Top Materials for Sleek, Timeless Custom Cabinetry
Quality cabinets blend two key features seamlessly: effortless style and function. When cabinets master this combination, they add a unique spark to your kitchen’s interior - and simplify your life, too.
It’s one thing to want cabinets that match your home’s aesthetic while also providing durability and style that lasts. Choosing the proper kitchen cabinet material plays a large role in striking this balance.
In this post, we’ll cover popular materials used in custom cabinetry design and how to pick the perfect option for your own kitchen.
Natural Wood: The Classic
Solid, natural wood cabinets are classic for a reason. They’re durable, available in a huge variety of woods, and complement many different home interiors.
Common woods include:
Maple: Typically available in lighter shades, maple is a harder, thick wood that is extremely dent-resistant. Maple is known for its smooth surface, making it easy to paint.
Cherry: This wood boasts a rich, earthy color that will often deepen over time. On the softer side of things, cherry wood is still durable while simple to shape/finish.
Walnut: Easy to shape/carve, walnut is also softer than other woods but still extremely durable. Walnut is smooth and finishes perfectly with oil and clear coats, allowing its natural hue to shine.
Oak: Often available in red or white tones, oak is known for its visible open grain patterning complete with growth rings. Oak is extremely durable and stains easily.
A glimpse at Curated Kitchen Co.’s custom wood cabinetry
Plywood: Reliable Strength
Cabinets crafted from plywood are ultra-durable and common in custom cabinetry precisely for this reason.
Plywood material is also great for resisting common issues like warping and the effects of excessive moisture. This is yet another reason plywood is often the go-to when it comes to custom cabinets.
Allowing you to enjoy durability without sacrificing style, you’ll also find that plywood cabinets are the star of the show in the cabinet’s interior versus exterior. Common exterior finishes for these cabinets include wood veneers, laminate, melamine, or lacquer.
Veneers: Endless Options
Designed to cover authentic wood cabinetry, veneers provide you with versatile luxury.
Veneers are great for ensuring consistency when it comes to grain pattern, making it easier for designers to create a customized appearance. While this is possible with certain solid wood cabinets, it’s more achievable with veneers.
Investing in veneers is also a good move if you’re looking for durable options. In cases where veneers are bonded to stable cores, veneers will effortlessly resist warping.
MDF: Sleek Surfaces
Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) cabinetry provides you with clean, smooth surfaces.
Easy to paint because of this smooth surface, MDF cabinets provide the perfect opportunity to showcase stunning paint colors.
MDF cabinets are also incredibly durable. Since the material doesn’t expand and contract like solid wood, MDF will last through years of use. Additionally, this is yet another reason why these cabinets are great for painting.
Image by Kam Idris / Unsplash
Which Kitchen Cabinet Material is Best?
While there’s no single answer, you can determine which cabinet materials are best by focusing on a few key areas:
Climate: A big part of your material choice will be climate - determine which material, whether that’s solid wood or PDF, will be long-lasting based on your location.
Aesthetic: Certain materials lend themselves to certain interior styles. Choose one that will complement your kitchen and the rest of your home.
Customization: Take into account how much you’ll want to customize your kitchen cabinets. While most all cabinet materials are ultimately customizable, some options are better for this.
Image by Jason Briscoe / Unsplash
Add Customized Cabinetry to Your Kitchen
Cabinets come in many different materials, each one offering a unique set of benefits. Investing in the proper cabinetry for your kitchen means you’ll enjoy timeless style and plenty of durability for years to come.
Our design team wants to give you the perfect cabinetry for your home - contact us today.
