Blog Post

The Top Material Options to Consider for Your Custom Closets

Marielle Robie • Mar 25, 2022

When it comes to designing a custom closet, you need to be prepared to make many choices. You will be asked to decide on cabinetry colors and finishes not to mention all of the accessories. It can be quite overwhelming, yet fun! But the one crucial choice many homeowners overlook is what material to use to build their custom closets.

The top material options to consider are wood and melamine.

Keep reading to learn the pros and cons of each one so that you can decide which material will be best for your custom closets.

Wood Has Stood The Test of Time

It’s not surprising wood remains a popular choice for custom closets. Its use dates back centuries. According to DutchCrafters Amish Furniture, ancient Roman soldiers were known to use "simple wooden boxes" to store their gear. Wealthy Europeans favored decorative cedar chests to protect their clothing. Eventually, as their wardrobes grew, necessity led to the creation of the armoire or wardrobe during the 17th century. This stand-alone wooden cupboard typically provided space for hanging clothes at the top and shelves underneath for folded items.

Traditional closets didn’t appear until the 1880s with the construction of The Dakota, a luxury apartment building in New York City. The New York Times described the storage space in these units as two and a half feet wide and six feet deep, making them basically the predecessor of today’s reach-in closets.

No sooner had closets become a mainstay of modern living than people began clamoring for bigger and better storage solutions, such as built-ins for their shoes. By the 1950s, walk-in closets became popular, and homeowners started hiring handymen and carpenters to build shelves and such. This birthed the custom closet industry. Wood was the material of choice for these early custom closet pioneers and continues to be an ideal material because it's both durable and versatile.

Natural wood is inherently strong and sturdy. That's why it's used in building construction and to make furniture. Wood is also a popular choice for custom closets because it can hold a lot of weight without warping or bending. You can safely store boxes and bins or stack piles of clothing without worrying about a shelf collapsing.

Natural wood also offers a great deal of options when it comes to customization. From a rugged knotty pine or rich mahogany to a painted maple, the choices are endless. Cedar was one of the original materials used in closet construction. It looks and smells great and also serves as a natural insect repellent. The folks at Clever Closets examine this topic further in-Prevent Pests From Destroying Your Custom Closets in 4 Simple Steps.

While natural wood has many positive attributes, it also has a few drawbacks, namely that it can be expensive. It is also important to note that wood is susceptible to splitting or warping due to humidity or moisture. If your closet is adjacent to a steamy bathroom, you may want to consider another material option.

In addition to natural wood, there are several engineered wood-based products often used for custom closets. One of which is plywood. This is a material manufactured from thin layers, or plies, of wood veneers glued together in alternating directions to add strength.

The construction and woodworking experts at BobVila.com believe plywood is superior to solid wood in many ways. First, it is less expensive. Second, it is more tolerant to moisture and humidity than solid wood. Plywood is less apt to split, crack or warp than natural wood. And third, because plywood is manufactured it tends to be more budget-friendly than natural wood. As an added bonus, plywood is easy to paint. However, it's not as sturdy as natural wood, so be careful if this is your choice as shelves will not be able to tolerate as much weight.

Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is another popular wood-based product used for custom closets. As BobVila.com explains, MDF is formed by mixing dried sawdust and wood shavings with resin and wax and then applying high pressure and temperature to form it into panels. MDF’s biggest advantages are that it is easy to work with and affordable. Its chief drawbacks are that it is delicate and climate-sensitive.

Because MDF is made of pressed wood, it can be easily damaged or scratched and it can swell or warp if exposed to moisture. It can also sag under even moderate weight. For that reason, you may need to add extra reinforcement if using MDF for shelving in your closets.

Melamine Is A Modern Marvel

Melamine is another popular option for custom closets. It is widely regarded as the most durable material option as it is specifically engineered for strength. Somewhat similar to MDF or particleboard, melamine is composed of compressed wood particles encased in a resin and paper finish. This outer layer comes in a variety of colors and finishes allowing melamine to mimic the grain of natural wood. This is one of the chief reasons melamine is so popular for custom closets.

While melamine may look like wood, this man-made product offers many benefits over Mother Nature. First, unlike natural wood, melamine has a uniform finish because it is manufactured – similar to a faux wood laminate. This means all of your closet cabinetry will look the same. You won't need to worry about matching the stain or the unsightly look of natural flaws or knots in the wood. Second, melamine is highly durable and resistant to stains, moisture, and mildew. Lastly, melamine offers the same aesthetic beauty as wood at a fraction of the cost.

Of course, melamine does have a few drawbacks, namely, it is prone to chipping. To protect the surface, you need to be extra careful not to place rough materials on top of it or damage the melamine when adjusting the shelves. In addition, you will want to keep everything dry. If your melamine is marred, its protective coating becomes compromised and is susceptible to water damage. When wet, the compressed wood core can swell and lose its structural integrity.

What About Wire?

While melamine and wood are the two most popular choices for custom closets, it would be remiss not to mention wire closets. This is typically a builder’s grade finish. Wire closets lack the stability, versatility, and functionality of a wood or melamine closet. Wire shelves can only support a limited amount of weight before they sag or completely collapse, not to mention that the spaces between the wires are rather large so smaller items tend to slip through the gaps.

Additionally, wire closet materials do not allow for customization with drawers and other accessories most often desired when designing a custom closet. And lastly, the wire can damage your clothing, either snagging items or leaving indentations.

Conclusion

After evaluating the top material options to consider for your custom closets, it's plain to see that there are really only two practical choices: wood and melamine. Wood has stood the test of time. Its use as clothing storage dates back centuries. Its beauty and durability cannot be denied, but there are other options for today’s homeowners.

Melamine is becoming increasingly popular in custom closet builds. This manmade product offers the same aesthetic as natural wood with added durability. Melamine is also more affordable than wood, which is why it is the most commonly used material in custom closet fabrication.