Wardrobe Doors Explained: Why Lacquered MDF Beats Laminate and Foil-Wrapped Alternatives
With so many companies now offering bespoke fitted furniture, it can be genuinely difficult to tell the difference between one product and another. Most people don’t have the time to visit multiple showrooms or inspect the quality up close. And let’s be honest—some companies rely on pushy sales tactics, throwing around “50% off” deals that come with pressure and tight deadlines. The result? Many people end up choosing something they don’t fully understand or truly want.
The goal of this article is simple: to give you a clear, no-nonsense breakdown of the different types of wardrobe door finishes available on the market. That way, you can make an informed, reasonable decision—without the pressure, confusion, or regret later on.
Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the key specifications for the three most commonly used materials in wardrobe door fronts. We’ve done our best to present honest, straightforward facts based on our industry knowledge and a realistic view of what’s currently happening in the market
| Feature | 22mm Lacquered MDF (Urban) | Laminated Doors | Foil-Wrapped Doors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thickness | ✔️ Premium (22mm) | ❌ Standard (16–18mm) | ❌ Standard (16–18mm) |
| Durability | ✔️ High | ✔️ Moderate | ❌ Low-Moderate |
| Premium Feel | ✔️ High | ❌ Medium | ❌ Low |
| Back of the door | ✔️ Same colour as the front. | ✔️ Same colour as the front. | ❌ Usually basic white colour, even if the door colour is different |
| Edges | ✔️ Seamlessly finished, spray painted edges providing a fully cohesive, premium look. Resistant to moisture and peeling. | ✔️ Depending on door colour, the edge line can look like a black strip. | ❌ Edges often have visible seams, glued-on strips, or edging tape, prone to peeling, lifting, or water damage over time. |
| Colour Choices | ✔️ Unlimited | ✔️ Moderate | ❌ Limited |
| Maintenance | ✔️ Easy | ✔️ Easy | ❌ Moderate |
| Moisture Resist. | ✔️ High (with correct lacquer) | ✔️ Moderate | ❌ Low |
| Longevity | ✔️ Very Long-lasting | ✔️ Moderate lifespan | ❌ Shorter lifespan |
| Brands | Urban, Neatsmith, Italian brands | Local Carpenters | Sharps, Hammonds, John Lewis |
We receive a lot of enquiries—emails and phone calls—from customers who already have a quote from companies like Sharps or Hammonds and are looking for an alternative. Sometimes our quote comes in cheaper, sometimes it’s a bit more expensive. But what many people don’t realise is that we’re quoting for a completely different product.
Our wardrobes are fully made-to-measure, with both the interiors and exteriors built from scratch, tailored precisely to your space—not just standard-sized units dressed up as bespoke. Naturally, this kind of product costs more to produce. However, we do our best to keep prices competitive, so in many cases, the difference in cost isn’t as big as you might expect.
The problem is, we live in an overwhelmed, fast-moving world—people rarely have time to pause, research, and truly understand what they’re being offered. And that’s exactly why we’re sharing this article: to help you make a well-informed, confident choice when it comes to something as important (and long-lasting) as your fitted furniture.
| Material | Price Level | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 22mm Lacquered MDF | 💰Higher-End | Although lacquered MDF typically looks and feels more premium—and production involves more time, effort, and higher-quality materials—our brand prioritises affordability. Unlike larger brands such as Sharps or Hammonds, who position themselves as premium yet use cheaper, pre-made foil-wrapped facades, our wardrobes are truly bespoke. We handcraft every door from scratch, specifically tailored to your space, ensuring genuine premium quality at a competitive price. |
| Laminated Doors | 💲Medium | Generally affordable but can lack the bespoke finish and premium feel of fully tailored MDF doors. |
| Foil-Wrapped Doors | 💲Economical | Most economical choice due to mass-produced, standardised sizes and lower-quality materials, offering limited customisation. |
Thinking About Lacquered Wardrobe Doors? Here’s What Makes Them Worth It
Versatility: Unlimited colour options, from classic whites to bold statement hues
Unlimited Colour Possibilities with Lacquered MDF Doors
Choosing lacquered MDF doors for your bespoke furniture means you’re not limited to a fixed palette. Not only can we finish your doors in any colour from the RAL chart, but we can also match shades from leading paint brands like Farrow & Ball, Benjamin Moore, Little Greene, Dulux, Paint & Paper Library, and many others.
