Here is a brief summary where we try to tell you everything we know about High Density Polyethylene (HDPE or HDPE), the revolutionary new material that is ideal for making kitchens and outdoor furniture.
What is High Density Polyethylene?
It is a plastic that is manufactured from ethylene. It is also known by its acronym HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) or HDPE (High Density Polyethylene).
Different industries choose this material for its excellent resistance to traction, impact, ultraviolet radiation, corrosion and any type of temperature or climatic condition it faces. In addition, it is very easy to clean, maintain, print, paint and glue on, which is why it has become one of the most widely used plastics to manufacture packaging, toys, household utensils, pipes and even containers for toxic waste. We explain why it is an excellent choice for making kitchens and outdoor furniture.
HDPE or HDPE applications
High Density Polyethylene is so versatile that you can find it in sports facilities due to its resistance, in submerged steps of ship stairs due to its resistance to humidity and saline environments or even in biomedical furniture because it is innocuous and easy to clean.
Playgrounds and sports facilities
Street furniture, hotels and landscaping
Lockers, toilets and changing rooms
Cooking boards and ham stands
Industry
Nautica
Hospital and clinical furniture
Plastic boilermaking
Livestock industry
Floors for freight transport
Walls and industrial cladding
Compare Karmenn outdoor kitchens made of HDPE with other materials
Karmenn outdoor kitchens made of HDPE improve the properties of other materials in almost every aspect. Thanks to our experience of more than 20 years working with our marine grade HDPE, we know that it is the ideal material for an outdoor kitchen as it is as strong and durable as it is cutting edge.
Here is a table comparing wood, metal and masonry.
HDPE Marine Grade
WOOD Teak, Bamboo, Pine
METAL Stainless Steel, Aluminium
WORK Stone, block, paste
Cosy atmosphere
Excellent
Excellent
Poor
Normal
Moisture resistance
Excellent
Poor
Normal
Normal
Mould resistance
Excellent
Poor
Normal
Poor
Antibacterial
Excellent
Poor
Excellent
Poor
Swelling resistance
Excellent
Poor
Excellent
Excellent
Ease of cleaning
Excellent
Poor
Poor
Poor
Easy maintenance
Excellent
Poor
Normal
Poor
Corrosion resistance
Excellent
Normal
Normal
Excellent
Peeling resistance
Excellent
Excellent
Poor
Normal
Recycled and recyclable
Excellent
Poor
Poor
Poor
Timeless design
Excellent
Normal
Normal
Normal
Easy and clean installation
Excellent
Normal
Normal
Poor
Price
Excellent
Normal
Poor
Normal
HDPE
Wood
Metal
Work
Cozy
Humidity
Mould
Bacteria
Fan
Cleaning
Maintenance
Corrosion
Peeling
Sustainability
Design
Installation
Price
Note about the table: We are also aware that a table of this kind may seem partisan and not very objective, we have based it on the data and experience we have accumulated as experts in outdoor furniture that we are. If you have any questions we will be happy to help you through the whatsapp that appears on the screen.
Here is a brief argumentation of each issue:
Cosy atmosphere
Whether an outdoor kitchen is welcoming or not has as much to do with the visual aspect as with the textures and shapes. Built-in kitchens, which are generally rustic in appearance, tend to be unpleasant to the touch. Metal kitchens, despite their modern look, are too hot in summer and too cold in winter. Wooden and HDPE kitchens have the best look, feel and texture and are therefore the most welcoming and can be adapted to any environment.
HDPE
Excellent
Wood
Excellent
Metal
Poor
Work
Normal
Moisture resistance
Moisture is one of the main factors that affect outdoor kitchens, if they are not waterproofed properly they will barely last a few seasons. Wood is absorbent by nature and we will always have to varnish and treat it, the ones made of wood also generate humidity and the ones made of metal condense. HDPE, on the other hand, is the best material against humidity.
