When it comes to kitchen cabinet renovation, choosing one from the many hardwood and softwood available could be confusing, there are many things to be considered beyond your taste, personality, and budget. While these three factors are significant, you will want to consider how much sunlight flushes your kitchen, the frequency of use, the number of times mixtures will spill on the wood, how easily you can change the finish to adapt to new trends, and so on. 

 

It is no wonder that the art of making cabinets – cabinetry – has been made a separate study under woodwork, but that is not for you to bother about. This article will be showing you the best woods to use for your kitchen cabinet renovation.    

 

Walnut 

Walnut is a hardwood with a color variation from cream to dark chocolate brown. Its dark, chocolate brown variety is the most popular and most sought though less common. The color distinguishes it from all other woods, and this makes the budget on the high side. Be it a traditional, contemporary, trend-transitional style; walnut will give your kitchen the feel you desire. 

The wood has a straight grain with a density between 490 to 700kg/m3. It is easy to work with, and a lighter finish will explore its color ranges. However, a dark finish will give your kitchen that full chocolaty, dark, classic look. Walnut is not only aesthetically pleasing but also durable with a Janka hardness of 1,010 

 

Hickory

This wood color varies between shades of white and dark brown. Regardless of the color variations, they have random fashionable streaks which accentuate its aesthetic value. The wood is durable, with a Janka rating of 1820 and 0.83(103 kg/m3). Hickory has several species, hence, it is in abundance and easy to find. This also makes them more affordable. They also look great with a nice light finish and also absorbs stains well.  

 

Maple 

Maple has a smooth, fine grain and varies from white to cream with no dark variety. Like Hickory, Maple is popular for its availability. They are considerably easy to work with and adapts to any style you might want to adapt it to. However, continuous dark stains might affect its aesthetic look. They are very durable with a 1,450 Janka rating and density between 600-750 kg/m3. Though it is common, some maple can be more expensive than Hickory. Some Maple have dark golden-brown color but are never as dark as walnut. Maple is also known for its nice texture.  

 

Oak Wood

There are different types of oak. We have the red oak and white oak and its main substitute, the rift oak. White oak is the stronger one. Oak generally has an uneven grain—one thing that distinguishes it from rift oak, which has linear grain. White has a soft grain with a cozy, comfy, rustic feel. Red Oak, on the other hand, has a bolder look and fits more for traditional styles. The oaks, including rift oak, have the same Janka rating of 1290 and density between 0.6-0.9 (103 kg/m3) 

 

Conclusion 

When picking the wood for your kitchen cabinet, consider sunlight and chemical, which are the factors that wear out wood the most. Alder and Cherry  (though good woods) have been excluded from the above list deliberately because studies show they get affected the fastest. Maple also tends to age quickly. In all, with a good finish and proper maintenance, the listed above are some of the best to use for kitchen cabinet renovation.