Wood Countertops

                                      It's pretty easy to see how "butcher block" got its name:

      A necessity for the butcher shop, wood was probably one of the earliest and most enduring choices for residential countertop material as well (WAY back in the day).  It is renewable (can be sanded and re-finished), can be cut on directly (though some people keep a separate cutting board or block), and is an easily obtained, abundant, and renewable natural resource.  So why don't you see wood countertops in many homes today?  The main reason is that laminate, granite, and quartz have edged out the sometimes less pristine-looking wood.  These other materials are more durable and, overall, more popular today than wood tops.  But more and more, high-end wood tops are seen on islands as a design component, and even in sink areas where they will be exposed to a lot of moisture.  Why is wood starting to make a comeback as a countertop choice?   For one thing, it is a warm and inviting material in contrast to the cold, hard feel of stone countertops.  It is a renewable resource, which is important for our planet.  And it offers many options for unique designs, with a great variety of wood species, colors, plank widths, inlays, and edges.  Tigerwood, Black Walnut, Bamboo, Maple, Mahogany, Wenge, Zebrawood, Beech, Hickory, and Cherry are all used as countertop material.  They can be finished with a durable non-toxic finish material or they can retain a "living finish" that only needs a food-safe mineral oil applied several times per year to protect it.  Even with a durable finish, water puddles should be wiped up right away.
     Using wood countertops in specific areas of the kitchen, such as a bar top, an island top, a desktop, or a baking area can not only enhance the design of the kitchen, it can add a warmth and beauty that's unique to wood alone.  Consider adding some wood countertops to your next kitchen project!

 

Wood Species for Kitchen Cabinetry

  Often, our prospective clients have questions about which wood specie they should choose for their new kitchen cabinetry.  There is a lot of information available on the internet today, as well as a lot of misinformation, but one good source to check out is www.hardwoodinfo.com .  There you will find a wealth of excellent information on many species of American hardwoods, and probably much more than the average consumer would ever care to know.  But one of the interesting things you can find there is the hardness rating of the woods.  So, if you compare the hardness rating of Alder with that of Hard Maple, Red Oak, and Hickory, you can see that Alder is a much softer wood. And while it has a very nice look, it may not hold up as well as a harder wood to the typical bumps and dings of average daily use in a busy kitchen.  People who don't have children living in the home, and who tend to live very gently within their surroundings, may not have any problems at all with these softer materials.  And if you like the distressed or worn look that has been a popular trend in new cabinetry, Alder will be your best wood choice because it so easily accepts the edge gouges, nicks, corner wear, rasping, splitting, and worm holes that are the most common distressing techniques.  Just keep in mind that you should choose a wood that is not only appealing in it's visual properties, but also is well-suited to how you use (and abuse?) your cabinets. 
   So......... which wood SHOULD you choose for your new kitchen cabinetry?  While Red Oak is one of the more durable species, it has a coarse, open grain pattern that some people don't like. Many of us have grown tired of it because it has been such a frequently used material in homes built during the past 50+ years. Quarter-sawn oak has a straighter, tighter grain with practically none of the open grain that some people dislike, so that is one way to get a hard wood that will endure while avoiding the typical red oak look.  Another good choice would be Hard Maple (Sugar Maple) but be advised that Silver Maple and Red Maple are considered softer woods.  Maple has a grain that can easily be "muddied" or look splotchy if the correct stain and staining methods are not used.  Hard Maple is the most common and practical choice for painted cabinetry because it has a very tight grain and will result in a very smooth paint finish.  Red Birch is a beautiful wood with shimmery ripples and a wonderful grain, and I also love Walnut, Birdseye Maple and Curly Maple.  Bamboo is, technically, a grass, not a wood, but is increasing in popularity because it is extremely hard, very stable, and fast-growing (think sustainable and eco-friendly).  Hickory is probably the hardest of the American hardwoods. It has a great deal of light-dark variation in the grain which can make it look rather busy when that is added to the knots and mineral streaks that are common to Hickory. The milled wood can be sorted for selecting the color (White Hickory or Brown Hickory) and for a clear look (no knots) or a rustic appearance (many knots and mineral streaks). American Cherry is one of my favorites for it's beautiful grain patterns (I like it best with a light stain) but it is not as hard as an Oak or Hard Maple.  I would still consider Cherry a good choice for kitchen cabinets. It usually takes a stain quite well, which is an important property.  Here is another great website that has photos depicting many different wood species:  http://walzcraft.com/resources/wood-species/ . 
   Another consideration in choosing your cabinet wood specie is cost.  Red Oak is still one of the lowest priced American hardwood species.  Milling the raw wood in a different direction will change the grain pattern and that is how Quarter-Sawn Oak and Rift-Sawn Oak are produced. They will cost more than the standard cut Red Oak.  Cherry costs more than Maple, and Maple is usually higher in price than Oak and Hickory. These are the most common wood species used for cabinetry today. Other wood specie costs will vary, depending on the material and if it is readily available or not.
   If you like contemporary design styles, an alternative to choosing a wood specie for your new cabinets would be to choose a laminate.  Before you start picturing your cabinets made out of the old, flecked laminates of yesterday, think about a faux version of exotic wood species like Wenge, Tigerwood, and Zebrawood.  European laminates offer a very contemporary and stunning look with some very interesting textures and colors.  Check out these laminates for something new to consider  http://www.leedo.com/products/finishcolors/   Also keep in mind that just about any laminate color made by Formica, Pionite, Nevamar, and Wilsonart can be used for cabinet finishes.  Shiny, high-gloss red or blue would add a punch of color to a very sharp, contemporary look.
  For more information on wood specie and cabinet finish options, don't hesitate to contact us at HearthWood Kitchens.  We're here to help you with these kinds of decisions!

