Wood Species
Understand Characteristics of Each Wood Species
You have your cabinetry design and style nailed down, now it is time to decide what type of wood species to use for your cabinetry. There is no better way to understand which one is best for you than by understanding the characteristics first. Choosing a species for your next cabinet project can be daunting… but with Wheatland Custom Cabinetry & Woodwork any type of wood is available at your fingertips to achieve the look that reflects your style. Let us help you in guiding you to make the best decision for your project needs and outcome. Below are just a few of the most popular wood species—how they function and how they lend to be finished.
Walnut
Walnut is one of the richest looking woods due to the chocolate coloring and gorgeous wood grains. It is best to finish with a clear seal, which brings out the olive tones. It is also popular for island tops.
Maple
This species is one of the two most preferred for cabinetry. Maple is a strong and stiff species for cabinetry. It also lends itself best to being painted.
White Oak
White oak is best finished with stain. It is amazing to use to create a rustic look—blasted to get a nice weathered look.
Red Oak
Red oak also takes stain very well and is very durable. It is not as popular and weather as easy as white oak due to the color.
Birch
Birch is one of the preferred species for cabinets. It is very good for painted cabinets and also takes stain well. Birch can also be made to look like any other wood.
Cherry
Cherry has a fine smooth grain and a hue that deepens as it ages. It lends itself well to darker stains or being finished with a clear seal.
Lyptus
Lyptus is a unique, sustainable species with rich, red and variational coloring. It is one of the recommended species when using a really dark stain. Lyptus trees grow to full maturity in 15 years vs. 50+ years for most domestic hardwoods, which make this species a notable environmental advantage.
Knotty Alder
If you are looking for a rustic look, knotty alder is your wood. The beautiful knots give it so much character, which is a great way to use as accent cabinetry in a kitchen. Because this wood is thick, it is also popular and great for decorative, opening shelving.
Hickory
Hickory is one of the primary species used when creating our mudroom locker cabinets. It is very durable and can be finished with a rustic look.
Pine
Although pine is not typically used for cabinetry due to it’s softness, it is a ‘go to’ species for decorative paneling over the fireplace or beaded paneling.