Cabinet Finishes 101

You will probably want to choose a durable wood specie for your cabinetry if you expect it to receive a lot of wear and tear in your household.  Just as important as the durability of the wood itself is the quality of the finish that is applied to it. In the following paragraphs I present a very broad overview of the most common finishes for kitchen cabinets.  While there are many, many finish materials and options, and just as many opinions on what produces the best finish, the two best finishes for kitchen cabinets are catalyzed lacquer and conversion varnish.  First, let's talk about lacquer. Whether water-based or catalyzed, lacquer makes a beautiful and smooth cabinet finish, but some common lacquer products (such as nitrocellulose) may not have long term water resistance.  Over time, the finish can yellow, crack, and break down in those areas where water drips have been left to dry:  most frequently, the front of the sink cabinet and the baseboards, base shoe, window sills, etc.  Catalyzed lacquer will have very good water resistance because it involves a chemical reaction that results in a tough and durable finish. However, varnish surpasses most other finishes in its resistance to water, heat, solvents and other chemicals.  Conversion varnish takes a skilled person to apply it evenly.  Most manufactured cabinets have a conversion varnish finish and many of these larger companies apply the finish using complex mechanical spraying machines that are calibrated to apply the finish at just the right thickness.  In smaller cabinet shops, they use a spray booth where the finish is sprayed on by a skilled technician.  This photo shows our cabinet finisher working in a spray booth, applying conversion varnish to a stained cabinet.

Conversion varnish is clear, for finishing stained or natural wood cabinets, but it can also be tinted any color so that it looks like a painted finish.  Tinted conversion varnish applied to cabinets results in a very smooth, very durable, water resistant finish.  The downside is that it isn't easily repairable if a cabinet should get damaged after it is installed.  A scratch or ding on a finished door can be repaired by bringing it to the finisher in his shop, but if a finished part of the installed cabinet box needs repair, that's a little harder. Sometimes the finisher will go to the jobsite and build a small "tent" for himself to try to contain the spray and odor as he works on the repair.  Over the many years that our company has used conversion varnish on hundreds of cabinets, I believe we have had only two repairs that required our finisher to go to the jobsite to fix.  That tells you a lot about the durability of a conversion varnish finish.

Here is a beautiful kitchen where we used tinted conversion varnish for the cabinet finish.  Again, it can be tinted to just about any color, so if you prefer chartreuse cabinets, we can do that! 

 

A painted cabinet finish can also be achieved with an oil or water based paint, sprayed in a shop or on-site after the cabinet boxes are installed. This finish will be less durable than tinted conversion varnish but it will be easier for a homeowner to make repairs themselves.

Hopefully, this brief introduction to cabinet finishes will help you when you select your new cabinets.  Ask about the finishing products, and if you hear something like "3 wet coats of catalyzed lacquer" or "conversion varnish", you can feel confident that you are getting a durable finish that will resist the water, chemicals, and heat found in all kitchens.

Something Old is Something New

     Sometimes something that's truly old can be exciting and new. For example, here's something you don't see every....eon!

Embedded in this beautiful granite slab are the fossil remains of sea creatures known as orthoceras and ammonites, dating from the Devonian Period. Occasionally there will be fossils in granite but these are particularly interesting in their shape and size. The granite, once polished, becomes more than an attractive counter or backsplash--it becomes a conversation piece as well. It certainly rates a closer look, especially when used as a bar countertop or bathroom vanity top. Used in those ways, it causes your guests to stop and appreciate the beauty of nature.

One design idea would be to include the granite in a youngster's bathroom. The embedded fossils could be part of a dinosaur theme if you have a child who is nuts about dinosaurs. However, there's the advantage that the granite could easily become part of a more mature decorating theme in the future. After all, something 360 million years old is..........timeless!

Glass: Light and Bright

    Glass front cabinets can be a focal point in a kitchen. They can provide a visual break from that feeling of heaviness when the space has too much wood. And they can bring light into the kitchen and provide a showcase for glassware or dishes. The glass can also act as a window to the outdoors or to another room. 
For example, this kitchen has a peninsula that divides the cooking space and an adjacent space. The glass front cabinets keep the kitchen from feeling closed off from the dining space and allow more light into the kitchen. 

In this photo, the breakfront style cabinet with glass doors brings a "furniture" feel to this traditional kitchen. 

