If you are thinking about the kind of material to use in your new kitchen cabinets, there is a high possibility that wood is at the top of your list. Wood cabinets are visually enticing due to the natural, distinct, and unique character. Additionally, wood marries well with nearly every decorating style, whether it is kept natural or stained.
While we have witnessed several design fads come and go, wood cabinets have managed to stand the test of time and remain the number one choice for many due to their durability, low maintenance needs, and customizability. However, when choosing wood cabinets, you need to learn as much as possible about the type of wood that will be ideal for your cabinetry project.
What are the Various Types of Wood Cabinets?
Oak Cabinets
Available in white and red varieties, oak is a massive, strong, and sturdy wood that boasts a straight or unique arc pattern. Oak is an excellent cabinetry choice since it is timeless, versatile, and it blends seamlessly with a vast array of design styles. Additionally, this wood option is excellent for sanding, staining, and finishing. It is crucial to note that the white oak is a bit stronger and durable than the red oak.
Hickory Cabinets
Lending itself a rustic style, hickory is a creamy, pale yellow wood that boasts the same strength and grain pattern as the oak. With an array of naturally prominent colors, this wood option features some blond tones that are often complemented with a bright or natural finish. This wood is a rare choice for semi-custom and custom cabinetry, and its random natural streaks add some authentic accents to your cabinetry.
Cherry Cabinets
Cherry wood kitchen cabinets are renowned for their smooth grain and authentic hues that deepens and mellows as they age. Although it is relatively expensive when compared to other types of wood, cherry is elegant and formal, and its design versatility offers your kitchen an alluring modern appeal. The wood is often stained to maintain the uniformity of color, but the best thing is that it is hard enough to resist and withstand knocks and marring.
Maple Cabinets
Maple cabinets are famous for their straight, wavy, or curly grains, which make them resistant to shock and highly durable. With a light, uniform allure, maple produces a smooth and clean look when stained. Another boon of this medium to hardwood is the fact that it can be finished to look like other top-quality soft and hardwoods, such as cedar and cherry. If you want to create a dramatic kitchen with dull finishes or light, airy kitchen with intense beauty, maple cabinets are the ideal choice.
Alder Cabinets
Although Alder is classified as a hardwood, its fine-grain pattern makes it softer than other hardwood species. Alder cabinets exude some fusion of rustic characteristics such as open and closed knots, wormholes, burls, sound cracks, and mineral streaks, which helps to reflect its inherent beauty. Due to its softer character, Alder is considered to be the best wood option when it comes to adhering to stains and finishes. It is also highly susceptible to denting, and it can assume different colors ranging from darker brown to pale red.
Birch Cabinets
Slightly darker than maple, Birch is a smooth hardwood with fine, curly grains that make it highly resistant to shock. Birch cabinets take finishes well and can be stained to look like other expensive wood cabinets such as maple and cherry. This wood option is highly versatile and can be customized to achieve any allure, from casual to more refined settings. However, since this wood is prone to irregular coloring, it is relatively inexpensive.
Pine Cabinets
The pale yellow pine wood takes pride in being the only softwood used for cabinetry. This wood option is more natural to dent and often comes with knots that can be used to underscore retro and country styles. It can also be stained easily due to its straight grain and fine texture.
For help with your remodeling project, book an appointment with Karin Ross Designs today!
