Kitchen apron made of plastic: types, design options, photo

Plastic, or plastic, is a synthetic material made from polymers. Polymers are obtained synthetically, and at the same time they set the desired properties, obtaining plastics for various purposes. Kitchen aprons made of plastic are mainly produced from several types of plastics, which differ in both properties and price.

Types of plastic for aprons in the kitchen

ABS

ABS plastic is made in the form of granules, transparent or having a color. Flat sheets of size 3000x600x1.5 mm or 2000x600x1.5 mm are formed from them. It is very resistant to shock and bending. If the temperature rises briefly to 100 degrees, it will not light up, and can withstand 80 degrees for a long time, so kitchen aprons made of ABS plastic are fireproof. You can apply a metallized coating to this plastic - then it will look like a mirror, but the weight and installation of products from it are much easier than from mirror glass.

The main advantages of the material:

• Resistant to aggressive fluids and environments;
• It does not deteriorate when interacting with fats, oils, hydrocarbons;
• It can have both a matte and shiny surface;
• A wide variety of colors;
• Non toxic;
• It can be operated at temperatures from -40 to +90.

Cons kitchen apron made of ABS plastic:

• Fast burnout in sunlight;
• When acetone or solvents containing it get on the surface, the plastic dissolves and loses its appearance;
• The material has a yellow tint.

Acrylic glass (polycarbonate)

It is produced in the form of sheets with dimensions of 3000x600x1.5 mm and 2000x600x1.5 mm. In many respects, this material is superior to glass - it is more transparent, withstands even strong impacts, while it has a small specific gravity, it is easier to fix it on the wall in the kitchen than glass.

Advantages of the kitchen apron made of polycarbonate:

• High transparency;
• Resistance to blows and bends;
• Fire resistance;
• Does not fade or fade in the sun;
• Fire safety: it does not burn, but melts and solidifies in the form of threads, does not form toxic substances during combustion;
• Does not emit hazardous substances into the air even when heated;
• It has an attractive appearance, almost indistinguishable from the view from the glass.

The only problem- a rather high price of the product compared to other types of aprons made of plastic, but still it is much cheaper glass apron for the kitchen, although it surpasses it in some respects.

PVC

Polyvinyl chloride has long been widely used in finishing work, and not only in the kitchen. Most often, kitchen panels for aprons made of plastic are made from it. This is a fairly budget option, with its pros and cons.

Finishing material is produced in several types:

• Panels: up to 3000 x (150 - 500) mm;
• Lining: up to 3000 x (100 - 125) mm;
• Sheets: (800 - 2030) x (1500 - 4050) x (1 - 30) mm.

PVC is the most low-cost option, and also the “high-speed" one - installation does not require preliminary surface preparation, it can be done on its own.

The advantages of using PVC for the manufacture of an apron made of plastic:

• Easy to install and maintain;
• Resistance to elevated temperatures and humidity;
• A variety of design solutions: plastic can have any color, volumetric details, prints or be transparent.

Cons of a kitchen apron made of PVC:

• Low abrasion resistance;
• Fast loss of strength;
• Rapid loss of appearance under the influence of light and detergents;
• Water can enter the slots between the panels, resulting in suitable conditions for the formation of fungus and mold;
• Low fire safety: does not withstand contact with fire;
• May release hazardous substances into the air.

Not all panels have the last drawback, so when buying, you should require a quality certificate and make sure that the selected option is safe.

Plastic apron design

Plastic provides the broadest possibilities for design, since products made of it can have almost any color, interesting texture, embossed surface, pattern or photo, printed using photo printing. The only problem is to choose the option suitable for your interior.

Color

Plastic can have any color and shade - from pastel, light tones to thick, saturated colors. Choose colors, focusing on the chosen style of the interior and the size of the kitchen. Light colors will help make the kitchen visually larger, dark “squeeze” the room.

The kitchen apron area is the most “dirty” place in the kitchen, so a pure white or black color is hardly appropriate here. On calm pastel colors, drops of water and other pollution are not so noticeable, the panels do not have to be wiped several times a day.

Picture

Almost any pattern can be applied to plastic - its choice depends only on your imagination and design requirements. Small patterns will help make occasional dirt less noticeable; they are suitable for small kitchens. In a large room, you can use large patterns and drawings.

Imitation of natural materials

Plastic panels imitating natural finishing materials are very popular. They save not only money, but also time during repairs. Laying brickwork or porcelain tiles is expensive and time-consuming, installing a “brick” or “porcelain tile” panel can be done on our own and takes only a few hours.

Plastic can imitate ceramic tiles with or without a pattern, popular “boar” tiles of different colors, wooden or stone surfaces. Imitation of materials is applied to plastic using photo printing.

Plastic kitchen apron with photo printing

Photographic images of various subjects on kitchen aprons are gaining popularity. They make it possible to make the kitchen more interesting, give it exclusivity, photographs remind of your favorite places, summer vacations, transfer to the garden with exotic flowers or add delicious fruits to the kitchen decor.

Kitchen aprons made of plastic with photo printing cost much less than similar ones made of glass. The cost of installation is also lower, and in addition, there is the opportunity to change something in the kitchen. After installing it, it is no longer possible to make a hole in the glass apron to hang, for example, the railing, which arose, or a shelf for spices. Plastic allows it. Moreover, in appearance, the glass skinal is practically indistinguishable from a kitchen apron made of plastic with photo printing.