At KraftMaid, we understand the need to learn as much as possible about the type of wood that you will choose for your cabinetry project. If you live in a country cottage or an uptown city loft, the entire look and feel of your room will be influenced by the natural characteristics of the wood that you will choose—and we’re here to help.
When choosing wood, it all comes down to three important details: type, color and grain.
Type
All woods can be classified as hard or soft. Hardwood comes from broad-leafed trees such as birch, oak maple, cherry and hickory. Softwood comes from needle-bearing evergreen trees such as pine, spruce and cedar. All KraftMaid cabinets are constructed from hardwoods and tend to be stronger, more durable, and less susceptible to marks and dings than softwoods.
Color
From the light touches of maple to the darker hues of cherry, all woods have natural color variations even within the same tree. The inherent natural colors and variations result in a number of beautiful possibilities for your room.
While KraftMaid finishes can either enhance or mask the material’s color variations, it’s important to understand the natural color characteristics and variations of wood to make sure you’re selecting a wood that will be right for your home.
To understand these beautiful variations and select one that you will love, read about our range of KraftMaid finishes and speak with your kitchen designer for additional information.
Grain
Grain refers to the overall alignment, texture and various patterns that appear in your wood. And because every tree has distinct grain patterns and markings, each piece of wood from that tree will have its own unique design. Some basic grain descriptions include:
• Fine Inconspicuous or invisible patterns
• Straight Straight, vertical patterns
• Cross Lines that run parallel to the sides of the wood
• Spiral Tornado or funnel-like patterns
• Wavy Wave-like patterns
• Curly Circular patterns
• Arch Inverted U or V patterns
When creating a specific look and feel for your room, it’s important to understand the five different types of wood KraftMaid use to build our cabinetry:
Maple is a medium to hard wood with a straight, wavy or curly grain. Popular for its shock resistance and durability, maple has a light, uniform appearance that produces a smooth, clean look when stained. Another plus; it can also be finished to resemble other, more expensive hardwoods and softwoods such as cherry and cedar.
Oak is a very hard, heavy wood with a coarse grain that varies from straight to a distinctive sweeping arch pattern. Found in both red and white varieties, oak is a great cabinetry choice because it blends beautifully with many different design styles. Plus, it stains well in standard finish colors.
Birch is a smooth hardwood with straight, wavy or curly grains with a high shock resistance that takes any stain well. Birch is mostly a light-colored wood, which varies from cream to light yellow. However, the wood found in the center of the tree, or heartwood, takes on a darker reddish brown color, which may result in unique color variations in your cabinetry.
Hickory is one of our strongest, hardest and heaviest woods with random natural streaks that add unique accents to your cabinetry. Hickory has an array of naturally prominent colors ranging from very light cream to dark reddish brown to sometimes nearly black which can be easily enhanced by light or natural stains.
Cherry is well-known for its smooth grain and unique color that mellows and deepens as it ages—like fine wine. This “mellowing” effect is enhanced by exposure to bright light and depending on the amount of exposure, will tend to darken several shades over time. Considered a luxury wood due to its expensive price, cherry has pinkish-brown hues and occasional shades of white, green, or gray. Its dark color brings a warm, comforting feel to any room.
At KraftMaid, we also suggest you order a sample of the door and finish combination you’ve selected (or the couple you’re trying to decide between) in order to truly see what your product will look like when it’s delivered to your home.
Understand that Color Changes over Time
As it ages, wood takes on a special character of its own and naturally changes color when exposed to different types of lights and environments such as direct sunlight and smoke from a fireplace. Changes in heat and humidity will also cause your wood to expand and contract—another natural development that does not weaken the finish or the strength of your wood.
Through this natural aging process, you will notice slight differences in the appearance of your wood. Realizing these unique changes in color and textures will give you a greater appreciation for the natural beauty of your cabinetry.
Please review these characteristics and how your cabinetry will mature with your design professional prior to ordering your cabinetry.
The Unique Qualities of Wood: An Important Note
When your cabinets are delivered to your home, you may notice some slight differences in the color, texture and grain of the individual wood pieces.
Don’t panic. No two pieces of wood will ever look exactly alike and it is from those distinctions that wood cabinetry draws its natural beauty. Wood varies greatly in grain pattern and characteristics, such as mineral deposits, streaks, knots, pin holes and worm holes. These unique markings make each piece part of the enduring beauty of your wood selection.
When your cabinets are installed and a finish, glaze or distressing has been applied, the entire room will come together into the design that was envisioned when you first placed your order.
Browse through our wood types to choose the door style and finish that’s perfect for your room.