Cabinetry paint cracks happen as wood shrinks and swells a bit with changes in temperature and humidity-level. This seaonal movement in wood is natural, and typically does not signal any structural problem with the door or cabinet frame involved.  But as joined wood pieces move relative to one another, the finish covering them must shift or crack a bit also.

This happens on stained-varnished cabinetry parts also, but it's not usually so apparent there --hidden by wood graining, and color variability, and the fact that this sort of finish is not as thick as a paint finish.  Paint finishes are also more vulnerable to impact chips, so these finishes are most appropriate for kitchens where everyday rambunctious kids and pets are absent.

Many homeowners who want the most authentic painted wood look must understand and accept the facts about painted wood cabinetry. Then it can be very pleasing and serve well.  Glazing and tinted top-coat techniques can also minimize paint-cracking appearance.

As "white cabinet" alternatives, SITK also offers painted MDF and thermoform products on European (frameless, full-access) cabinetry.

Since European-style cabinetry construction has neither cabinet frame joints, nor side-to-frame joints -- these cabinetry-box paint crack sites are non existent.

Each MDF cabinetry door or drawer is made from a single piece of fiber board -- a great substrate for machined-in style detail, and a perfect base for beautiful painted finishes.  ...and since there are no various wood pieces present, there is no variable movement -- and so no movement cracks at all.  Impact chipping vulnerability is still present.

Good quality thermoform doors and drawers are also shaped from MDF material -- and then covered with heavy vinyl sheeting, shaped and bonded to the MDF substrate.  No paint is involved -- so no paint cracking and no impact chipping vulnerability.  (Thermoform doors and drawer fronts must be kept away from high heat -- self-clean oven cycles can damage them, so open doors and drawers away from the oven when in this cycle.)

Style detailing is most fully articulated on painted wood cabinets -- less so on MDF products, least so on thermoform.  So more simply shaped styles are good choices with MDF or thermoform.