What are the best materials for a wardrobe?

When we talk about wardrobe materials, we're usually talking about three separate components: the carcass (the structural box), the fronts (doors and drawer faces) and the surface finish. Each can be different, and each has its own set of trade-offs.

Carcass materials

Melamine-faced chipboard is the industry standard for wardrobe carcasses, and for good reason. It's dimensionally stable, resists moisture reasonably well, and holds screws and hardware reliably. A good-quality chipboard carcass will last 30+ years if it's kept dry.

MDF (medium-density fibreboard) is denser and more uniform than chipboard, which makes it better for painted finishes and for applications where edge quality matters. It's heavier and marginally more expensive, but it machines and finishes beautifully.

Solid timber for carcasses is unusual and expensive, and generally unnecessary. Where solid timber adds real value is in exposed elements like shelves, internal frames and decorative details.

Front materials

Lacquered MDF is the most popular choice for painted fronts. It takes paint extremely well, gives a smooth, uniform surface and is highly durable. Available in any RAL or NCS colour.

Solid timber fronts – typically oak, ash or walnut – bring warmth and character that no other material quite replicates. They're more expensive and require a little more maintenance, but they age beautifully and can be refinished if they ever get damaged.

Veneer gives the natural appearance of solid timber at lower cost and with better dimensional stability. A veneer front won't move or crack the way solid timber can in very dry conditions.

Glass fronts – clear, frosted or smoked – work well for display sections where you want to see (or hint at) the contents.

Surface finishes

Matt lacquer is forgiving, contemporary and hides fingerprints well. Our most popular choice by some margin.

Silk-matt offers a slight sheen – a little more refined than dead matt, a little less demanding than full gloss.

Gloss lacquer is striking and very clean when new, but shows every fingerprint and requires regular maintenance.

Oil or wax finishes for solid timber give a natural, tactile surface that improves with age and is easy to touch up locally.