If wood is your choice of material, then you will be happy to know that there’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to selecting a wood species. Today there is no hot trend that will be ‘out’ next week when it comes to wood species. So just sit back, relax and rely on your taste and cost as your main determinants.

Your choice of wood will have the most impact on the cabinet’s ultimate look. If you want a light look, for example, you might start with a light wood like maple. In the mid-range, consider cherry with a light to medium stain. Or you can stain maple to be darker than its natural color.

For a darker kitchen, you will want to use a wood such as Alder and Cherry that will allow the stain to penetrate into the grain for a richer and darker finish.

I really think they should teach this in school because unless you are a wood expert (or someone who likes to Google this) how and why would you ever know the major difference in wood characteristics. So here it is. Simple and straight forward.

Oak: Oak’s coarser natural texture results in a defined straight grain that’s more open and casual than elegant. Oak’s porous nature makes it extremely absorbent: The darker the stain, the more apparent the grain pattern. Among the most common cabinetry woods, oak’s durability and finishing characteristics has made it a common choice.

Pecan/Hickory: Pecan is one of the strongest and heaviest used American woods, and is a member of the hickory family. With colors ranging from white to a red brown, it’s color and grain pattern varies greatly. This straight and fine grain accepts medium to dark finishes and bleaches well. With a natural or light finish, Pecan has a wild grain pattern with a lot of variation. It looks right at home in a rustic or country setting.

Alder: Once dismissed because of its weed-like growing habits, the Pacific Northwest’s most abundant hardwood is one of the most in-demand options. Consistent in color, alder tends to range from a pale pinkish-brown to almost white. Because it has a close grain and readily accepts stain, alder can imitate maple and cherry. Alder is classified as a ‘hard wood’, however, it is significantly softer than maple or cherry.

Red Birch: Birch is a strong, durable, closed grained wood with a very even texture. In a natural finish the grain patterns allow for an iridescent appearance. This species looks similar to cherry wood but doesn’t darken dramatically like cherry does.

Maple: Generally a straight, tight grain, but expect occasional wavy eye patterning. Maple’s consistent grain pattern allows it to easily adapt to both traditional and contemporary designs, making it easy to see why maple is the number one wood choice for cabinetry. A very durable wood, maple finishes well, making it an excellent choice for stains and glazes.

Cherry: Cherry is a smooth, even grained hardwood known for its warm, rich look. Cherry will range from deep red to reddish-brown color. Cherry ‘mellows’ and darkens with age; exposure to sunlight will cause the wood to darken and redden significantly.

The Cabinet Box

You might be surprised to learn that solid wood rarely forms the cabinet box. But yes this is true that it’s more often used in face frames and doors than in the larger side panels. That’s because it can warp—a special concern in the kitchen where the moisture level changes frequently. But the cabinet box, using multiple layers of plywood (real thin pieces of wood) in a variety of sizes and directions can reduce the warp factor. The materials of the cabinet box (depending on whether you have custom, semi custom, or stock cabinets) typically contain wood chips, other wood by-products, and synthetic additives to make them especially strong and warp resistant. Your options include:

Here is a detailed diagram of one of our semi-custom cabinet lines- Shiloh Cabinetry.

1. Solid wood hanging rail for secure fastening to wall
2. Solid wood corner blocks in base cabinets add strength and stability
3. 3/4" plywood drawer box with undermount guide (solid wood dovetail drawer available)
4. Solid wood door, no composite material (except thermafoil product)
5. Maple laminate over plywood for a durable interior, or a real wood veneer interior is available
6. 3/4" plywood adjustable shelving with metal shelf clips
7. 1 1/2" solid wood frames
8. 3/8" plywood bottoms are strong and resist water damage
9. Smooth, catalyzed conversion varnish topcoat that is resistant to most household chemicals
10. 1/2" plywood sides with optional applied doors or raised panel ends for a great look and outstanding quality

It is quite common that the door and the cabinet box will be constructed of different materials. A cabinet door might be solid maple and the cabinet box will be plywood covered with a maple veneer.

So when you are out there shopping for your cabinets, make sure you do your homework and understand the differences between the different materials. Usually a certain material (plywood) correlates with a certain quality of cabinetry, which will have a typical delivery time frame of four to six weeks.