Wood Selections
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Take a look at a few of the more popular wood selections and learn about that wood type. This is not a comprehensive list of the species we have worked with, we will work with about anything that is available in the USA. However, these are some of the more commonly requested species.
Red Oak
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Red Oak is a very durable, common wood species, noted for its open grain and availability. Red Oak creates a warm, airy, country feeling to a kitchen if used in light colors, darker stains will produce a richer, more luxurious feel.
We have used a darker red stain on a couple bars, this looks quite nice. Red Oak has been popular in the past, but it's usage has declined in the past while, especially in architectural cabinetry.
Cherry
Cherry is also a readily available wood species, probably making up 25-30% of our projects. It is a very smooth specie that may show scuffing in high use areas a little quicker than some harder species, such as maple or oak. Cherry is usually stained anything from a lighter brown to a dark mahogany color.
We occasionally do a project in clear finish cherry, resulting in a blond color that turns darker with age. Note: cherry usually darkens with time, especially with lighter colors, so the cabinetry may look lighter than expected when first installed.
Maple
Maple makes up 20-25% of our projects, and is usually the base species if the client chooses a solid color (painted) finish. It is also a very nice looking specie in light tones, if you are looking for a light brown without to much of a yellow or red tinge, this is a great species for such.
We usually use Maple as a base wood for painted finishes, as it provides a very solid and durable substrate for paint. Some more exotic versions of Maple include Birds Eye, Tiger, and Quilted.
Quarter, Rift Sawn White Oak
Quarter or Rift Sawn White Oak is a very tight grained cut, achieved by milling a log differently than the standard plain sawn. Although it is possible to mill any specie, White Oak is one of the more common species used for this.
Quarter or rift sawn lumber is generally more stable than flat sawn, mainly because of the uniformity of the grain. Quarter Sawn White Oak usually had "medullary rays" which add character, Rift Sawn White Oak is a uniform and tight grain, with few or no "medullary rays".
Alder
Alder is a lightweight specie that has gained popularity in the recent while, which have dramatically driven up costs from it's formerly economical position. A popular version of this specie has been the rustic alder, which lends itself to blending in with many different design color schemes and styles.
Alder is not as durable as most common species used in cabinet construction. It has had somewhat of a reputation as being an alternative to cherry, however, in many ways it would more closely resemble birch. Of course, stain and color application play a part in how a product turns out as well.
Birch
Birch is a very commonly used specie in the Kansas City area for new home construction. It is a strong and durable specie, although more difficult to stain evenly with darker stains. Very few of our projects involve birch.
Beech
Beech is one of the most economical species we currently offer. It is a wider grained species that can be difficult to stain in dark colors properly. Durability is good, and the species is a great substrate for painted cabinets. Cabinet Designs uses European Steemed Beech.
Some more species we either have or can work with...
- Hickory
- Teak
- Bubinga
- Sapele
- Bamboo
- Butternut
- Walnut
- Sycamore
- and many others... just ask
