Renovate, Remodel, and Revitalize

When you're remodeling your kitchen with new cabinets, you get the benefit of choosing the size, color, and wood type for each and every drawer and door. Different woods offer different costs, beauties, and benefits, and they match different decor styles. Learn more about the woods you might choose from when remodeling your kitchen. 

Maple

Maple is one of the most common woods for cabinets, and for a good reason. It is a hardwood that has an unaggressive grain and a softened overall finish, and it doesn't have a strong natural color, which makes it a great choice for stained finishes or painting. It also has a natural beauty for those who prefer unstained wood and matches blond, light color schemes. 

Maple is a more affordable hardwood cabinet option. The downside, if there is any, is that maple can tend to yellow with age, making your cabinets more distinctly warm in tone. 

Oak

Another common cabinet wood, oak has something different to offer. It has a distinct grain and a darker natural color. Oakwoods look good in homes that pay tribute to nature, where wood is celebrated and where other natural elements, such a slate or stone, are used in the design. 

There are different types of oak, but the most common are red and white. Red, of course, has a more orange-like hue, while white is more subdued. If you want a higher-end finish, choose cabinets made from quarter-sawn oak, which shows the "tiger-stripe" pattern that is unique to oak trees. 

Quartersawn oak is quite costly, but it will fit in with homes built in the Craftsman tradition, where oak woodwork was especially common. 

Cherry

Cherry can be a wonderful wood for your home. The wood has a reddish tone and a less aggressive grain, but it finishes beautifully. Cherry will age and take on a red patina over time, but this is not a bad thing for people who enjoy the softened, sophisticated look of cherry wood. Cherry is friendly for dark cabinet finishes, and it works well with flat-faced cabinets and more modern designs. 

Hickory

Hickory is one of the most distinct woods. It has naturally severe color variations, bold patterns, and changes in pattern and grain. Hickory is the wood for people who truly enjoy the look of wood. Hickory cabinets should be finished naturally, without stain, as the color changes in the wood will make stains appear mottled. Finished naturally, however, hickory works well with traditional, farmhouse, or rustic designs. 

Contact a company like Olson Cabinets & Woodworking Inc to learn more.