Premier Construction Information for Property and Building Owners

Real wood cabinets really make a statement in your kitchen. They'll become one of the focal points of the space, and you'll choose your other elements in order to call more attention to them. As such, it is important to put some thought into the type of wood you choose for your cabinets. Here are four of the best woods that you'll want to consider.

Hickory

Hickory is one of the hardest woods, which makes it a great choice for cabinets. It will be less prone to dents and scratches than other woods. The grain of hickory is very obvious and distinct. Some describe it as having a flame-like pattern. There's really no reason to stain hickory cabinets; they look wonderful with a natural finish. The only real downside to hickory cabinets is their cost. They can cost significantly more than cabinets made from other woods. Also, the distinct grain is not everyone's taste.

Cherry

Cherry is another relatively hard wood. It has a smooth texture and a natural reddish hue. However, it can easily be stained a darker color if you would prefer. The grain of cherry is distinct, but very straight and regular, giving it a more tidy and pristine look than hickory. One downfall of cherry is that it is known to darken with age. So, this is something to take into account as you plan your kitchen color scheme. 

Red Oak

Red oak is a classic choice for kitchen cabinets. It's not the hardest, but it's hard enough. It has a lot of character from its distinct grain and texture. Red oak is also abundant in North America, which means it's quite affordable in comparison to hickory or cherry. Oak takes stain well, but the stain does make the grain even more distinct, which is not for everyone. 

Walnut

Walnut is a naturally dark wood, which makes it a good choice if you want dark cabinets and want to avoid stain. However, there can be a lot of color variation in walnut, even within single boards, which not everyone likes. Walnut is quite strong and lends itself well to carving, making it a good choice if you want any sort of tooling or embellishment on your cabinets. It does tend to come with a high price tag, though.

Consider the woods above to decide which is best for your kitchen cabinets. Your cabinet maker can lend an opinion on wood cabinet options, too.