Two weeks into a kitchen renovation, most people hit the same wall. The carpenter has done his bit, the countertop is in, and now someone asks: “PU or acrylic for the shutters?” Silence. Everyone nods like they know. Nobody really does.
We finish a lot of kitchen shutters at ColourEdge, so this question lands on us almost daily. And I’ll say upfront that we have a bias. PU is what we do. But acrylic is a fine choice for plenty of homes, and pretending otherwise would be unfair to you. So here’s the version we’d give a friend, not the one you’d get from a brochure.
What PU Kitchen Shutters Actually Are
Take a board (MDF, HDHMR or plywood), spray it with polyurethane lacquer, let it cure, sand it lightly, spray again. Repeat a few times. That’s a PU shutter. The finish is built up coat by coat, and it wraps the whole shutter, edges included.
The Look You Can Ask For
Because it’s sprayed, PU gives you freedom. Matte. Satin. Gloss. A sage green you saw on someone’s Instagram. A grey that matches the sofa. Colour matching is possible, which is why designers lean on it when a client has strong opinions about the palette. And clients usually do.
Where It Can Go Wrong
PU depends heavily on who is doing the work and where. A shutter sprayed in a dusty workshop with a rushed cure will show it: tiny specks, a patchy sheen, a surface that feels slightly orange-peel rough. Same material, very different result. If someone quotes you a PU kitchen very cheap and very fast, that’s usually the corner being cut.
And Acrylic Shutters?
Acrylic shutters use a ready-made acrylic sheet pressed onto a board, with a matching edge strip around the sides. The colour and shine come from the factory, so the sample you touch in the showroom is close to what arrives at your home.
Why People Love It
That glossy, almost wet look. In a small kitchen it bounces light around and the room feels bigger. It also installs faster, because there’s no spraying and curing step on your timeline. For a rental flat, a quick flip, or someone who simply loves high gloss, it makes real sense.
The Trade-Offs
You’re limited to the colours the manufacturer makes. Fingerprints show up fast on dark gloss. And if a panel gets a bad scratch or a chipped corner, you generally replace the panel. Nobody can really sand an acrylic sheet back and start over.
PU Shutters vs Acrylic Shutters, Quick Comparison
| PU Kitchen Shutters | Acrylic Shutters | |
| Finish | Sprayed; matte, satin or gloss | Factory sheet; mostly high gloss |
| Colours | Can be custom matched | Manufacturer’s range |
| Edges | Finished with the face | Separate edge strip |
| If damaged | Can often be touched up or refinished | Usually replaced |
| Turnaround | Slower | Faster |
| Result depends on | The finisher’s skill | The sheet’s quality |
How They Behave in a Real Kitchen
Showrooms are spotless. Your kitchen isn’t. There’s tadka oil in the air, steam from the cooker, and somebody always leans on a shutter with a wet hand.
Heat, Steam and the Hob Corner
This is where edges matter. Acrylic’s edge strip is a joint, and joints near a hob or dishwasher can start lifting after a few years, especially on cheaper boards. PU has no such joint. The coat just carries over the corner. We’ve seen this difference more than once on older kitchens, and it’s one reason we lean towards PU near the cooking zone.
Everyday Wiping
Both clean up fine with a soft damp cloth. Gloss, either type, shows fingerprints. Honestly, if you have kids or a house full of people, matte or satin PU forgives a lot more. If you love gloss, accept that you’ll be wiping it.
Five or Seven Years Later
This is the part people forget to think about. Kitchens go out of style, or you just get bored of the colour. A PU shutter in good shape can be sanded back and refinished, even in a new shade. Acrylic can’t. If you plan to stay in the house for a decade, that matters more than it sounds.
Things People Overlook When Choosing Kitchen Shutters
A few small things come up again and again once the shutters are installed, and by then it’s a bit late.
Light in the Room
Gloss looks stunning under spotlights and in photographs. In a kitchen with one big window, it can throw glare at certain hours. Matte reads calmer. Stand your sample near the actual window, at the actual time you cook, before you decide.
Handles, or No Handles
Handle-less kitchens look sleek, but they put your fingers right on the shutter edge all day. That’s a lot of touching on a gloss surface. Not a dealbreaker, just something to be ready for.
The Sample Isn’t the Kitchen
A small sample board looks very different from a full wall of shutters. Colours get stronger, shine gets louder. If you can, ask to see a finished kitchen in the same finish, and look at the edges and corners, not just the front.
So, Which One?
If you want a custom colour, a matte look, or you expect to refresh the kitchen someday, PU. If you want ready-made high gloss, a quicker install, and the colours on offer already suit you, acrylic is a perfectly good call.
One more thing, and it matters more than the material. Ask who is finishing or making the shutters and where. A well-made acrylic kitchen beats a badly sprayed PU one, and the reverse is just as true. The name on the finish tells you far less than the people behind it.
How ColourEdge Handles PU Kitchen Shutters
We’ve been at this for 35+ years as a team, across 300+ projects in Gurgaon, Faridabad and Delhi NCR. For PU shutters, a few things we don’t skip: proper sanding and curing between coats, even when a deadline is pushing; spraying in a dust-free, moisture-controlled facility instead of on site; and checking each shutter under different lights before it goes out. Colour and sheen are agreed with you before we start, so there’s no surprise on delivery day.
If you’re also weighing finishes more broadly, our piece on PU vs Melamine Polish for Delhi NCR weather covers a related decision.
Planning Your Kitchen?
Pick the finish before the carpenter is halfway through, not after. Talk to ColourEdge about PU kitchen shutters in Gurgaon, Faridabad or Delhi NCR.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are PU shutters better than acrylic for modern kitchens?
Not across the board. PU suits custom colours, matte or satin looks and future refinishing. Acrylic suits ready-made high gloss and quicker installation.
Do PU kitchen shutters handle moisture and heat?
A well-finished PU shutter copes with normal kitchen steam and heat. Because the coat is continuous, there are no edge joints to lift. The quality of the finishing decides it.
Can scratched acrylic shutters be repaired?
Very light marks can sometimes be buffed out. Deeper scratches usually mean replacing the panel.
Which is easier to keep clean?
Both wipe clean easily. Matte and satin PU hide fingerprints better than gloss of either type.
Can PU shutters be repainted in a new colour later?
Yes, if the shutters are in good condition. They can be sanded back and refinished, so you can change the kitchen’s look without replacing them.
Which costs more, PU or acrylic?
It varies with board quality and finishing. Compare quotes for the same specification rather than the finish name.
