cabinet material.
Stainless steel will not shrink or warp as a result of exposure to excessive heat in the kitchen environment. Thus, stainless steel cabinets can be expected to serve you longer than cabinets made of solid wood.
Pest Resistance
At rest, stainless steel has a much colder feel than solid wood. This is an important quality because the warm feel of solid wood cabinets is often responsible for attracting household pests such as ants and termites.
It is more probable that household pests will want to hide inside a cabinet made of solid wood as compared to cabinets made of stainless steel. The cold surface of steel is unattractive to such pests, and this makes for a pest-free kitchen.
Fire Resistance
Perhaps this is the most important advantage associated with stainless steel kitchen cabinetry. Cabinets made of solid wood will catch fire much more easily and continue to ignite the flame. The wooden surfaces of these cabinets will act as additional fuel in the event of a fire outbreak. Stainless steel cabinets are fire-resistant and much safer.
Contact a cabinet maker in your area for more information.
