Wood Characteristics to Consider when Ordering Cabinetry

Information from Cory Manufacturing; reprinted with permission

Fingerprints of nature

Wood has always been a beautiful choice for fine home furniture. The natural features of different woods are unique, and each piece is one of a kind. The color, texture, and grain of finished wood products will vary from any given sample and will vary within the finished product itself. A wide range of species and finishes is available to enhance any decor.  

Cherry

Cherry is a strong and moderately hard wood. Pinholes or “birdpecks” as well as small black or brown gum streaks are often present in cherry. The color can vary from a creamy vanilla to a deep reddish brown. Cherry darkens and gains a more red or copper hue as it ages. Ultimately, cherry reaches a point when the color stabilizes. Sapwood, the lightest part of cherry, will not darken, so the contrast between heartwood and sapwood will grow. This “mellowing” process will not be even, and will be more noticeable in lighter stains. 

Hard maple

Maple, a strong hardwood, has a wavy grain characteristic and can have a birdseye, curly, or fiddleback pattern. Dark streaks known as mineral streaks are common in maple; these streaks vary in size and quantity from piece to piece. They are a natural characteristic of maple and will appear darker when stained. The color of maple ranges from vanilla to brown.

Alder

Alder is a medium density wood that features an elegant, flowing grain pattern. Natural coloration is warm and consistent due to the lack of color difference between the heartwood and sapwood portions. These color features, coupled with a fine grain structure, make alder ideal for natural or stained finishes. Alder’s low shrinkage rate also makes it a recommended species for very dry climates. Alder is offered in a grade that allows infrequent pin knots. These pin knots will be tight and usually 1/8" diameter or less.

Walnut

This luxurious hardwood has tight yet curly grain ranging from an off-white in the sapwood to a dark chocolate or purplish black in the heartwood. Walnut will have occasional mineral streaks and pin knots. Over the years, the wood develops a lustrous patina. Because of its color, hardness, and grain, it is one of the most prized species for furniture.

White oak

White oak is considered straight-grained with a medium to coarse texture and a color ranging from light to dark brown. It can be stained with a wide range of finish tones. Standard plain-sawn lumber produces the common range of grain patterns, including the very distinct “cathedral” appearance, seen in most oak lumber used in the cabinet industry.

Paint grade

Paint-grade hard maple is a tight-grained, light-colored hardwood. Dimensionally stable, paint-grade maple makes a superior yet cost-effective substrate for painted fashion finishes. Cabinetry specified as paint grade may be fabricated with door center panels of medium density fiberboard (MDF) to better resist climatic changes.

Cory Manufacturing, located in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, makes Imperia and Purekitchen cabinetry.