Wood Cabinets

Wood is still the most popular choice of material for kitchen cabinets - and amongst the many types of lumber used to make kitchen cabinets Maple is now the most popular, followed closely by Birch.

You can also choose from cherry, hickory and what was traditionally the most popular - oak!, as well as pine. Pine is the most economical choice and has an interesting grain for a rustic finish but it is the softest of the wood kitchen cabinet options and means that after wear and tear it can more easily show bumps and marks.

Wood cabinets can be left with natural tones, color tinted so that a light grain shows through or they can be lighted so that a darker grain shows through the semi opaque paint.

Wood Veneers
You can get the look of wood on a tigher budget with wood veneer finishes, basically this is a really thin sheet of wood that is glued over plywood. They may look like wood but they don't feel like wood and they are not hardly as durable or solid.

Also the finish is not as solid as a laminate and savings can be lost in the long term because this surface is more easily damaged and instead of repair - it's really going to be a case of replace!

Stainless Steel
Once only consigned to restaurant kitchens, stainless steel in household kitchens is now in vogue - helped recently by the many varied designs of stainless steel kitchen island extractor hoods which combine a stainless steel chimney and body with a glass hood to great effect.

Unlike wood, stainless steel kitchen cabinet and counter products are not affected by changes in temperatures or condensation - so is an ideal material for busy kitchens. A piece of stainless steel that is being incorporated into wood and laminated kitchens alike is the stainless steel kitchen splashback.

A layer of stainless steel is usually applied over an MDF base to give the kitchen cabinet and counter more substance.

Stainless steel is a very easy kitchen cabinet and counter material to clean - which is just as well because it does show all the finger marks, but I am afraid that the scratches are more difficult to get out.

Copper
If stainless steel is too cold a look for your kitchen - but you really want to treat yourself to something special... you can go for a warmer metal look with copper. A famous chef designed his own kitchen of wooden cabinets combined with granite counters and a copper kitchen splashback and used other copper accents around the room to great effect.

Melamine
This is made from a mixture of resin, paper and pressed wood and prices and quality do differ depending on the quality of the pressed wood used in the mix.

Melamine is a versatile material for kitchen cabinets in that it is available in many different colors and hues and different surface finishes, although you'll be in trouble if the the surface is scratched - this material is not as durable as the laminate cabinets and that's why it costs less!

Melamine is made into quality kitchen cabinet and counters to suite many homes.

This smooth man-made surface makes it difficult to change in the future but there a now a number of specialist paints for melamine cabinets on the market but the quality of results do differ widely, see here for out guide to Painting Melamine Cabinets.

Laminates
The material of these kitchen cabinets is produced by heat sealing layers of resin soaked paper together to create a really durable material that is flexible to use in that it can be pre-colored and given a texture.

The easiest finish to find is a white or ivory with a high gloss finish which is ideal for anyone wanting to create a modern light and bright kitchen. This is a stronger and more expensive option than melamine.

PVC
PVC is a durable material made up of wood fibres covered with a sheet of PVC which is said to be tougher than both laminates and melamine.

Although you can't find it in as many colors and finishes, it is a man made option for kitchen cabinet and counters that is easier on the budget.

Glass
Glass has grown in popularity over the last few years because it brings illuminecence and brightness to kitchens by reflecting natural light. Glass shelving makes the room feel larger and is a very versatile material with endless applications - on the down side however...

Whether glass is used as shelving or inlaid in cabinet doors it does mean that all your kitchen goods are on show - this is unless you use colored glass or frosted or tinted glass.

Bevelled glass adds class to cabinet doors and glass inserts add a new dimension counters - this material is a new kitchen cabinet and counter contender!.

Laquered
If you are going for the ultra modern or even the oriental look with your kitchen design then you might choose the smooth sheen of laquered cabinets. Normally the laquered effect is applied to normal MDF in a way that results in many color options and finishes but... anyone with experience of anything laquered, like laquered boxes, may realise that they chip quite easily and are prone to yellowing over time.