What Is the Best Material for Bathroom Cabinets?

Medium Density Fiberboard

MDF cabinets are cost-effective vanity options, making them an attractive and affordable feature for a bathroom remodeling project. It looks great in almost any interior design while offering superior durability.

MDF consists of compressed wood, so it has decent moisture resistance compared to other materials with the proper maintenance and care. MDF is one of the top bathroom cabinet materials that takes well to paint and can improve a room's beauty. Still, it's best to avoid major contact with water to prevent warping.

Rubberwood

Rubberwood is a natural material from the rubber tree with similar strength to oak wood. Cabinets with this material usually include waste materials, making them environmentally friendly and less vulnerable to moisture or temperature fluctuations.

Rubberwood cabinets are stable and won't warp or shrink due to moisture exposure. If your new cabinet doors are a single piece of rubberwood can reduce the risk of chipped paint on the door's frame when it meets other parts.

Solid Hardwood

Solid wood cabinets, like maple or oak, can work well in bathrooms, despite the room's tendency to be more humid than other places within a property. For instance, oak wood cabinets have excellent durability and strength, allowing them to withstand lots of abuse, like occasional water splashes to heavy items falling on their upper surface. Solid wood cabinetry can last for years without needing extensive repairs or a replacement.

Since wood is an organic material, it is vulnerable to moisture damage under specific conditions. The best way to get the most out of an oak or maple bathroom cabinet is to ensure the bathroom has sufficient ventilation to reduce the humidity. You can also paint or seal the wood, giving it a lovely appearance and a layer of protection against water damage.

Poly Vinyl Chloride

A PVC bathroom cabinet is plastic cabinetry available in many colors and styles. It's suitable for open shelves on bathroom vanities or cabinets with drawers for hidden storage. The material offers a stunning appearance and smooth surface without a high price tag.

PVC is one of the top materials for bathroom cabinets because the synthetic material offers 100% water resistance. Its natural durability, versatility, and beauty make it one of the best options for any bathroom upgrade.

Plywood

Designers make plywood by gluing multiple sheets of veneers to create strong, dense boards with varying thicknesses. Since it's less expensive than solid wood with excellent durability, plywood is one of the most popular materials for bathroom cabinetry.

Plywood cabinets are a fine alternative to the solid wood variety. Unlike natural wood, plywood won't absorb moisture, which means it won't expand or warp. If you're looking for the answer to "What is the best material for bathroom cabinets?" this option could top your list because it won't warp under humid conditions.

Unfortunately, the edges of plywood cabinets could peel away, exposing their interior materials to moisture. That process occurs over time, but you can minimize the bathroom's effects on the material by cleaning spills and puddles around the structure immediately.

Laminate

Laminate cabinets work well for almost any bathroom because of their durability. They offer superior resistance to heat and moisture, so they're perfect for steamy bathrooms. These cabinets are also scratch- and heat-resistant, and they will look outstanding for years with little maintenance.

Laminate includes a wood base with a glossy protective surface layer. You can select cabinets with a matte finish if you want to make smudges and imperfections less noticeable without sacrificing the material's appearance and beauty.

Teak

If you have the budget to work with more costly wood for your new cabinets, consider using teak. Teak wood is attractive, and it has a straight grain that gives the wood exceptional water-repelling quality. The grain also makes teak resistant to insect infestations and rot, allowing it to stand high above many other wood species for bathroom cabinets.

You can also expect teak cabinets to have a long lifespan due to the wood species' natural durability. Manufacturers choose this high-quality firm wood for cabinets when they want to craft products made to last for years.

Birch

If you love the durability of teak cabinets but not the price, birch cabinetry may be the best alternative. This wood features a creamy white outer layer with a deep brown center, giving it an excellent color variation, perfect for beautiful bathroom cabinets with a neutral color scheme. It suits many spaces, including vertical vanity cabinets and spaces under countertops.

Like teak and maple, birch cabinets offer great water-repelling abilities. Whether you use this popular material to blend into your bathroom's design or want it to be one of the room's focal points, you won't have to worry about common problems with wood in humid environments, such as warping or premature rotting due to moisture damage.