Across Florida, everybody is building outdoor kitchens. One of the hardest selections during this process is selecting which outdoor kitchen cabinets are the best choice. A popular material used in lower-end cabinets is hard foam which is built to mimic the texture and look of hardwood. Well, there are 3 reasons why here in Florida you should not put foam cabinets outside.
You should avoid putting foam cabinets outside for 3 reasons. First, a foam cabinet will warp in the humidity of Florida. Second, the heat will ultimately destroy the foam cabinet if left unprotected. Third, direct sunlight can cause the foam cabinet to fade un-evenly which leads to an ugly look.
Instead of using foam cabinets outside you should look into getting yourself some ZahBuilt outdoor cabinets. We offer a wide selection of the world’s strongest outdoor cabinets in many different shapes and styles. Further, we can tailor fit our products to fit your individual project. If you are on the fence about which cabinets are good for you then reach out to us by clicking here.
A Foam Cabinet Will Warp in the Humidity of Florida
One of the main reasons why foam cabinets should be avoided in Florida is because of the humidity levels we have across the state. An academic study published by The Department of Agriculture at the University of Florida in 2022 discovered that humidity levels are only increasing across the state. The foam cabinets you install today will warp tomorrow.
One of the biggest reasons why outdoor foam cabinets are a bad idea across Florida is because of the hard foam reacts in a constantly high-humidity environment. Other places in the world will have high humidity during rain events but here in Florida, we have nearly 90% humidity year-round. While wood-based outdoor cabinets are fine with this humidity foam on the other hand will begin to absorb the water in the air and warp.
This warping of the foam cabinets will cause the doors to not align. This misalignment can eventually lead to cabinets failing to open or not even opening in the first place. This problem becomes even worse if you accidentally damage the cabinet in any that exposes the underlying foam structure. Once water gets into the foam it won’t come out and will eventually warp the door.
The Heat Will Slowly Destroy Foam Cabinets in Florida
From the second you install a foam cabinet it will begin to warp because of the high heat we have here in Florida. During the summer months here in Florida it is common to see temperatures that rise well above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
In this high heat a foam cabinet will start to break down and warp. This is because when this foam is formed it creates beads of air inside the foam itself. These tiny beads of air when heated up will start to expand causing the board to slowly warp over time. The higher the heat the faster this process will take place. This was a major problem in the automotive industry for a while and resulted in automotive hard foam applications changing their standards.
However, the process remains the same for outdoor kitchen cabinets. Over time these foam cabinets will begin to warp and bend because of the high heat levels. Unfortunately, here in Florida we are constantly exposed to heat that is high enough to begin to warp these boards. This is why when you are looking for outdoor cabinets for your kitchen you should look into durable hardwood alternatives. The hardwood cabinets we build here at ZahBuilt are made to outlast nearly everything else around them and are perfect for outdoor kitchens here in Florida. Check out our gallery here for inspiration on your next project.
The Florida Sun Will Cause Foam Cabinets To Fade Unevenly
Another huge problem with foam cabinets is how they fade when exposed to ultraviolet sunlight. Hard foam cabinets that are left outside will begin to fade unevenly which will lead to an ugly look.
Florida is known as the sunshine state. Every outdoor piece of furniture here has to survive the unrelenting sunlight that we get year-round. If that piece of furniture is not built to withstand this sunlight and fade evenly then it will begin to fade unevenly.
The problem with hard foam cabinets is that the chemical composition of the foam does not have a uniform consistency. This means that randomly some parts of the foam board will fade faster in sunlight than other parts. What happens is that over time you will start to see your foam board get ‘spots’ which can lead to an incredibly ugly look.
In order to fix this look you will have to paint the entire cabinet over again. This however takes a lot of time and even then it is hard to make the sunspots go away with just paint alone. Most people have to install new foam cabinets multiple times which makes the cost of maintaining the look of their outdoor kitchen extremely high.
Here at ZahBuilt, our outdoor cabinets are made with dense hardwood. We strategically put layers of hardwood on top of each other to build the most durable outdoor kitchen cabinets in the industry. When you buy a selection of cabinets from us you can rest easy knowing that your cabinets will outlast nearly everything else around them.
