It is not surprising that a plastic kitchen apron has become one of the most popular types of finishing. After all, panels made from this material have a number of valuable characteristics.
- They are not afraid of moisture.
- They are easy to wash.
- You can quickly install it yourself.
- You don't need perfectly smooth walls.
- In terms of choice of design, they have no equal. You can apply any image by selecting a design from the manufacturer’s catalog or from your own source.
It’s also interesting to read: 25 stylish solutions for a mosaic backsplash in the kitchen.
They are often confused with skinali. And increasingly this concept is being applied to them. But unlike a glass apron, the price of a plastic one is much lower.
The disadvantages of a plastic apron are:
- low fire resistance.
Despite the fact that direct contact with fire in the kitchen is unlikely, for safety you should use a stove lid or install additional protection - a glass screen;
- instability to damage.
Fragile material loses its shine when scratched or improperly cared for (use of aggressive detergents, cleaning with a hard brush). The fragility is not so terrible, because replacing it is not difficult. But if you still want to extend the service life, then additional coating with acrylic varnish will help;
- health hazard.
When heated, plastic releases harmful substances. But today manufacturers have learned to make heat-resistant, high-quality products. You can check environmental friendliness and non-toxicity by having a special certificate;
- fast burnout.
According to housewives, a plastic apron quickly loses color and turns yellow. Panels with the addition of light-absorbing dyes are more expensive, but are more resistant to ultraviolet radiation.
ABS
This type of plastic is produced in granules, from which panels 300 x 60 cm and 1.5 mm thick are then formed. An apron made of this material can withstand temperatures of 80°C indefinitely. Resistant to bending and impact loads.
Often panels made from this polymer are coated with a metallized coating that successfully imitates metal, but the light weight of the products allows them to be delivered and installed at a lower cost compared to mirror glass panels.
Which drawing to choose
The panel can look like ceramic tiles for spacious and small kitchens, and have a similar texture. Modern materials make it possible to create an imitation of decorative stone from plastic elements, brick or mosaic. This coating looks expensive, stylish and affordable, see example in the photo.
Stone imitation
Some manufacturing companies offer to apply a custom design to the panel, at the client’s request. You can choose a family photo or a favorite painting.
Family photos
One of the most popular prints for kitchen decoration is flora and fauna. Photos with plants, grass, lavender, wheat fields, funny animals and insects are transferred to plastic panels.
Flowers
Thematic canvases with food products are not left out. Macro photos of coffee, cakes, berries, fruits and vegetables are used to decorate plastic. Such compositions correspond to the theme of the cuisine and create an appetizing mood.
Spices and coffee
Three-dimensional images create the effect of visually increasing space; for this they use landscapes and natural themes. A correctly selected pattern on aprons helps to zone a room and focus attention on a wall or one section of it.
Expansion of space
The color of the plastic apron can match the decoration of the room or the details of the furniture set. Often the shades have something in common with the fronts of MDF drawers, the handles on them, and the covering of walls or floors.
Apron to match the color of the facades
Most often, photo printing is applied to kitchen aprons made of plastic; neutral designs that do not attract attention are popular. Therefore, a panel matching the color of the countertop or with a similar design will be an excellent solution.
Under the countertop
Often, the apron visually becomes a continuation of the walls, repeating the color of the finish or the pattern on the photo print.
Match the color of the walls
Positive qualities of ABS
The advantages of this plastic include:
- Resistance to chemically active substances.
- No reaction with substances contained in food products.
- Possibility of producing surfaces with any color and light reflectance.
- No harm to health.
- Wide operating temperature range - from -40°C to +90°C.
Types of PVC panels
Manufacturers supply panels and sheets in the following sizes:
- 300 x (15-50) cm;
- (80-203) x (150-405) x (0.1-30) cm;
- lining 300 x (10-12) cm.
PVC does not require preparation of the wall surface, and is so easy to install that it does not require professional training from installers. Often, the owners of the premises install the PVC apron themselves.
Tips for choosing a design
Too bright, pretentious panels with catchy wide-format designs (for example, large orchids, roses, images of high-rise city buildings under the night sky) are not recommended. Until recently, aprons were considered an excellent solution, but now they are out of fashion and look vulgar.
It is recommended to choose monochrome images for minimalist and classic kitchen surfaces, or the intersection of 3-4 colors in a design. The format of the picture should be discreet, a photo involving one or two subjects. The painted pictures and graphics look stylish.
Graphic arts
It is not recommended to use dark colors for an apron in the kitchen. Stains become noticeable on the plastic coating, and traces of drops and alkaline solutions remain. Darkened details are used minimally to focus attention on the light parts of the image; they are appropriate in a white kitchen.
If the kitchen is made in neutral, soothing colors, an apron with a bright print or rich details will look better than in soothing colors. Conversely, deep-colored facades of the kitchen set will be emphasized by neutral panels in the color of the countertop, white or to match the wall decoration.
Optical illusions help to visually increase space in small kitchens. To create a three-dimensional effect, glossy surfaces of aprons, mirror inserts, 3D images, landscapes and paintings with perspective are used. A print with vertical stripes visually elongates the walls, while horizontal lines make the surface visually wider.
Vertical option
Negative aspects of a polyvinyl chloride apron
- Reduced abrasion resistance.
- Loss of strength over time.
- Loss of color and attractive appearance from sunlight and chemicals.
- Potential for mold to develop in the cracks between panels.
- High risk of fire from contact with open flame.
- Possibility of releasing toxic substances into the atmosphere.
