How the process works, and why the process is the product
A 3-axis router cuts the profile into an 18 mm MDF or HDHMR blank. The blank is sanded, sprayed with a heat-activated adhesive, and placed in a vacuum press. A sheet of PVC foil is heated until pliable, then atmospheric pressure forces it down over the profile. The foil meets itself on the reverse, where it is trimmed.
- The result has no edge band, because the face material continues around the edge. On a shaker door this is why membrane looks moulded rather than assembled.
- The weak point is the trim line on the back face. If the adhesive is thin there, or if the trim cuts the foil rather than the excess, water finds its way under the skin.
- Press temperature and dwell time are set for a given foil. A press run pushed too fast to clear a backlog produces doors that look perfect and delaminate in year three.
- Only flat-ish profiles work. Anything with an undercut or a deep recess will bridge rather than wrap.
2026 rates and what the price bands buy
| Specification | Rate (₹/sq ft elevation) | Expected service life in Mumbai |
|---|---|---|
| 0.35 mm foil, plain, on 18 mm MDF | ₹260 – 320 | 5 – 7 years |
| 0.35 mm foil, woodgrain, on 18 mm HDHMR | ₹300 – 370 | 6 – 8 years |
| 0.5 mm foil, matt, on 18 mm HDHMR | ₹340 – 430 | 8 – 11 years |
| 0.5 mm foil on moisture-resistant MDF, wet area | ₹360 – 450 | 6 – 9 years; still not our first choice near water |
| Deep shaker profile, 0.5 mm foil | ₹390 – 470 | Profile depth adds routing time, not foil cost |
For comparison, the same shaker profile in sprayed PU is ₹900–1,250 per sq ft and lasts twice as long.
Where membrane genuinely is the right call
- A shaker or beaded kitchen on a tight budget, where the alternative is a flat laminate door that does not deliver the look at all.
- Children’s bedroom wardrobes, where the scheme will change in eight years anyway.
- Rental and resale fit-outs, where visual quality per rupee matters more than fifteen-year durability.
- Utility and dry-store doors away from water, where the seamless wrap is easy to wipe down.
- Guest bedroom joinery in an air-conditioned, low-use room.
Where it fails in Mumbai, specifically
Two of the three things that kill membrane are abundant in this city.
- Heat. PVC foil begins to soften and release around 60–70°C. A tall unit housing a built-in oven, or a base unit next to a hob, sees that at the top edge. The foil shrinks back and a pale line appears along the edge. This is not a warranty defect — it is misuse of the material.
- Steam and standing water. The sink-front base unit is the most common failure location in every membrane kitchen we have inspected. Water tracks in at the rear trim line and lifts the skin from behind.
- Humidity cycling. Between monsoon and February the MDF core takes up and gives off moisture, and the foil, which does not move, is repeatedly stressed at the corners. Coastal flats make this worse. For anything within about 2 km of the sea we quote PU instead and explain why.
Care, life and the BOQ line
- Wipe with a damp soft cloth only. No scouring, no solvents, no steam cleaners.
- Never dry a wet floor cloth over a membrane shutter, and keep a kettle or rice cooker off the counter directly below one.
- Inspect corners annually. A lift caught in the first month can sometimes be re-pressed locally; after that, the door is replaced.
- BOQ: “Shutters — 18 mm HDHMR, CNC routed to approved profile, vacuum-membrane pressed with 0.5 mm PVC foil in approved shade, foil returned and trimmed on reverse face; no edge banding.”
- BOQ: “Membrane shutters not to be used for units housing an oven, hob, dishwasher or washing machine, or for the sink base unit; these to be quoted in PU or laminate.”
Specification summary
| Property | Specification |
|---|---|
| Foil | PVC, 0.5 mm preferred (0.35 mm budget) |
| Substrate | 18 mm HDHMR; MDF acceptable in dry rooms |
| Process | CNC routed, vacuum press, foil trimmed on reverse |
| Edge treatment | None required — single-piece wrap |
| Rate | ₹260 – 470 per sq ft elevation, ex-GST |
| Temperature limit | Approximately 60°C at the surface |
| Life in Mumbai | 5 – 11 years depending on foil and location |
| Do not use for | Sink base, appliance housings, coastal flats, wet areas |
Frequently asked questions
Is membrane finish waterproof?+
The foil is; the assembly is not. Water does not pass through PVC, but it does find the trim line on the reverse face and the routed edge of the board. Once it is behind the skin, the MDF swells and the foil lifts. Treat membrane as splash-tolerant, not waterproof.
Can a lifted membrane corner be fixed?+
Occasionally, if it is caught within weeks and the board underneath is still dry — a heat gun and careful pressure can re-bond it. Once the core has swollen the shape has changed and the foil will not lie flat again. Budget for door replacement rather than repair.
Is membrane cheaper than laminate?+
On a flat door, no — laminate is cheaper. On a profiled or shaker door, membrane is much cheaper, because laminate cannot follow the profile at all and the alternative is sprayed PU at two to three times the rate. Choose by the shape you want, not by the rate alone.
How long does a membrane kitchen last in Mumbai?+
Realistically five to eight years with 0.35 mm foil and eight to eleven with 0.5 mm, assuming the sink base and appliance housings were built in something else. Inland, air-conditioned flats sit at the top of that range; coastal flats at the bottom.
Do you use membrane at Greenbox?+
Yes, selectively — on budget shaker kitchens, children’s wardrobes and rental fit-outs, and always with the sink base and appliance units built in another finish. We will not membrane a full kitchen in a sea-facing flat, and we say so at quotation stage rather than at warranty stage.