Knowing what woods are available in the markets specifically for kitchen cabinets is a great resource before you buy. This will give you an idea of what woods you are interested in and will go with the whole kitchen decorating theme.
We will start with the most expensive and quality woods such as Mahogany, Walnut and Ebony. Mahogany wood comes from the west coast of Africa and is reddish-brown in color. The grain is straight or can be interlocked or a mixture of both. This stains very well and holds its color. One downside to using this wood is that it is not known for its durability and it is not strong.
Woods called Ebony are named for their darker shades of black or brown. The most beautiful of them is the African ebony wood. Many high-end furniture designers use this for their best pieces. Irregular and sometimes rippled grain effects give it even more atmosphere. It is durable and dense, but can sometimes be brittle.
Walnut has a few variations to choose from. The most popular is the American walnut, it is carried throughout North and South America. This is a darker brown heartwood which, with increasing age, darkens further to a bright color. The density of the wood is strong, durable and medium grade. Using stain on this wood is charming and maintains its appearance.
White pine comes in color variations of two types, a beige color and of course a white. This wood is much easier to prepare and to stain or paint than the ponderosa pine that can also be found in markets today.
More woods that are friendly to money and make cabinets look extraordinary are cherry, oak, and maple woods. In these lean economic times, we still need to get beautiful cabinets, but we need to make sure we don’t go out of our budget to buy them.
Oak wood has up to 200 different types for you to choose from when you go shopping. The most popular is the heartwood which has a beautiful brownish-yellow tint. This wood can be painted very easily and simply primed. The grains are mostly straight, but some can be found with cross grain effects within them. It is a very durable wood and has a high density.
Maple wood can be found with at least ten different types of wood to choose from. Within the maple group, the softer maples are best for shaping cabinets. They are also the ones that look best once stained or painted. Rock Maple is the most durable and has a denser quality than the softer maples.
A favorite of all kitchen cabinet woods is Cherry Wood. With whimsical pinks and reds all over and staining that only adds to these effects, it’s perfect. Over the years, as the sun shines on the wood, the color will deepen and look even more beautiful for you and your guests to admire. It is extremely durable and holds color well once applied.
