American Houses

When shopping around for wood kitchen cabinets the options seem endless. So how do you decide which wood will work best for you? It is important to know how you plan on finishing the wood. The reason that this is so important is because different types of wood react differently to stain and polish.

Another thing that you will want to consider is the amount of money that you intend to spend on your new cabinets. Wood prices tend to vary.

Here are a few tips that should help you in making your decision.

Oak is fairly inexpensive and is the most common type of wood used in making unfinished wood kitchen cabinets. Due to there being over 200 species of oak, cabinets made of oak wood can be found in a variety of different shades. The most commonly used oak wood is tan or yellowish brown in color. All oak wood is tough and takes stain quite well.

Pine is another inexpensive option. Cabinets made from pine wood are usually white, yellow or ponderosa. Yellow and white pine wood is not very solid but do take stain and paint well. Ponderosa pine requires extra preparation for stain or paint to take. Ponderosa pine can come from sapwood or heartwood. Ponderosa from sapwood is yellow and ponderosa from heartwood tends to have a reddish or orange hue.

Some of the more expensive woods used in making unfinished wood cabinets are mahogany, walnut and ebony. Mahogany, coming from the rain forests of western Africa is strong but not dense wood. Mahogany wood is reddish brown in color and take stain and polish incredibly well.

Walnut wood is strong, has a medium density and takes well to finishing. Although, walnut wood is dark brown in color you should keep in mind that that this type of wood often darkens with age.

Ebony wood used for making unfinished kitchen cabinets is usually from India or Africa. Ebony wood is usually solid and strong but can be brittle as well. Once this wood is entirely polished, it has a beautiful finish that almost seems to glow.