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. Oak, on the other hand, has a lower resale value and a rough texture some homeowners may not like.
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!
3. Hard Maple Wood Cabinets. Hard maple is a fine-grain and light-color wood slightly more expensive than oak but less dense.
Oak is still a strong and durable hardwood choice for kitchen cabinets. But, if you were to put maple and oak to the test to see which one would resist denting and scratching, hard maple would perform slightly better. Ultimately, you're really splitting hairs when it comes to durability.
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. First, there are simply more red oak trees than there are white oak trees, making them readily available.
Kitchen Cabinet Wood Choices
The 5 best and most popular woods for kitchen cabinets are pine, oak, hickory, cherry, and maple.
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.
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.
Maple will never match oak. And why would we want it to? Maple and oak have different grain, different patterns, and different natural colors.
White oak is considered a hardwood, meaning that it is stronger than other woods and durable enough to withstand the elements. Thanks to this durability and natural detail, white oak kitchen cabinets are an increasingly popular choice in a range of home design styles.
But they're long from outdated. In more recent years, more modern and contemporary designs have popped up all over the world with new ways to use oak cabinets.
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.
The least expensive material you can use to make kitchen cabinets is particleboard. This material is made from compressed wood chips, though it doesn't have the same strength and density as MDF or HDF.
Downsides to White Oak Flooring
The high density gives the wood more durability, but makes it a bit harder to work with. Another example of a downside is that white oak is trendy, but red oak is still more common because there are more of them domestically and grow more quickly.
White oak floors aren't going anywhere anytime soon. White oak is one of the top-trending types of hardwood flooring because of its high-quality look and low maintenance, says Carlisle Wide Plank Floors.
White Oak is a popular option from contemporary to rustic interior designs. A select White Oak shows growth rings that are much closer together so the grain has a more of a uniform flow, making it look smooth and clean. These tight smooth grain patterns are sought after for contemporary and modern homes.
On the whole, Maple makes for harder and more durable wood floors than Red Oak. With a Janka rating of 1450, Maple is one of the denser species of hardwoods and is ideal for high-traffic areas.
Maple's grain is simple and subtle. It is generally white with reddish-brown hues. While maple's grain pattern is generally quite straight, it does have some waves and curls to it. Oak is a light to middle brown colour with a cast of red.
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.
Whether you choose red or white, a great advantage of oak flooring is that it's timeless. Because its look is subtle and understated yet so clearly beautiful, it stays in fashion.
Ash is a great alternative to white oak in nearly every application.
White oak acorns are one of the most palatable of all the oaks. This is due to their relatively low concentration of tannic acid that makes other acorns bitter. While we would find white oak acorns distasteful, they are a highly digestible source of food and many species of wildlife thrive on them.
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.
Maple wood is harder than oak, but not as stable. Hardwood harvested from the outer wood of the trunk, or sapwood, is usually a light creamy white color, while hardwood harvested from the center of the tree, or heartwood, is a deeper shade of brown with a slight reddish hue.
Red Oak. Red Oak is cheap. While some species of hardwood can be double the cost of Red Oak, manufacturers will have approximately half of the cost of a finished product in the raw materials. Red Oak is also quite durable.