Maple tends to be more expensive than all other types of wood used for Kitchen Cabinets. Oak finishes tend to be about on par with their counterparts due to high demand, however, there can still be variations between different oak finishes so keep this in mind when deciding if oak is right for you or not!
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.
Hard maple is a fine-grain and light-color wood slightly more expensive than oak but less dense. A popular choice for semi-custom and custom cabinets, maple can be stained, but it is most often dressed with a clear or natural finish to achieve a light, contemporary look.
Because it grows natively across the United States, pine is more affordable than many other natural woods. In general, pine wood cabinets will be significantly less expensive than the tier of oak, maple, and birch.
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. There are two key reasons for such a stark contrast in pricing.
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.
5 of the best woods for kitchen cabinets are pine, oak, hickory, cherry, and maple. The differences are in their quality, look, and cost.
Maple will almost always be less expensive than cherry.
That's because maple trees are grown all over North America and are much easier to source. Conversely, cherry wood is not as populous, which results in it being harder to source and more expensive.
There's no doubt that birch makes for a solid and reliable cabinet. To give you some numbers, on the Janka scale of hardness, hard maple ranges from 1400-1500 and birch lands around 1200-1300. Now, if you're careful around your cabinets, this difference in strength may be negligible to you as a user.
So while maple is cheaper, hickory has a lower rate of shrinkage, which means it can withstand changes in humidity better than maple. Hickory may require more upfront for materials and installation but will require less in the long run for maintenance and general care.
Are maple cabinets outdated? Since maple wood kitchen cabinets are incredibly versatile, they're far from outdated. They're highly durable and with the right finishes, they can fit in perfectly with any aesthetic whether it's a traditional or modern kitchen.
Overall, white oak is the best choice for projects that call for water-resistant, decay resistant wood. Oak offers more options as far as grain pattern, and will provide a richer look when used as cabinetry or flooring. Maple is lighter, more affordable, and works well in contemporary spaces and for indoor projects.
Oak is generally slightly more expensive than Maple, the cost of the floored depends on the width and length of the floorboards, the grade of the lumber and several other factors.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pros: Maple is affordable and ultra-durable. It can take a beating and look great for years. Because it takes dark stains well, maple is often stained to mimic a pricier wood, like cherry or mahogany (which is a controversial pick itself because of deforestation in the regions where it's harvested).
Maple is much harder and takes paint much better - (smoother) and it simply holds up better. It's also more dimensionally stable, so over time it doesn't move as much and your joint lines don't show as much.
Easy to refinish – Oak accepts stain and paint well, so if you do eventually want a change, this wood works well. Less expensive – At a 20% lower cost than other hardwoods such as cherry, maple and birch, white oak is well worth the investment.
The most durable kitchen cabinets are ones made from solid hardwood. Cherry and maple are popular choices. They're the most expensive but they last a long time and look great doing it.
Arguably, the most timeless kitchen cabinet color is white. Bright white cabinets suit a variety of beautiful kitchens, including modern, contemporary, and farmhouse styles. Brilliant whites work to give kitchens a light and airy feel, and off-white options, like the White Dove shade, provides warmth.
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.