Santos kitchens with natural veneered wood finishes: unique and dynamic designs
18 / 03 / 2021
Wood is a time-honoured material when it comes to creating interiors with a warm, welcoming and comfortable feel. Besides, due to its very nature, it’s the perfect choice for users who seek exclusive and differentiated finishes. Santos kitchens with natural veneered wood fronts satisfy this taste for the unique, as no two designs will ever be exactly alike.
Premium-quality wood and exclusive finishes
Santos’ natural veneered wood finishes are made by gluing thin layers of wood to boards to create key components for kitchens. These panels feature the same quality, appearance and properties of the original material, while being free from the possible drawbacks of solid wood such as expansion and contraction, which would affect the cabinets’ structure.
The veneered wood used in making these veneered panels is obtained from premium-quality wood. Santos not only selects the raw materials but also supervises their treatment and processing until the sheets are joined to the board. It is also in charge of finishing each and every item before its assembly by cutting, finishing off and edging it to protect it from harmful agents such as moisture.
A material for lovers of wood
The logs from which the veneered wood used in Santos kitchens is obtained from are unique. Each tree, despite belonging to the same species, has its own characteristics, hues and grains that directly impact on the final product, determining its appearance and making it completely one of a kind. Moreover, wood is a living material in constant evolution that—with the passage of time—will change its colour and nuances, show irregularities to the touch and alter the kitchen’s appearance over the years as a result.
These factors ensure the exclusivity of each design, making this material particularly ideal for lovers of wood. Now, if a user wants the warmth of wood for their cabinets but prefers them to be uniform and unchanging, it would be a good idea for them to choose another type of material such as melamines or laminates with a wood finish.
Santos’ natural veneered wood finishes
Santos has several natural veneered wood finishes for its kitchens, most of them brushed to open their pores and give them a better feel and depth. Just like all other materials by the brand, these veneered woods are subjected to strict quality controls that ensure their resistance and durability:
Olive Ash
It is obtained from ash logs in which the grain of the heart—whose dark brown-greyish colour similar to that of olive wood—alternates with the white part of the wood. Santos joins different sheets of Olive Ash to create contrasting faces with character.
Rustic Oak
It is a veneered wood made using European oak wood and spliced faces, alternating sheets with different cuts, rays and half figures, with and without knots. The latter will always be sound, small and irregular.
Smoked Oak
As with the finish above, it is also made from European oak wood. In this case, the wood is treated to create a smoked or toasted effect, with tonal variations that range from light brown to dark brown or black. To make the faces, the part with rays is selected, alternating lighter areas with darker areas. The final matt finish emphasises the appearance and feel of natural wood.
American Walnut
Made with prime North American hardwood, with contrasting grains and characteristic irregularities such as highlights, buds, areas with sapwood, etc. The faces are made by splicing, joining sheets with different cuts, rays, half figures and figures. It has a matt finish with a very natural feel.
Maintenance and cleaning tips
Natural veneered wood is a much more delicate material than laminate or melamine. Although these finishes are coated with varnishes that protect them from wear and tear, it is essential to treat them with special care to avoid damage caused by blows, heat, aggressive cleaning or seeping.
In this regard, it is particularly important to avoid contact with liquids, whether due to spillage or condensation, as well as prolonged exposure to steam. As a precaution, it is advisable to always cook with the hood on, not to use coffee makers or small kitchen appliances under the wall units, and not to open the dishwasher for half an hour after the wash cycle has finished.
In terms of cleaning, it is not advisable to use scouring pads, products containing waxes, aggressive substances—bleaches, solvents, turpentine, acetone, alcohol, stain removers, ammonia, etc.—and steam cleaners. In fact, it is not necessary to use special products to clean these finishes. Rubbing with a damp cleaning cloth or kitchen cloth in the direction of the wood grain is usually enough. If dirt proves difficult to remove, a sponge moistened in a water and neutral soap solution can be used instead. In both cases, the surface and the edges should be dried accordingly using a soft cotton kitchen cloth or a cellulose sponge cloth.
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