When designing a custom kitchen around the way you live, there is one simple thing you need to know — each wood has a very different character that will determine the feel of your kitchen. To help you better understand the various factors that affect the look of wood, we’ve put together a sampling of what you need to know. Kitchen designers can also show you wood samples that translate words into wood. Communication is key. Express yourself with fine custom cabinetry from Holiday Kitchens.
Alder (Red Alder or Western Alder)
Color is a very consistent light brown with a reddish tint
Straight grain with no distinct grain pattern
Even texture
Hardwood that is softer than cherry
Porous, moderately light and soft wood that is less shock resistant than other species and tends to dent more easily
Sensitive to changes in humidity
Lightens with age, reds diminishing and shifting toward a soft yellow
Finishes smoothly and takes stain well, absorbing more stain at the end grain because of its porous nature
Cherry
Colors range from creamy vanilla to deep, rich red
Darkens with age, mellowing to robust reddish-brown with golden luster
Straight, satiny, more subdued grain
Small gum pockets can produce distinctive markings
Distinguished by an occasional pitchpocket or birdpeck
Fine, uniform, smooth texture
Sensitive to changes in humidity
Machines, glues and holds fasteners well
Good shock and dent resistance
Excellent finishing qualities because of its uniform texture
Hickory
Color varies dramatically from white sapwood to near-black heartwood, sometimes with inconspicuous fine brown lines
Use of both sapwood and heartwood provides striking contrasts called “calico”
Generally fine and straight-grained, but may also have flowing variations in grain
Can exhibit dramatic and random burls, mineral streaks or specks
Course and even texture
Extremely tough and resilient
Sensitive to changes in humidity
Stains and finishes well with natural grain pattern accentuated by medium to dark finishes
Maple (Hard Maple)
Color ranges from cream to light reddish-brown
Light, creamy brown color accentuates mineral streaks and color variations
Usually straight-grained, but sometimes has highly figured bird’s-eyes that resemble small circular or elliptical figures
Color will take on a golden hue with age
Sometimes exhibits a burl grain - clusters of round curls
Fine and uniform texture
Extremely durable, strong and stiff with excellent resistance to shock, dents, abrasion and indentation
Sensitive to both ultraviolet light and changes in moisture
Machines well and holds fasteners well
Sensitive to changes in humidity
Uniform texture and tight grain make it excellent for stains and paints
Mineral streaks darken with stain
Oak (Red Oak)
Color that varies from rich wheat to warm yellow and rich reddish brown
May be streaked with green, yellow or black minerals
Medium-coarse to coarse texture
Straight prominent open grain distinguished by rays that reflect light and may vary from sweeping arches to tight grain patterns
Very high dent and shock resistance
Machines and glues well
Holds nails and screws well because it is heavy, strong and hard
Sensitive to changes in humidity
Responds well to a wide range of finish tone
Quarter Sawn Red Oak
Harvested from northern red oak by a special sawing process, with boards cut along the radius of the log
Hallmark of the Arts & Crafts and Mission style, prized for the medullary ray flecks that are revealed by this specialized cut
Distinctive patterns include wavy and interlocked grains, flake figures, pin stripes, fine lines, leafy grains and watery figures
Appears darker than regular oak due to the tight grain
Reduces twisting, warping and cupping
Holds finishes better
Does not allow liquids to readily pass through it
Walnut
Strong versatile wood
Consists of a mix of heartwood and sapwood
Ranges from light brown to dark chocolate, with some blonde or yellow as well
Color lightens over time
Beautiful rich color with a unique grain pattern
Rift-Cut White Oak
Rift-Cut White Oak is cut from the tree in a manner that yields a tight, straight grain pattern.
The wood color ranges from a greenish-gray to light brown, occasionally with a slight pink hue.
Rift-Cut White Oak shows very few small knots and some mineral streaks.
Quarter Sawn Red Oak
Quarter Sawn oak has similar characteristics to oak, but is cut from the tree in a different manner that yields a tight, straight grain pattern.
It tends to range slightly redder in color than Holiday Kitchens’ standard red oak.
Quarter Sawn Oak shows very few small knots and some mineral streaks.
In addition to its tight grain, quarter sawn oak yields “flakes”, which are distinctive, shiny portions of the grain.
Character Cherry, Character Oak, Character Maple, Character Alder, Character Hickory
Known as “rustic” or “knotty,” these fine wood species have the added character given them by the random size, quality and placement of knots within the wood.
Character wood is specially selected to have more knots, mineral streaks, sapwood and color variations.
Knots will vary in size, quantity and placement, but will be sound.
Holiday Kitchens carefully selects the types and placements of the rustic features that comprise its character wood.
Paint Grade MDF
Consists of MDF material only, with a smooth texture.
Ideally suited for painting.
Alternative to Paint Grade for paints.
Paint Grade
Strong, dense hardwood with tight grain and smooth texture.
Ideally suited for painting.
Color range varies more with Paint Grade, as this is not visible through the paints.
Consists of maple stiles and rails and an MDF center panel on doors.
