Product Testing

To ensure you can enjoy your kitchen for many years to come all materials used are subjected to a number of endurance tests to make sure they will stand up to the rigours of every day life. As you would expect only the best results are acceptable and in many cases the tests used are way in excess of the industry standard.

Furniture and handles are placed in a climate chamber where the ageing process is simulated. By subjecting them to alternating extremes of cold air and heat for several days, the surface materials and adhesives are tested to the limit to find out how durable they would be in a real life situation.

Laminate surfaces are subjected to a one hour steam test to make sure they are able to stand up to the rigours of every-day kitchen life.

Front panels and worktops undergo special tests to establish their tolerance levels to 27 typical household substances. The materials are exposed to different test substances for varying lengths of time to establish their effect. Only the best materials then make it to the production line.

Warendorf kitchen worktops undergo several tests including one to test its heat-resistance. This test simulates a 180°C hot pan being placed on the surface.

A cross-hatch test is used to see how well the lacquer surface is bonded. A special knife with eight blades makes cuts at right angles to each other. The better the lacquer adhesion in the squares between the cuts, the better the result.

All materials and coatings undergo a special durability test.

The quality of adhesive used for worktop edging is tested by tearing off an edge. Thanks to a special adhesive that tolerates temperatures up to 90°C Warendorf kitchen furniture achieves excellent results in this quality test.

A water bath is used to subject edging to a moisture resistance test. This is particularly important for areas adjoining sinks and cooking appliances.

Special hardened metal is used in all high-stress areas on fittings and hinges. The hinges used in Warendorf kitchens are far more durable than is required by the furniture industry standard test.

To test how resistant a surface is to sunlight the fronts are subjected to 200 hours under UV light. This simulates a lifespan of several years. For the fronts to pass the test they must show no or negligible colour deviation.