Glossary of kitchen terms

ABS: You may regret asking, but ABS stands for acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene. It's a more environmentally friendly edging than PVC because, once discarded, it breaks down naturally over time. <back
Blum: Julius Blum GmbH manufactures hinge, drawer and pull-out systems as well as assembly devices for furniture fittings and sells to the kitchen trade. http://www.blum.com. <back
Chipboard: Chipboard is a wood substitute made from waste or recycled wood. The wood is shredded into small pieces, mixed with liquid plastic and then heated under pressure to harden it into sheets. It's often then coated with decorative plastic, such as melamine. <back
Door Buffer: Door buffers are the small rubber nipples that are attached to the inside of doors and drawer fascias. They are designed to ensure that the door or drawer sits approximately 1.5mm away from the cabinet when closing, thus protecting both surfaces, as well as provide a softer sound as they shut. <back
Dresser unit: A wall mounted kitchen unit that comes down to and rests on the worktop. <back
Foil: Foil is the laminated coating sometimes used for cabinet doors. The foil is a plastic material made from PVC (PolyVinyl Chloride) which is then heat pressed on to the door. It can be pre-printed with any colour or pattern and provides a choice of finishes. As it is man made, it offers a consistent finish. <back
Melamine: Melamine is a plastic material often used as a surface layer on top of a wood or chipboard substrate. Formica and Wilsonart and other "plastic laminates" use a melamine coating. <back
MFC: Melamine Faced Chipboard is a Melamine faced decorative board with chipboard substrate. It is highly resistant to abrasion and other mechanical agents and comes in a wide range of colours, patterns, textures and sizes. MFC is much lighter than MDF and less dense with a uniform structure making it far easier to machine at the factory, resulting in lower costs to the consumer.<back
Plinth: A plinth (or kick plate) is the 150mm board that covers the legs or support at the base of a floor cabinet. It helps provide a neat edge across base units and stops dust from gathering underneath. <back
Service Channel: A service channel or working void is the 47mm space at the back of a unit, designed to provide space for services, pipework or fittings. <back