The Most Popular Woods For Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets are made in a variety of different hardwoods. If you’re looking for the most affordable cabinets, you might even be able to find a softwood such as pine. They’re typically finished with vinyl finish, though, because pine is so soft. If you’re looking to have the natural wood look shining through, you need a hardwood.

Maple

Maple is a very popular hardwood for many different applications, cabinetry being one of them. Typically, maple cabinets are lightly colored. They’re usually off-white to a cream color. They’re great for any room that needs to be bright and airy. Also, they’re great if you plan to stain the cabinets. Since they’re so light in color, they take a stain very well.

Oak

Oak is something of an all-purpose hardwood. It can be used for everything from a barbecue smoker to a cabinet. Oak ranges in color from off-white all the way to deep reddish colors. Mineral deposits as the oak was growing can lead to inclusions of green, black, and even blue. It’s one of the most diverse woods in terms of color.

Cedar

Cedar is a little more difficult to come by, but it is very popular. Cedar is popular because oils in the wood lend themselves to a very peppery and welcoming fragrance that is very distinct. Also, the wood itself is resistant to rot, moisture, and pests. Oftentimes, cedar cabinets aren’t even sealed with polyurethane or oil. They’re left in their natural state.

Alder

Alder is a very lightly colored wood with a light grain that’s not very dramatic. Alder is the preferred wood for people who want subtle cabinets or who want to paint them. Since the grain does not stand out in a significant way, you might even be able to paint your alder cabinets without priming them first. Also, the light color will not show through even on a light paint.

Pecan

Pecan has very dramatic wood grain that tends to assert itself against all but the darkest stain. If you want to stain a wooden cabinet a certain color while still keeping the look of the natural grain, pecan is a good choice. Hickory is also a good choice as well. The terms “pecan” and “hickory” are often used interchangeably to refer to the same tree.

These are some of the most common dn most popular hardwoods used for kitchen cabinets. A kitchen cabinet needs to be able to stand up to heat and humidity; a well-maintained hardwood will do that.

Investing in Kitchen Cabinets Before Other Remodeling Needs

If you want to update your kitchen but don’t have the budget for an entire remodel its best to start with the cabinets. Adding new appliances and updating finishes may help give the kitchen a bit of a face lift but can’t help much with functional issues and can be costly. Appliances are generally designed to fit a specific space and may not be reusable later, the same goes for countertops.

Updating the cabinets first is vital because they are the footprint and foundation of the room. When a designer works on a kitchen they start with the cabinets. They determine so many factors in the space like the size of the cabinets, what type of appliances will be needed as well as how they will be placed. If you update the counters and later want to change the footprint of your kitchen you will have to start back at square one with the countertops.

Next, cabinets are a big undertaking while replacing countertops, cabinets, backsplash and other finishes is easier. Cabinets are installed and become a permanent fixture in your home while these other items can be replaced with much less work. If you add the cabinets and budget friendly countertops you can later replace the countertops with very little mess and construction.

One of the biggest reasons you should focus first on cabinets is because they are the biggest part of your budget. Installing quality boxes and cabinets will allow you to update and upgrade them as time goes on without the cost of a big remodel. Using high quality materials and well constructed products can allow your cabinets to last for decades. Cabinet doors may need refinishing, hardware updates and other cosmetic changes but the cabinets will last for decades with little sign of wear.

If you are looking to update your kitchen in a full remodel the cabinets will likely be about 35-50% of your budget. If you don’t currently have the budget to remodel your entire kitchen you may want to consider adding the new cabinets and choosing a lower end set of appliances (or reusing the existing appliances) and adding low cost countertops. Once the footprint of your kitchen is established you can add the more polished finishes as your budget allows.

If you have a tight budget and still want to update your kitchen the countertop is a great place to cut costs. The high end laminate counters have come a long way in both looks and durability and can be a great cost saving option.

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Three Ways to Revitalize Your Old Cabinets

Most kitchen and bathroom cabinets are made of hardwoods. They can be solid hardwood or engineered hardwood. An engineered cabinet is one that is made of a thin veneer of hardwood and several layers of pressboard or plywood underneath it. A solid hardwood cabinet is made from single pieces of solid hardwood. Either type of cabinet should last for a very long time if you take care of it. However, However, the bathroom and the kitchen are two of the harshest rooms in your home. The temperature and the humidity in the bathroom or kitchen can change dramatically. That can cause wood to swell or contract and damage the wood ultimately. That’s one of the reasons wooden cabinets are painted. However, you might need to revitalize them after a while. You can paint it, refinish it, or strip it. Either one is a great choice.

Refinishing Your Cabinets

To refinish your cabinets, you’ll first need to remove the existing surface of the cabinets. If your cabinets are painted, they likely don’t have another top coat. You will use a paint stripper to remove the paint from the cabinets. Many people prefer a paint stripper gel because it does not splash the way a liquid might; it’s a very caustic chemical, and you should be very careful when you use it.