Where do I start??

This is my first time writing a blog and I'm really not sure where to start.  I have plenty to say, make no mistake about that.  But where do I begin?  What should I talk about first?  As this thought echoed in my head, I realized that this is a question I actually hear quite often --- from people who are interested in remodeling their kitchen, but have no idea how to begin.  "I have some ideas but I don't know where to start," is the most frequent comment from them.  Here's what I tell them:  Many people start by talking to their friends, relatives, coworkers, and acquaintances who have already gone through a remodeling project.  If you start there, politely listen to their comments, but also remember that their experience with one kitchen remodel (or even two, three, or four) does not make them an expert in kitchen design.  It does not take the place of formal training or years of daily experiences in the kitchen remodeling trade.  Listen to them.......and then call a professional.  Look for a company that has designers who are certified by the National Kitchen and Bath Association. This is your assurance that you will receive a good design with great functionality.  AND you will be working with someone who has passed the required training and exams.  AND you will know that this designer had to work successfully in the kitchen and bath industry for years before being recommended by his/her peers and endorsed by other professionals.  You can feel confident that, with their guidance, you will be well on your way to seeing your dream kitchen become a reality.  A kitchen remodel is usually a large investment in your home and because of this, it should be handled by experienced professionals (not "Chuck-in-a-Truck" who scribbles a design on a napkin. Sorry, Chuck.). There is much truth in the saying, "Jack of all trades, master of none." Sorry again, Chuck.  And Jack.

A kitchen designer trained by the NKBA will be a goldmine of information relating to every detail of your remodeling project.  They know about all the popular choices for sinks, faucets, cabinets, flooring, lighting, hardware, and backsplash tiles ----- but they will also tell you about the products you've never heard of and the latest style trends that the average consumer does not yet know about.  He/she may ask if you have started a folder of kitchen pictures cut from magazines. This can be a great tool for the designer as they try to determine the styles, colors, and materials that appeal to you.  Let your designer be the one to help you make decisions on wood specie, stain or paint colors, tile design, etc.  The choices and decisions are yours but the designer's input can be invaluable.

So basically, that's where you start:  by clipping photos from magazines and then calling a professional kitchen designer.  They will know where to guide you from that point on.  Just jump in with both feet ---- the same way that I just finished writing on my first blog topic!