The release of harmful substances occurs only in low-quality products, so before purchasing you should check whether the product has a quality certificate.
Note!
- Linoleum for the kitchen - master classes on installing linoleum in the kitchen interior. The best design ideas and color schemes (120 photos)
- Illumination of the work area in the kitchen: TOP-130 design options. Rules for selecting and installing lighting in photo reviews
- Stretch ceiling in the kitchen - TOP-130 design options for stretch ceiling in the kitchen + photo examples
What to do with sockets
Sockets are the most important element of any kitchen. There should be enough of them so that the housewife can comfortably use any equipment she needs. Initially, you need to figure out the sockets that are already in the kitchen; are they in the place where you plan to install the apron? How much more will it take to connect all the equipment? Based on their number, the location of the sockets is determined. Important nuances when placing sockets:
- As a rule, double or triple sockets are used in the kitchen (they are placed horizontally).
- The network connection should be placed away from water sources, that is, washing.
- Some place sockets under the countertop, but this is inconvenient for using small-sized appliances (coffee maker, blender, etc.). To simplify things a little, you can connect large appliances (washing machine, dishwasher, stove, refrigerator) to hidden sockets that are installed behind the cabinets, and for the rest a separate power source is provided.
- If it is not possible to place the outlet away from the stove and sink, then you can use models with a special protective cover that will prevent grease and water from getting into the outlet.
Sockets for sockets must be provided before it is ordered. Otherwise, they will have to be placed later, which will require damaging the finished apron, or you will have to install additional extension cords, but this will seriously affect comfort (there will be a lot of extra wires). Why these options are bad:
- To install sockets, after installing the apron, you must use additional equipment. Lack of experience in performing such work can also bring difficulties: the hole for the socket will not be neat, which will ruin the aesthetics, and choosing the right place will also be difficult.
- Such work requires additional expenses. The work of cutting walls for wires will create a lot of dirt in the new kitchen, and after that you will need to re-carry out the finishing work.
- Additional work on installing sockets is not possible when using an apron, for example, made of glass or ceramics.
Installation and hood models
The area under the hood requires special attention when choosing an apron. It is important to pay attention to the type of hood, its size, and where it is located in the kitchen. The following factors can affect the height of the apron:
- When installing a dome structure, a cabinet may or may not be installed above the hood. If it is not there, then the height of the apron can either fill the space above the hood up to the ceiling; some make it at the level of the top edge of the kitchen unit.
- The height of the apron under the tower corresponds to the height of the main apron
- If the stove and hood are separate from the kitchen unit, it can be highlighted with a contrasting apron made of a different material, or vice versa, decorated with some material in the same color as the main one.
If there is free space around the hood (that is, there are no wall cabinets), or it stands separately from the kitchen unit, then original finishing options using several materials are chosen.
Installing an apron under the hood
In terms of installing the apron, the area under the hood is considered the most problematic. Its width in this area will increase. Additionally, a row of 5-10 cm tiles is laid out. You can make an additional row of tiles around the equipment itself. It is important that the design of the hood matches the overall interior of the kitchen.
Installation of the apron depends on the type of material used. Often this can be ceramic tiles, glass or plastic panels. In both cases, you should adhere to the standard installation instructions for a specific material.
Color solutions
The specificity of polymer production is such that during the production process the product can be given any color: from delicate and translucent shades to bright ones. The choice of colors depends on the design of the kitchen and its size. Light shades visually expand the space, while dark shades reduce it.
The kitchen apron is located in the work area and often gets dirty. Therefore, choosing black and white colors is not advisable, since dirt is most noticeable on such surfaces. A more suitable option for a kitchen apron may be a soft pastel shade.
Types of decoration of plastic kitchen panels for the work wall
To decorate a kitchen plastic apron, you can use different options, including using your own imagination, for example, by doing hand-painted art using high-quality acrylic paints. Today, such design is one of the latest fashion trends.
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The main method of applying designs to plastic plates can be called photo printing, which allows you to create almost any look on the surface of a working wall. But here it is important to choose the right decoration option so that the apron fits well into the overall interior of the kitchen, becoming its decoration. Decor options can be as follows:
- Drawing of berries and fruits. Many people like them, they please the eye and lift the mood with the richness of their colors. But you should opt for just such a fragment only if the kitchen walls have a neutral tone, and the furniture has simple lines and shapes without patterns or bright colors. In this case, a kitchen apron with fruit will become a real decoration. But with classic carved furniture and colored walls (cabinet doors) a good combination will not work.
- Floral drawing. This design, as in the case of fruit, will look ideal when combined with a neutral wall color and simple, smooth, even furniture in light colors. You should not choose a floral pattern to match the overall color of the kitchen, since in this case there will be no accent in the interior.
- Natural textures. Most often in this category there are imitations of wood or natural stone, but it is very difficult to fit them into the interior of the kitchen, making an accent. As a rule, such a solution looks too strict and unnatural. You should avoid combining such decor with marble countertops.
- Mirror plastic apron. This option is an excellent solution for decorating a small kitchen, as it allows you to visually expand the space. To ensure that the mirror surface does not create unnecessary strain on vision and does not lead to stress, the overall interior of the kitchen should be designed in calm and light colors with an emphasis on bright little things, for example, a bouquet of flowers or a painting. But such a coating also has a significant disadvantage - every small drop is always visible on the mirror. Such an apron must always be kept perfectly clean, and to do this it will have to be constantly cleaned and rubbed, which plastic panels really don’t like.