Once you’ve stripped off the old paint, you have the option to either stain it, paint it, or just put a finish on it. If you like the way the bare wood looks, you should consider just applying a polyurethane coating to the wood. You’ll need to use a few coats to get the right thickness to the clear coat.

Stripping Your Cabinets

One current trend in cabinetry is a rustic or distressed look. These are cabinets that are designed to look like antique cabinets that have been through rough treatment. The aging leaves a patina that many find very attractive. One way to mimic that is with paint stripper. The same paint stripping formula that you could use to remove all of the paint can be used to remove only some of the paint. Apply the stripper in a random manner and remove parts of the stripper at different intervals. This will create inconsistent paint removal and mimic the patina of aged wood.

Painting Your Cabinets

Finally, you can choose to simply repaint your cabinets. In most cases, you’ll be able to sand the original surface and then paint over the existing paint. You should use a medium-grit sandpaper to rough up the paint and give the new paint something to which it can adhere.

Any of these three options can turn old cabinets into exciting new additions to your home.

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How to Make Old Cabinets Look New by Making Them Look Old

If you’ve paid attention to interior design at all in the last few years, you will have noticed the increased focus on distressed wood. Distressed wood is wood that looks as if it has been aged and weathered. Often, it will develop a patina of age that comes from years of moisture and handling that leads to uneven paint. Furthermore, paint will often chip and flake. The wood might bear scars and dings from years of use. When this occurs naturally, the wood is aged or antique. When it is done artificially, it is typically known as distressed. If you want to make your old cabinets look new and trendy, you should consider distressing them. One of the benefits of distressing your cabinets is that you can’t mess it up; the idea is to mess up your cabinets.

1 – Remove the Cabinets

You should remove the cabinet doors and take them outside. Prepare them to be distressed by cleaning them with a mild detergent and a cloth. If they’re exceptionally dirty, you might need to brush them.

2 – Paint Stripper

Paint stripper will remove paint from almost any surface. To remove all of the paint from the wood, you can apply an even coat of stripper according to the directions. Follow the instructions on the packaging to do it safely. Be careful with stripper; it is generally very caustic. If you want to distress the paint but leave some in place, apply the stripper deliberately unevenly. You might also want to remove it sooner than the packaging suggests. That will remove lots of paint but likely leave traces of it in spots.

3 – Wire Brush

A wire brush is a great way to distress your cabinets. Running the wire brush over the cabinets will scratch and scar the wood. It will also remove some of the paint but leave it in the places between the bristles.

4 – Sander

A sander is another great way to remove paint and distress wood. A very coarse grit sandpaper will remove a lot of paint and wood. Make sure not to remove too much from the edges of the cabinet door or else it will no longer fit properly.

Once you’ve done all of these things, you can seal your cabinets with a polyurethane or a coat of varnish if you want to preserve the finish. You could also leave them unsealed and watch as they continue to weather.

What Cabinet Trends Are on the Horizon?

Kitchen design goes through trends and phases as with any other type of design. One of the most trendy elements is the cabinetry. Your kitchen cabinets are obviously very useful for storing and organizing your items; they’re also usually right at eye level or just above it. That means that they catch the eye of anyone who walks into your kitchen and help to create the design look. For these reasons, the right cabinets can make all of the difference. Here are a few trends in kitchen cabinetry to keep an eye on in the coming months.

1 – Simplicity

Simple cabinets have been growing in popularity for years. Oftentimes, these are cabinets built in the shaker style. The shakers are a religious sect founded in the 18th century. They emphasized simplicity in their designs. Therefore, their designs are not very ornate or embellished. That simplicity can be very striking and appealing.

2 – Light Colors

Light colors are neutrals and pastels that help a room seem brighter and more open. If you have windows in your kitchen, light coming into the room will bounce off your cabinets and help brighten the entire room. Furthermore, it will make a room seem larger.

3 – Customized Drawers

In the past, a cabinet or drawer was typically just an empty box. If you wanted to store your silverware or something specific, you needed a special insert. Now, kitchen cabinets and drawers are often built with the specialization in mind. Cabinets are being built with cubbies for silverware, racks for plates, and narrow pockets for cookie sheets. There are other elements that have become popular as well. These elements are popular because they reduce the amount of things you need to buy.

4 – Appliance Cabinets

Another popular trend is to hide your appliances. As they become more modern and useful, appliances tend to look more attractive as well. However, if you don’t want your refrigerator and your dishwasher to stand out against your design scheme, you could hide them being cabinet doors. That will create a more unified look to your kitchen.

5 – Floor to Ceiling Cabinetry

Floor to ceiling cabinets are popular as well. As stated earlier, cabinets are typically at or above eye level. However, if you install floor to ceiling cabinets, you’ll be able to utilize wall space that is normally wasted. You’ll be able to store more items, get more things off the floor, and hide more of your kitchen items behind doors.