Kitchen Cabinet Styles: What's the Best Type of Hardwood?

By Rob Sabo
RefacingCabinet.com Columnist

When you install or upgrade your kitchen cabinets, you have many different types of wood from which to choose--hardwoods and softwoods, as well as cheap "looks like wood" press board. Here's a rundown of the best hardwood types for elegant kitchen cabinets--but be warned that "best" also equates to "expensive."

Top of the List: Cherry

Pros:

• Cherry is the cream of the crop for hardwoods. It has a beautiful grain pattern and its color can range from a deep red to reddish brown.
• Cherry wood is often stained with a medium to dark finish to enhance the wood's natural beauty.
• Cherry wood cabinets typically darken with age or exposure to sunlight, and lend themselves to Shaker, Mission, and country kitchen cabinet designs.
• Cherry wood has a uniform grain, holds finish well, and is extremely durable.
• When stained and finished, cherry has an unsurpassed "satiny" look.

Cons:

• Cherry cabinets come with a very high price tag.

An Affordable Alternative: Hickory

Pros:

• Hickory kitchen cabinets are beautiful and less expensive than cherry.
• Hickory is an extremely durable hardwood and is very resistant to dents and dings.
• Mutli-colored wood and strong grain patterns exude an "outdoorsy" or rustic look and match well with country home styles.

Cons:

• Hickory can vary greatly in color. Make sure your hickory cabinets match your kitchen's decor.

Two Timeless Classics: Maple and Birch

Pros:

• Maple is one of the hardest woods and resists abrasion well.
• Maple's fine, smooth grain and uniform texture hold stain and finish well.
• Although still expensive, birch is more affordable than other types of hardwoods. Birch resembles maple--but it has a much lower price point.

Cons:

• Both maple kitchen cabinets and birch cabinetry can take big bites out of your kitchen remodeling project budget.
• Birch wood can blotch because the stain can penetrate deeper into some parts of the wood.

The Old Standby: Oak

Pros:

• Oak cabinetry is the most prevalent choice for kitchen cabinets.
• Oak is a durable, functional cabinet choice at a reasonable price.
• Oak resists warping and damage over time.

Cons:

• Oak cabinetry is often installed in upscale multi-family apartment buildings, condominiums, or town homes. It may not set your kitchen apart as much as a different choice of hardwood.
• Fake laminate products are often made to look like oak.

Consult with several kitchen cabinet contractors before choosing a hardwood style. These knowledgeable woodworking professionals work with these materials on a daily basis and can give you an expert opinion on the hardwood style that best matches your home and your budget.

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