Just let us know the colour name or code you love from one of these collections, and our specialist polyurethane paint supplier will mix a custom match—ensuring your wardrobe fronts are sprayed in the exact shade you want.
Unlike foil-wrapped or laminate doors, which come in a limited set of standard colours, lacquered fronts give you complete creative freedom. Whether you’re after a bold statement colour or a soft, subtle neutral, the choice is entirely yours.
Design Without Limits: Integrated Handles and Custom Inserts with Lacquered MDF
Handleless by Design: Seamless Elegance with Lacquered MDF
One of the key advantages of lacquered MDF fronts is the ability to create true handleless doors—a modern, streamlined look that’s remained in trend for over a decade. Many homeowners today prefer a clean, minimalistic aesthetic, especially in bedrooms where simplicity enhances calm and space.
Thanks to our sprayed MDF exterior finish, Urban Wardrobes offers a wide range of handleless design options to suit your taste and room layout. These include:
- Full-height integrated handles (Blaze range);
- Partially integrated handles (Tempo range);
- Grooved wooden handles (Scandi Range);
- Centrally placed integrated handles (Carina Range)
Each option can be customised in terms of shape, depth, and positioning—giving you not only a stylish finish, but also a highly functional and user-friendly design.
Benefits of Lacquered Doors for Shaker-Style Designs
If you’ve chosen a classic style for your fitted wardrobe, the finish you select plays a crucial role in the final look and feel. To achieve a truly premium, timeless aesthetic, we strongly recommend opting for a lacquered (spray-painted) finishover cheaper alternatives like foil-wrapped doors.
Online photos can be deceiving—many facades may look similar at first glance. But in person, the difference is undeniable. Foil-wrapped fronts often lack the depth, detail, and elegance of spray-painted lacquered doors, especially in shaker or panelled designs.
That’s why we invite you to visit our London showroom and experience the quality of our finishes for yourself. Feel the weight, inspect the detailing, and see firsthand what sets our craftsmanship apart.
| Benefit | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Precision Routing | Clean, sharp shaker profiles are routed in-house, giving a handcrafted, luxury appearance |
| Flawless Finish | Sprayed lacquer finish is smooth, matte, and bubble-free with no risk of peeling |
| Unlimited Colour Options | Choose any colour—including bold tones like green, blue, pink—not just greys and whites |
| No Peeling or Lifting | No vinyl or foil layers to delaminate over time—just solid, painted MDF |
| Design Flexibility | Customise groove depth, frame width, and door proportions to match your interior style |
| Premium Look & Feel | 22mm thick MDF offers a solid, substantial feel that elevates the entire room |
🛠️ Step-by-Step: How Our Lacquered Wardrobe Doors Are Made
- CNC cutting and routing
- We begin the process by uploading the customer door design into our CNC software where we select the detail of the door – whether it’s an integrated handle or shaker door frame – the final design will be tailored to your requirements. The beauty of the truly bespoke design is our complete flexibility – we can adjust the proportions based on your preference.
- We mainly work with 22mm MDF panels of standard size 2440 mm x 1220 mm (8 ft x 4 ft) or jumbo sheets 3050 mm x 1220 mm (10 ft x 4 ft) depending on project requirements.
- All our doors are cut-to-size and then the required shape created on CNC machine.
- This allows custom shapes, integrated handles, fretwork designs etc.
2. Edge Finishing and Sanding
- Once the doors have been cut to size, we begin sanding them by hand and with specialized machines
- This ensures a perfectly smooth surface, which is essential for achieving a high-quality final finish
- All sharp edges are softened for both safety and aesthetics
3. Priming
- The next step is applying a high-build primer to the surface of the doors to seal the MDF
- After allowing the primer to cure, we sand the doors again to create a flawless base
- This step is crucial for eliminating any texture and ensuring a smooth, consistent finish
4. Colour Matching & Lacquer Mixing
- As mentioned below we provide customer with a choice of customer colour and our suppliers prepare the special polyurethane lacquer mix for us
- This allows exact colour matching for any paint brand
5. Spray Painting (Lacquering)
- Doors are spray painted in multiple layers using professional HVLP systems
- Between coats we dry the doors and sand them a bit, to ensure smooth finish
- The result is a flawless, durable surface in matte, satin, or gloss.
Final Thoughts
Lacquered MDF doors is a more expensive finish compared to other finishes, but the result is a trully bespoke and premium product tailored exactly to your vision.
If you are investing in fitted wardrobes that should look just as good in ten years as it does now, the lacquered doors are the clear choice!
