Oak Kitchen Cabinets
Along with maple, oak is the most popular choice for kitchen cabinets in the U.S., but the resemblance pretty much stops there. Whereas maple is noted for its smooth, fine, uniform grain, oak shows a very distinctive flame-like grain that, depending on your finish choices, can be very pronounced. Hence, while maple lends itself well to practically any style, designers recommend oak chiefly in kitchens with a traditional, casual, rustic or "country" theme.
Oak is heavy and durable (as evidenced by the fact that it's often used for flooring and holds up well for generations). It's also porous enough to take stains and varnishes very well; the darker the stain, the more the grain stands out because of its different absorbency.
Because oaks are among the most common trees in North America, and there are many varieties in different regions, you have a wide choice of wood color; white, yellow, red and more, often with streaks of green, black or other shades unique to a particular tree. Take your time looking at what's available from different vendors to get an idea of the look you like best — after all, those oak cabinets are going to be gracing your home for quite a long time, so it's worth the effort to get it right. Be sure to discuss your likes and dislikes with your designer and building professional so they can advise you effectively on making the right choice.
Oak Kitchen Cabinets / Cherry Kitchen Cabinets / Hickory Kitchen Cabinets / Metal Kitchen Cabinets / Melamine Kitchen Cabinets / Thermofoil Kitchen Cabinets / Maple Kitchen Cabinets / Mahogany Kitchen Cabinets / Walnut Kitchen Cabinets