Ashe Samuels
Ashe Samuels
Senior Editor
Ashe Samuels is a specialized business writer and marketer in the food and beverage niche. She's helped small businesses, start-ups, and online publications reach their...
If your outdoor cabinet is ruined, everything inside will be ruined, too. HDPE is the best material for outdoor cabinets because it protects from the elements while saving you time and money.
The vast majority of buyers want to know how much their outdoor furniture costs before committing. After all, nobody wants to spend money on something that will fall apart after a few months! Thankfully, longevity is just one of the many benefits HDPE offers your outdoor set-up.
Stand aside, PVC, stainless steel and aluminum: the brief guide below will break down why HDPE is superior to all other options on the market.
Header Source Image: ExtCabinets
All HDPE Cabinets are Weatherproof
Short for High Density Polyethylene, this material is a specialized thermoplastic usually used for marine-grade applications. This detail makes HDPE outdoor cabinets especially tough toward rain, hail, and snow.
Since HDPE cabinets are weatherproof, you can eliminate worries about water/moisture/humidity warping your cabinet or causing mold build-up. Wood may be a beautiful material, but it’s susceptible to mold and mildew when repeatedly exposed to moisture. Just wiping down your wooden cabinet might not be enough if moisture builds up in hard-to-reach areas, such as cracks or narrow corners.
Stainless steel is another material that’s sturdy and mold-proof, but not to the level of HDPE. A stainless steel cabinet can still risk corrosion when exposed to enough water. HDPE will not stain or corrode in any way when exposed to water – in fact, people frequently use this material to build boats!
Source Image: ExtCabinets
No Need to Warm or Cool HDPE Cabinets
Too hot or too cold outside? That’s no problem for HDPE cabinets – due to their thermoplastic material, they don’t have drastic responses to temperature that could cause problems.
HDPE cabinets won’t warp or degrade under heat exposure. Compare this to PVC, a common material for outdoor cabinets that has much less durability. While PVC shares the same resistance to mold or bug growth that HDPE does, it tends to warp under heat and UV rays. This detail results in a cabinet that could buckle and degrade over time, making it less reliable for storing or carrying heavy objects.
Likewise, you don’t have to warm up your HDPE cabinets, either. HPDE materials frequently see use in freezing cold waters without losing their integrity. Compare this to stainless steel, which gets very hot or very cold depending on the temperature. These extreme temperature differences could mean you accidentally scalding yourself or having a slippery grip.
With weatherproof outdoor cabinets, you don’t have to wait on your outdoor cabinet’s timetable trying to warm it up or cool it off. This means more time to cook, garden, or hang out with friends.
Source Image: ExtCabinets
HDPE Cabinets are Easy to Clean
Got a busy work week? If you want to take out some exhausting clean-up time for your outdoor kitchen, an HDPE cabinet will add free hours to your schedule.
Constant clean up sessions are the realm of wooden and stainless steel cabinets. Wood not only warps under water exposure, it has a tendency to grow mold that’s hazardous to your health (and ugly to look at). While varnish can protect wood from the elements to a degree, some varnish applications only last a few years. This means you could spend more money reapplying varnish over and over again to maintain your purchase.
Stainless steel is only marginally better. While it’s also easy to wipe down, it’s still capable of corroding and rusting from repeated water exposure.
HDPE outdoor cabinets keep your cleaning sessions simple by being corrosion resistant, weatherproof, and free from mold growth. All you have to do is whip out basic soap and water to give it a scrub if it gets a little dirty or dusty.
Source Image: ExtCabinets
Your Outdoor HPDE Cabinets Will Last a Long Time
You don’t have to worry about throwing out moldy wooden cabinets or trying to fix warped PVC cabinets. HDPE cabinets have a lifetime warranty!
HDPE doesn’t degrade under heat or UV rays, unlike PVC. Similarly, it doesn’t have the potential to grow mold or invite insects like wood. You won’t have to constantly double-check your cabinets to make sure they’re not degrading. You also won’t have to bring them inside during a storm or snowfall.
Since HDPE cabinets are also easy to clean and maintain, you won’t need to toss them for an easier alternative.
Source Image: ExtCabinets
Outdoor Cabinets Make Durable Outdoor Kitchens
Thinking of bringing your relaxing kitchen cooking sessions to your backyard or patio? You can use outdoor HDPE cabinets to make incredibly durable outdoor kitchens.
Since HDPE is resistant to heat and UV exposure, you have a protective material that can literally hold up to the heat of a kitchen. You don’t have to worry about a cabinet accidentally burning your fingers as you reach for more supplies.
Each HDPE cabinet can hold a grill, a fridge, or a mini-fridge. Its tough thermoplastic design will protect it from the elements, such as rain, wind, snow, or high heat.
Source Image: ExtCabinets
Why Stainless Steel isn’t the Best Material for Outdoor Cabinets
There are a lot of common misconceptions around stainless steel thanks to its recyclability. While certainly an environmentally friendly material, it still has a few downsides you should be aware of (and why we stick to HDPE).
Stainless Steel Corrodes Over Time
Stainless steel corrosion isn’t just unsightly – it can actually invite unwanted guests! Your stainless steel appliances can develop rusty areas that weaken over time, giving insects a place to burrow.
HDPE outdoor cabinets don’t rust or corrode. That means no unsightly stains or pesky insects.
It’s Sensitive to Temperature Changes
Stainless steel is a sponge for temperature changes. Hot weather or cold weather will immediately make a stainless steel cabinet difficult to touch (or use at all).
HDPE outdoor cabinets don’t have drastic temperature changes. Since HDPE is a popular material for marine-grade applications, it remains relatively unchanged no matter what.
Why PVC is Less Durable Than HDPE Cabinets
While you’ll often see PVC touted as a great alternative to wood cabinets, it’s still far from the best. PVC has a tendency to warp and degrade under sunlight, resulting in a less stable cabinet over time.
PVC Loses Integrity to Heat Exposure and UV Rays
If you like to use your cabinets to place objects as well as store objects, this point is crucial. You don’t want a cabinet buckling under a heavy weight and spilling all your work to the ground.
Requires Protective Paint
PVC also requires protective paint to stay durable. Compare this to HDPE cabinets, which are inherently hardy and ready to go upon arrival.
Harmful to Animals
Last but not least, PVC may be harmful to animals. If you have a pet who likes to lick or chew on furniture, you’re better off with a safe outdoor HDPE cabinet.
Why Hardie Board isn’t as Flexible as HDPE Cabinets
Hardie board is a material catching many people’s eye. While it has similar benefits to HDPE, it still doesn’t hold up thanks to its higher weight and relative rarity.
Hardie Board is Heavier Than HDPE
Since Hardie board is heavier – thanks to being made of composite materials – this added weight is a pain for people who need to move equipment a lot. If you like to switch up your set-up or need to move soon, lighter HDPE outdoor cabinets are the way to go.
It’s Also a Less Common Material
Since Hardie baord isn’t as common as HDPE, it can also be harder to find. To reduce time, our HDPE cabinets come in custom designs and sizes to suit your tastes.
Source Image: ExtCabinets
HDPE is the Most Weatherproof, Cost-Effective Material for Outdoor Cabinets
HDPE is the best material for outdoor cabinets because it does it all. It’s weatherproof, temperature resistant, rust resistant, has a lifetime warranty, and looks fantastic.
Our HDPE outdoor cabinets come with custom designs and colors to fit your backyard, garden, or patio. If you want to test out the material yourself, we offer refundable samples to try out at your leisure.
Get a quote on our HDPE outdoor cabinets today so you can save time, money, and effort on your outdoor set-up.