The best depends on your particular goals in the remodel and the relative ROI (return on investment) close to your market. For some homes, cheaper particle board cabinets may make the most sense. If you’re looking for the highest quality possible, you’re looking at the following woods: red oak, white oak, hard maple, hickory, cherry, pine, and birch. Each has its own merits and uses to achieve the look you want.
- Red oak is durable and lends itself well to allowing the natural grain of the darker wood to shine. It typically works best in traditional cabinet fronts but can be adapted to fit many looks.
- White oak is perhaps just a tad more durable, but similarly allows for the natural wood to shine in a lighter hue than its sister wood.
- Hard maple is quite versatile in appearance, lending itself well to either staining or, especially, a distressed look.
- Hickory is more delicate and most popular in farmhouse-style construction.
- Cherry is one of the most resilient wood choices you can make, meant to last a long time and age beautifully.
- Pine is the least expensive and lightest of all the woods. But its rustic look makes it quite popular in more country or rustic-style kitchens.
- Birch can be an acceptable alternative to some of the woods above as a cheaper alternative, but it may have some irregular coloring when stained.