HDPE
Excellent
Wood
Poor
Metal
Normal
Work
Normal
Mould resistance
Mould is directly related to the material's ability to absorb moisture as well as the type of surface. In this case, kitchens made of wood and masonry are often the ideal scenario for mould to appear during the wettest time of the year. Metal performs much better, but depending on the quality and alloy of the metal, staining can occur especially in the joints and bolted areas. Again HDPE is the only one on which it does not appear.
HDPE
Excellent
Wood
Poor
Metal
Normal
Work
Poor
Antibacterial capacity
Here both HDPE and metal perform well, in fact both surfaces are the only ones used as biomedical equipment in laboratories because of their antibacterial properties and ease of sanitising.
HDPE
Excellent
Wood
Poor
Metal
Excellent
Work
Poor
Swelling and deformation
With the exception of wood, which does not stop swelling once the humidity gets in, the rest of the materials behave in an exemplary manner.
HDPE
Excellent
Wood
Poor
Metal
Excellent
Work
Excellent
Ease of cleaning
HDPE kitchens and furniture are the easiest to clean and make ready for use again. Simply wipe with a damp cloth, hose down or even use pressurised water. Wood requires specific products, metal is polished or brushed, it is very difficult to leave it spotless and without stains, as it happens to mirrors. The ones made of masonry, as they have such an irregular finish, are the most difficult to clean.
HDPE
Excellent
Wood
Poor
Metal
Poor
Work
Poor
Maintenance, corrosion and stripping
This is where an HDPE kitchen wins by a landslide over other materials: it does not peel, does not need to be sanded, varnished or treated, and in the event of a blow, scratch or chip, the colour of the inside of the material is the same as the outside. With the exception of metal, all other materials require periodic maintenance with specific products.
HDPE
Excellent
Wood
Poor
Metal
Normal
Work
Poor
Recycled and recyclable
The only material that can be easily recycled after years of use is HDPE, so even our kitchens are likely to contain between 25 and 75% of post-industrial recycled material every time.
HDPE
Excellent
Wood
Poor
Metal
Poor
Work
Poor
Timeless design
Thanks to the CNC machined computer design, we achieve detailed finishes in our HDPE kitchens, which together with the resistance of the material itself and the variety of colours can make a kitchen stand out or blend into any environment and stand the test of time like no other.
HDPE
Excellent
Wood
Poor
Metal
Poor
Work
Poor
Timeless design
Thanks to the CNC machined computer design, we achieve detailed finishes in our HDPE kitchens, which together with the resistance of the material itself and the variety of colours can make a kitchen stand out or blend into any environment and stand the test of time like no other.
HDPE
Excellent
Wood
Normal
Metal
Normal
Work
Normal
Easy installation
Another of the strong points in the installation of our kitchens is that, as the modules come semi-assembled, all you have to do is fit and align them, join each module together with six screws and drop the worktop onto the special resin that we supply. No staining, no building work, no cutting, no nothing. Assemble and that's it.
HDPE
Excellent
Wood
Normal
Metal
Normal
Work
Normal
Easy installation
As we are HDPE manufacturers and deal directly with the end customer we can offer the best possible ratio between linear metre of installed kitchen and price. Just compare quotes and see for yourself.
HDPE
Excellent
Wood
Normal
Metal
Poor
Work
Normal
Do you have doubts?
If you have any doubt, write us to whatsapp and we will try to solve it with our best attention.
PLASTYMED TECHNICAL PLASTIC SL has participated in the ICEX-Next export initiation programme, and has had the support of ICEX, as well as the co-financing of European ERDF funds, having contributed to the economic growth of this company, its region and Spain as a whole.
Manage consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies such as cookies to store and/or access information on your device. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique identifiers on this site. Not consenting, or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The storage or technical access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing unsolicited preferences of the subscriber or user.
Statistics
Technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.Storage or technical access which is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a request, voluntary compliance by your Internet service provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved solely for this purpose cannot be used to identify you.
Marketing
Technical storage or access is necessary to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user across a website or across multiple websites for similar marketing purposes.
