The 4 Types of Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets now comes in a range of different materials from the diverse array of wood finishes to the to laminates and thermofoils. With all of these options it can seem overwhelming to pick the right option for you.

Wood

The most common material for kitchen cabinetry is wood. Wood comes in a vast array of different types allowing for very different aesthetics depending on which one you choose. When choosing a wood for your kitchen cabinets consider the grain and color of the woods you are looking at. Does the grain make a statement with showy knots and pronounced texture or is it uniform and subtle. This can make a big difference in the appearance of your cabinets. The other important consideration is color. Does the wood have a naturally dark or light color or a specific undertone like the reds in cherry. The most common woods used in cabinetry are oak, hickory, cherry, maples, birch, ash and pine. Birch and pine are both light and have subtle grains for a solid neutral base in your kitchen. Oak and hickory are considered medium in color while having strong grain patterns. Hickory and oak are darker with neutral uniform grain patterning.

Thermofoil

Thermofoil kitchen cabinets are a newer material option they constructed by fusing a heat sealed plastic wrap to a MDF structure. This makes them moisture resistant, which is great for kitchens, where water is impossible to avoid. They are also less expensive than wood cabinets. The technology to make this type of cabinets has improved over the last 10 years so the quality will be much better than previous examples.

High pressure laminates

High pressure laminates are another popular a less expensive cabinet option. In this option laminate is applied to a MDF or particleboard allowing for more durability than wood cabinets with the option for a similar finish. One down side to laminate cabinets is that they have lots of seams to catch dirt and grime in. You can also get cabinets in low pressure laminates or melamine, be careful when choosing these as they will not be as durable or long lasting as the high pressure options.

Metal

You can get metal cabinets in stainless steel or aluminum, while being incredibly water, germ and stain resistant the appearance of these cabinets is often industrial, commercial or even space age. They will not be as warm and cozy as traditional wood, laminate or thermofoil finishes for your kitchen cabinets.