Hardwood is easily one of the most popular cabinet materials out there, and has been in use for decades – since cabinets were created. Here are the pros and cons of choosing hardwood for your kitchen cabinets.
PROS
Here are the top advantages of hardwood as a cabinet material to help you decide how to refinish your cabinets.
Hardwood is a Natural Material
Hardwood is, of course, a natural material, harvested from trees. Because of the natural element, this means that each panel can vary slightly, as individual trees have their own textures, colors, and grain patterns. This natural variation adds to the appeal of hardwood as a cabinet material – it’s truly unique and beautiful in its own way. Just like hardwood floors are highly valued, hardwood cabinets can be as well.
Highly Durable
Hardwood is highly durable, and it is also pretty easy to repair. You can even handle many of these repairs yourself (like for scratches, stains, and watermarks), through sanding or refinishing. You can also hire someone to help with these repairs for a reasonable price.
Long Lifespan
Hardwood kitchen cabinets have a very long lifespan, due to their durability.
Plenty of Options
There are many different kinds of wood to choose from, each with their own distinct look, feel and coloring. Some of the most popular woods include: red oak, white oak, hickory, cherry, hard maple, birch, ash and pine.
CONS
Despite the obvious natural beauty and appeal of hardwood, there are some “cons” that should be considered as well. Perhaps the biggest drawback of hardwood is the Hardwood is highly sought after, and is very expensive, as far as materials go, since the wood is costly. On average, wood (or wood-combination) cabinets “start at about $80 per linear foot, especially in the stock and semi-custom realm,” but the cost can easily double if you choose a high level of customization.
Wood is Heavy
Wood is heavy – if you want to go full hardwood with your kitchen cabinets, you need to make sure the structure is sound enough to support them.
Varying Durability
Different types of wood can be less durable than others. For example, red oak is a very strong, durable wood type, while something like, pine is a softer wood.
Potential for Warping
Warping is possible with hardwood. Changes in temperature and humidity will cause wood to contract and expand, so if you have a full hardwood structure, this is a potential concern
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