Wood Species

When designing a custom kitchen around the way you live, there is one simple thing you need to know — each wood has a very different character that will determine the feel of your kitchen. To help you better understand the various factors that affect the look of wood, we’ve put together a sampling of what you need to know. Communication is key. Express yourself with fine custom cabinetry from Specialty Kitchen & Bath.

Cabinets with character

Select a wood species for your handcrafted kitchen cabinets that is in sync with your life — the drama of varied hickory grains, the reassuring hues of cherry, or the durable comfort of oak. So, if you were a tree — what tree would you be? Your wood. Your life. Fine wood cabinetry you can live with.

Alder (Red Alder or Western Alder)

Very consistent light brown with a reddish tint
Straight grain with no distinct grain pattern
Even texture
Hardwood that is softer than cherry
Porous, moderately light and soft wood that is less shock resistant than other species and may dent more easily
Sensitive to changes in humidity
Lightens with age, reddish tint diminishing and shifting toward a soft yellow
Finishes smoothly and takes stain well, absorbing more stain at the end grain because of its porous nature

Bamboo

Characteristics of bamboo are similar to hardwoods, although bamboo is not a wood. It is classified as a grass
Bamboo is much denser and stronger than hardwoods, making it a renewable resource
Fine, even grain
Less susceptible to mold and fungus

Cherry

Colors range from creamy vanilla to deep rich red
Darkens with age, mellowing to robust reddish-brown with golden luster
Straight, satiny, more subdued grain
Small gum pockets can produce distinctive markings
Distinguished by an occasional pitch-pocket or bird-peck
Fine, uniform, smooth texture
Sensitive to changes in humidity
Machines, glues and holds fasteners well
Good shock and dent resistance
Excellent finishing qualities because of its uniform texture

Coconut Palm

Fast growing tropical wood
Will naturally range in color from pale caramel tones to deep browns
Deep, distinctive grain pattern which naturally separates as the wood ages
Unique surface texture and appearance
Fibrous wood, as can be seen in the distinctive end grain texture of the wood

Hickory

Color varies dramatically from white sapwood to near-black heartwood, sometimes with inconspicuous fine brown lines
Use of both sapwood and heartwood provides striking contrasts called “calico”
Generally fine and straight-grained, but may also have flowing variations in grain
Can exhibit dramatic and random burls, mineral streaks or specks
Course and even texture
Extremely tough and resilient
Sensitive to changes in humidity
Stains and finishes well with natural grain pattern accentuated by medium to dark finishes

Maple (Hard Maple)

Color ranges from cream to light reddish-brown
Light, creamy brown color accentuates mineral streaks and color variations
Usually straight-grained, but sometimes has highly figured bird’s-eyes that resemble small circular or elliptical figures
Color will take on a golden hue with age
Sometimes exhibits a burl grain – clusters of round curls
Fine and uniform texture
Extremely durable, strong and stiff with excellent resistance to shock, dents and abrasion
Sensitive to both ultraviolet light and changes in moisture
Machines and holds fasteners well
Uniform texture and tight grain make it excellent for stains and paints
Mineral streaks darken with stain

Oak (Red Oak)

Color varies from rich wheat to warm yellow and rich reddish brown
May be streaked with green, yellow or black minerals
Medium-coarse to coarse texture
Straight prominent open grain distinguished by rays that reflect light and may vary from sweeping arches to tight grain patterns
Very high dent and shock resistance
Machines and glues well
Holds nails and screws well because it is heavy, strong and hard
Sensitive to changes in humidity
Responds well to a wide range of finish tones

Quarter Sawn Red Oak

Harvested from northern red oak by a special sawing process, with boards cut along the radius of the log
Hallmark of the Arts & Crafts and Mission style, prized for the medullary ray flecks that are revealed by this specialized cut
Distinctive patterns include wavy and interlocked grains, flake figures, pin stripes, fine lines, leafy grains and watery figures
Appears darker than regular oak due to the tight grain
Reduces twisting, warping and cupping
Holds finishes better
Does not allow liquids to readily pass through it

White Oak

Dense, durable hardwood
Wood color ranges from a greenish gray to a light brown, occasionally with a slight pink hue
Arching grain and porous texture
Some small pin knots and mineral streaks are common

Walnut

Strong versatile wood
Consists of a mix of heartwood and sapwood
Ranges from light brown to dark chocolate, with some blonde or yellow as well
Color lightens over time
Beautiful rich color with a unique grain pattern

Character Cherry, Character Oak, Character Maple and Character Alder

Known as “rustic” or “knotty,” these fine wood species have the added character given them by the random size, quality and placement of knots within the wood
Character wood is specially selected to have more knots, mineral streaks, sapwood and color variations
Knots vary in size, quantity and placement, but are sound