When it comes to strength and durability, maple and oak are some of the best kitchen cabinet materials you can have. After all, they're both hardwoods. That being said, maple is a slightly stronger hardwood product than oak. Maple is one of the strongest and most durable natural wood options available.
There's a good reason why maple is still a highly preferred choice for kitchen cabinets. Maple is super durable for the cost and is compatible with multiple stains. Maple kitchen cabinets are versatile enough to be used in almost any style of kitchen design.
Deciding whether oak or maple is better for your kitchen cabinets will ultimately come down to personal taste. Both types of wood are extremely durable, easy to maintain, and cost about the same. However, maple is slightly more expensive, more susceptible to scratches and dents, and may not take dark stains well.
Maple surfaces owe their light natural color to their clear oil finish, but this finish gradually breaks down as time passes and returns to its original oily yellow color.
Maple has a smooth, even grain that can be stained for a consistent look. Whether you choose to highlight the color of the wood or darken (or lighten) the wood to look like something else, you'll have an attractive end result.
Like cherry, maple will darken over time, though far less dramatically. Maple starts off very light and bright, with a few pink and grey tones. Over time, it will age to a warm golden honey color.
5 of the best woods for kitchen cabinets are pine, oak, hickory, cherry, and maple. The differences are in their quality, look, and cost.
When it comes to durability, there is a bit of a tradeoff between painted and stained finishes. Painted cabinets are more resistant to damage because the paint layer adds some protection from dings and scratches. However, stained cabinets are better at concealing the damage done to them than painted cabinets.
Because wood dye is able to penetrate the wood and dye the wood cells themselves, rather than just sitting on top like a stain can with denser woods, you'll get a more even appearance. It will also highlight the beautiful wood grain in your maple cabinet doors. As such, it's often the best finish for maple cabinets.
Avoid conversion lacquer, which is the amino-alkyd resin with nitrocellulose added. Nitrocellulose will yellow significantly over time. A final option is a dewaxed colorless shellac. Ultrapale and super blonde will have just a hint of color, while bleached shellac has virtually no color.
Kitchen cabinets made of pine tend to be the cheapest type of cabinet on the market. However, if you want something that will last longer and look nicer, cherry may be a better option. Keep in mind that maple cabinets tend to be more expensive than other types of wood.
Unlike other woods that can warp or even crack, maple can handle changes in temperature and humidity. It's also beautiful to look at.
Oil-Based Varnish
They are popular because they are durable and resist stains and moisture. Polyurethane is resistant to heat, chemicals, water, fungus, and mildew. It also protects your cabinets from scratches, dents, and smudges. There are some disadvantages.
A fresh, natural crowd-pleasing green inspired by the color of a perfectly ripe avocado like Avocado Toast by Clare provides a nice contrast to maple wood cabinets. Carry the green theme throughout with potted herbs and mix in pastel pinks, blues, yellows, and orange for a cheerful look.
In addition to enduring wear and tear, maple is also good at resisting changes in temperatures and will not crack or warp like many other types of wood. Since it is strong and durable, you can expect maple cabinets to last about 30 years if properly maintained.
Maple, by its density and grain structure, does not like to "take" stain the way oak soaks it up. An oil-based wiping stain just isn't the right product for you to use -- given your goals. It is a fine product, but not the one you want here. A water soluble dye product would be much better for you.
For a refined, smooth finish, choose poplar or soft maple. These wood species are generally less expensive than other hardwoods, but are smooth and take paint well. Since poplar and maple are hardwoods, they will also resist warping and shrinking, and should stand up to wear and use better than a soft wood.
Maple wood kitchen cabinet painting is a big job and requires a great deal of preparation and precision, so it's important to make sure every step is done correctly.
Solid Wood Cabinets
Solid natural wood cabinets are the gold standard when it comes to strength and longevity.
Still, there is little you can do to stop your Maple Cabinets turning Orange Eugene. The light color of maple surfaces comes from a clear oil finish, but this oil finish breaks down and regains its original oily orange color in a gradual and inevitable chemical process.
A light beech, warm cherry, or dark walnut in a suitable stain should lend a timeless look to your kitchen. Bamboo is another excellent choice for modern kitchens, and hickory has a rustic aesthetic.
Made of pressed wood, MD, or plywood topped by a layer of paper coloured with a heat-fused melamine resin, melamine is the least expensive cabinet material. Variety. The assortment of colours and patterns is enormous, including a rather convincing faux wood grain and textured melamine option.
White oak is one of the most expensive cabinet materials on the market and can be roughly 40% more expensive than its red-oak counterpart.