The least expensive type of wood used in kitchen cabinets tends to be pine. Cherry is a slightly more expensive option, while oak is usually about as affordable as its counterparts. Maple is the most expensive type of wood available for kitchen cabinets.
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.
The cheapest types of wood in general are: white wood. pine. soft maple.
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.
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.
Maple Cabinets: Cost. The cost of birch and maple is where these two wood species can stand out from each other. Typically speaking, maple is usually more expensive than birch.
Pine wood is probably the cheapest wood that you can get on a consumer level, but it is also one of the best wood options when high strength and low cost are needed. Pine wood is sourced from the dozens of different pine species that grow natively around the world.
Pine is probably the cheapest wood available for flooring. The average cost of pine wood flooring comes around $5 to $8 per square foot. However, cheap pine tends to be softer than other wood, which lowers its durability. In terms of finish, pine offers finish from light beige to brilliant golden amber.
Poplar wood is cheaper than domestic hardwoods like cherry or walnut. That, and its availability, make it an excellent choice for beginner to intermediate woodworkers. Expect to pay from $3.50 to $10 per board foot, depending on board width and whether it's pre-surfaced or in the rough.
Use 1/4-inch plywood for the cabinet back unless it will support the weight of the cabinet, in which case 1/2 inch is a better choice. Select 1/2-inch plywood for drawer sides, fronts and backs, but 1/4 inch is suitable for drawer bottoms. Plain front plywood doors are rare, but they can be made from 3/8-inch plywood.
Solid Wood Cabinets
Solid natural wood cabinets are the gold standard when it comes to strength and longevity.
Cabinet Quality Grades. Cabinets are grouped into four grades based on quality of construction: ready-to-assemble (RTA), stock, semi-custom and custom. Decide up front on the amount of money to be invested in cabinetry and then browse cabinetry lines and options within your budget.
Cabinet Materials
Less expensive cabinets are often made from MDF (medium density fiberboard) or particleboard that's covered with melamine, thermofoil, or wood veneer. Over time, cabinets made from particleboard generally don't hold up well to wear and tear.
If your goal is to update the look of your existing cabinets, the cheapest route is to simply reface them. This process involves either stripping the stain or paint from the existing cabinets and adding new stain, varnish or paint; in some cases, you might even want to refinish the cabinets with a stick-on veneer.
Cabinets made of MDF, particle board, or other mixed synthetic materials are going to be much less expensive than lacquered cabinets or those made of solid wood or glass.
Better Prices
In many cases, your local lumber distributor is less expensive for one reason – specialization. Lumber yards are well-versed in the business of wood and how to purchase it at a good price. Prices always vary with different types of wood, but you can be sure your local lumber yard is competitive in price.
Ash is a great alternative to white oak in nearly every application. Elm, similar to Ash, takes beautifully to colour thanks to its natural neutral tone.
Pine is the cheaper option
Due to pine furniture being so affordable, it is often the more popular choice. If you're looking to keep the piece of furniture long term then oak is definitely the safer option.
In general, however, if you're beginning woodworking and expecting to make mistakes, it's usually best to choose some of the least expensive woods, like soft maple, poplar, pine and fir. You may also want to select wood identified above that is easy to work with and won't wear down your tools quickly.
Redwood – It's one of the lightest and most durable woods used for building. It's one of the many reasons why Redwood is such a popular building material. Heartwood redwood grades are the most durable. Cedar – At just 19.7 to 23 pounds per square foot (dry) Cedar is one of the lightest woods.
Pine is beautiful, easy to work, and takes finishes better than poplar. Poplar is easy to work but harder than soft pine, making it a better choice for weight-bearing structures. Hard pine is more robust than poplar but also more expensive. Both take glue, nails, and screws without splitting.
Poplar, for years has been the paint-grade wood of choice for furniture makers and cabinet shops. It has Soft Maple as a competitor because Poplar tends to be more labor intensive to sand and finish, but Soft Maple is more expensive.
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.