Unfinished Kitchen Cabinets: Wood Species & Specs

Unfinished kitchen cabinets bring several benefits:
Lower Price Tag: Unfinished cabinets are typically less expensive than pre-finished cabinets. This can be a significant advantage if you are on a tight budget.
Customization: Unfinished cabinets can be painted or stained to match any decor. This allows you to create a unique look for your kitchen.
Quality materials: Unfinished cabinets are often made from high-quality materials, such as solid wood or plywood. This ensures that they will be durable and long-lasting.

There are a few things to consider before jumping into this type of project:
Unfinished kitchen cabinets require some significant work prior to finishing. Once installed you will need to sand, prime, and sand before painting for a quality finish. Working with wood stains can be messy and it can be difficult to get a uniform tone, some stains will need a pre-finish conditioner to achieve even results.
Finishing Expertise: While painting or staining cabinets is definitely a doable DIY, it does require some skill and knowledge to achieve a professional finish.
Tools and Materials: You will need to purchase the necessary tools and materials for finishing the cabinets, such as sandpaper, primer, paint or stain along with brushes and fine nap rollers, drop cloths and masking.

Unfinished cabinets can be a good choice for anyone on a budget or for those that want to create a more tailored look for their kitchen. That said, finishing your own cabinets is not a good choice for everyone. If you are not comfortable with DIY projects or you're not sure if you'll have the time or skills to finish the cabinets yourself, you may be better off hiring a local painter to finish them once they're installed or just go with pre-finished cabinets.

If you are still weighing the pros and cons here's a few more things you should keep in mind.
Unfinished kitchen cabinets are available in a variety of woods, such as Red Oak, White Oak, Maple, Cherry and Hickory. The type of wood will affect the look and cost of the cabinets.
The cabinet style: Unfinished kitchen cabinets come in a variety of styles, such as shaker, mitered, raised panel and more. Be sure to select a style that will complement your kitchen decor and your style.
Quality and construction: Make sure the cabinets are made from high-quality materials and that they are well-constructed. Stay away from particle board and manufactured wood options. If you're looking for heirloom quality cabinets solid wood is the only way to go.

Yes, to ensure a smooth, durable, lasting finish we recommend applying two coats of primer. For the smoothest finish, feather sand with 180 or 220 grit sandpaper after each primer coat.

No, you should not leave the wood raw. Unfinished solid wood can act like a sponge to water, oil, grease and household dirt. It's best to apply a sealer or a clear lacquer to protect your wood from damage, swelling and stains.

Maple has a smooth, tight grain, making it the perfect canvas for that perfect color. It will provide a beautiful, smooth finished surface. If you're looking for wood grain that pops through, Red Oak is the way to go. Keep in mind that painting red oak can require multiple coats of paint to get even color. The thick grain of the Red Oak will really soak up the paint, so you may need to apply multiple coats to get the look you're after.

In high - end cabinetry, furniture - grade plywood is the preferred standard for cabinet boxes due to its superior structural stability. Unlike solid wood planks, which can expand, contract, or warp with changes in kitchen humidity, plywood's cross - grain construction ensures the cabinet box remains perfectly square and stable over time. By combining solid wood doors and frames with premium plywood boxes, we provide a cabinet with maximum long - term structural integrity.

Our standard All - Wood construction features solid wood doors, drawer fronts, face frames, and solid wood drawer boxes paired with furniture - grade plywood side walls. While "All - Wood" refers to this high - quality combination, we also offer a full solid wood cabinet box upgrade upon request.

Yes. While our standard construction features 1/2" plywood sides - the industry standard for durability - we also offer an optional upgrade to 3/4" furniture - grade plywood side walls for enhanced structural rigidity.