Guida all’acquisto 2017
75Pages

PURCHASING GUIDE

The furniture industry produces very little detailed information on the quality of kitchen cabinets, which means that consumers have a hard time understanding the differences between various products. You cannot even find technical reports in furniture magazines, nor do they publish quality comparisons between different products the way car magazines publish buyer's guides to compare models. And that's a shame, because furniture reviews could easily use bodies that have been functioning for many years, such as the CATAS international furniture and wood products research centre, a laboratory...

Quality marks I marchi di qualità Process di qualità di processo I marchi quality marks Product di qualità di prodotto I marchi quality marks The self-certification mark Il marchio di autocertificazione Environmental standards ambientali I marchi e le certificazioniand certifications Trademarks I marchi commerciali Certification marks Valcucine I marchi rilasciati a awarded to Valcucine products 12 Ergonomia: la cucina cabinets made to“suyou Ergonomics: Kitchen come un vestito fit misura” “New Logica System”: il sistema ergonomico Valcucine The Valcucine ergonomic system Le altezze del...

A new kitchen! Buying and installing a new kitchen is a big event for a family. Not all of us have the expertise to judge the different models on the market. Catalogues with their pretty pictures and short, captivating texts do nothing to explain all the products in detail. It is so easy to get swept away by the enthusiasm and excitement for your Certification marks new purchase. We are often just taken with the appeal of its design or of the product’s image and the settings and arrangements in the showrooms. We should really be spending time studying the features and facts we need to know...

Product quality marks Process quality marks The most common ones in Italy are: IMQ: issued by the Italian Quality Mark Institute. It doesn't issue approvals for the furniture industry. It deals mainly with electrical products. DVE: German quality mark. It deals with electrical products. The most important standards of process quality are those belonging to the international ISO 9000 family. What do they guarantee? They guarantee that the manufacturer follows a standardized production system and endeavours to improve it. Do process quality standards guarantee that I’ll get a high quality...

Environmental standards and certifications G FSC www.fsc.org FSC® C020136 II marchlo della gestione forestale responsablle It is a mark that complies with the European Union directives. It doesn't apply to the furniture industry. What does it guarantee? The CE self-certification mark is applied directly by the manufacturer to the product it produces. It goes without saying that its validity depends on the honesty of the manufacturer. Without the certifying body checking the truthfulness of the declaration, the manufacturer claims that the product has been constructed respecting the safety...

Seals of Approval Awarded to Valcucine Products -CS FSC www.fsc.org FSC* C020136 II marchio della gestione forestale responsabile Ask for FSC® certified products In 2008 Valcucine obtained the FSC® certification for solid maple parts (drawer interiors). Valcucine uses only FSC® labelled chipboard which guarantees that the wood used comes from responsibly-managed forests. Trademarks are created and promoted by manufacturing companies with common interests that join together to reach their aims and increase the visibility of the trademark. Member manufacturers all contribute to managing and...

Quality: Tested and Guaranteed Good design isn’t the only thing that guarantees product quality and safety. All of your kitchen’s parts and materials have to undergo stringent, uncompromising testing. Standardized testing is the only way that we can evaluate a material’s resistance to the stress it undergoes in carrying out its function. Along with controls in our own testing centre, Valcucine also tests its materials at the CATAS Furniture and Wood Products Research and Development Centre for material quality certification. Testing is repeatedly regularly to maintain and uphold standards....

Should I choose modular units or continuous worktop units? Plinths, feet or wall-hung units? Modular units Kitchen units with plinths Kitchen units with feet Wall-hung units Modular units are more versatile than a kitchen with a continuous worktop. They can be moved around in different combinations and are easier to handle if you move. But there are also more places for the kind of spills and seepage that lead to warping, mould and dirt. Valcucine applies water-tight seals around the sink and hob. Advantages: any dirt that accumulates under the kitchen is out of view. All the space is...

How to choose the right elements If you want to buy a high quality kitchen, look for units that you can adapt to your taste, needs and space. If you want to customise your project, the range of pieces available is fundamental. That’s why Valcucine lets you pick the colours, finishes, sizes and materials just right for you. With thousands of items, How to choose the right colour there’s plenty to choose from! And if you still can’t find what you want, Valcucine makes “custom-built” units to meet any need, in any style you like. Look for a kitchen with a wide range of elements that will let...

Going beyond the latest fashion The beauty of handicraft work The lifetime of a kitchen doesn’t only depend on its physical and technical qualities. Sometimes, you decide to purchase a new kitchen simply because you want a new style. You end up throwing out products that still work well but are no longer the latest fashion. Try choosing a kitchen with components that are not tied to passing fads. Pick models with that are timeless because they have clean lines, simple forms and much attention has been paid to detail. Avoid purchasing kitchens that have only square or rounded forms just...