Norfolk Kitchen & Bath | Family Owned Since 1934

Choosing the Right Wood for Your Kitchen Cabinets

Your kitchen is defined largely by the materials that make up its surfaces, including countertops and kitchen cabinets. The right type of material accentuates its appeal and gives it character. But how do you know how to find the right material for the style you’re looking for? Modern kitchens often feature stainless steel, glass, or marble surfaces, but kitchen cabinets most often consist of traditional wood. A benefit of choosing wood is that it can take several types of finishes. Right now, paint is the most popular finish and Norfolk Kitchen & Bath offers custom paint finishes to style your kitchen and keep up with trends. We’ll work with you to find twood stain chips showing about 50 different finisheshe style that best suits your preferences. To get you started, we’re giving you a guide to the most common types of wood used for kitchen cabinets.

Maple is smooth with an indistinct grain pattern, and works well with almost any finish. You’ll see it most often in a chestnut color.

Oak is extremely durable and will have a distinct grain pattern of straight lines, curves, and points. It ranges in color but is often comparable to caramel or honey. Oak is good for holding up to stains and scratches.

Quartersawn Oak is bold and sturdy, offering a hardy appeal. It goes well with many finishes including glaze, sheen, and distressing.

Cherry is a lighter, softer wood with a smooth surface that is ideal for a variety of finishes. Although many associate cherry wood with a rich, reddish-brownish color, it is usually lighter in hue originally, and then darkens with age and exposure to sunlight.

Alder is even softer than cherry and is similarly good for finishes. Most alder wood will have at least a tint of red, often mixed with a light brown. The grain can appear almost completely clear or strewn with random markings.

Hickory is a dense wood that ranges widely in color. Its conspicuous grain patterns will make it stand out in your kitchen and offer a varied but always fresh, polished look.

Paint is, of course, not a type of wood. But we couldn’t write an entire post about wood without including its most popular finish! Paint is typically used over a hardwood door frame. The hottest style is currently classic white painted doors. You can choose between standard whites, shades of white, and more than a thousand other Sherwin-Williams colors.