The sliding glass doors on this modern cabinet allow full view of the ceiling in the next room, tying the kitchen to the rest of the living space. And, it beautifully displays the glassware contained inside.

Glass makers specializing in glass panels can offer designs that provide color and texture. Some are real show stoppers. Check out these panels available at an art glass studio: 

                           

     

   Your choice of cabinets may allow you to change out your glass panels in the future, thus updating the look of your kitchen without changing the cabinets. If this is desirable, you would need to find out from your designer if this is an option that is possible for you. Light and bright can be just right!

Handles, Knobs and Pulls

You've chosen the style of your cabinetry. You've also chosen the material and color.  Congratulations!

Now it's time to choose the decorative hardware --- knobs and/or pulls for the doors and drawer fronts. If your cabinets have hinges that are exposed, you will probably want to match the material used in the hinges. Your designer can guide you to hardware that complements your cabinetry in either a subtle way or to hardware that makes an impact. Certain styles seem to go with certain cabinets-- but that doesn't mean you can't choose something "outside the box". Note the eye-catching cabinet color and the "unique" drawer pulls in the photo.
           

Because there are literally thousands of knobs and pulls available it can be helpful to have your designer narrow down your choices so you're not overwhelmed by the selections. Do you want something to go with your traditional cabinets? Something sleek and modern to match your contemporary cabinets? What finish would match the other finishes in your kitchen, such as appliances and faucets?                                            

One consideration is where to place the knobs and pulls. A trend has been to use both knobs and pulls on the cabinet doors, perhaps varying them by putting handles on the eye level cabinet doors and then putting knobs on the upper level cabinet doors such as those over the refrigerator. this can actually be pleasing to the eye but might require your designer to guide you as to "what makes sense" for each bank of cabinets.

                                                         

                             
In hardware, as in cabinetry, "you get what you pay for". Lower quality knobs and pulls will often have thinner metal, rougher finishes and will in general be a lighter weight than more expensive hardware. Higher quality hardware is made out of "solid" materials, like brass, steel, iron, bronze, zinc, etc. Lower quality drawer pulls may have inconsistencies in the distances between the screw holes so not all of them may fit.

High quality handles, knobs and pulls will last as long as your cabinetry. Look for a lifetime warranty and you won't be stuck with hardware that loses its finish after a year or two. 

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!

Aren't All Cabinets Pretty Much The Same?

Typically, the new cabinets for a kitchen remodeling project make up the largest portion of the total budget, but it always surprises me when people take little interest in how the cabinets are built, what materials are used, and what level of quality is in the hardware, finishes, and accessories.  I spend a lot of time educating our clients (and I'm happy to do it!) so that they can make informed choices based on real comparisons. And for the client who wants to add quality and value to their home, and who will be enjoying their newly remodeled space for a number of years, it is in their best interest to learn about the many differences in cabinet construction and materials.  Sometimes, however, clients just don't want to sift through all the information and they feel overwhelmed by all the cabinet details that we "in the trade" are accustomed to dealing with every day.  They would rather just trust me to provide them with high quality cabinets that will still keep them within their budget. I am happy to have earned that level of trust with many of my clients, and my goal is always to try to exceed their expectations.  Most people understand that you cannot get "all the bells and whistles", and  fine quality, for bargain basement prices.  If they were referred to us by one of our previous clients, they are aware of the high level of craftsmanship and customer service that our company is known for, and that we eschew low quality cabinetry and sub-standard installation methods. 

Sometimes, if a client is fixing up their house to sell it, they only care that the cabinets will "look nice" and the longevity and quality of the product and finishes are not a priority at all.  I realize that they don't want to make a large investment in cabinetry that will very soon be owned by someone else.  I understand their priorities and objectives in this case, and I can guide them in the direction of a cabinet design and purchase that makes the most sense for them and their budget.  Still, my goal is (and always will be) to make sure they are receiving a quality product and a functional, aesthetically pleasing design.  Period.

In future posts, I will be going into more detail regarding the different cabinet construction methods and the variety of materials used for building cabinets.  People generally associate the words "custom cabinets" with a high quality product.  The truth is that not all custom cabinets are created equal.  I have seen some custom shops that are turning out a very sub-standard product, and their customers believe they are getting high quality ---- because of the word "custom".  It's annoying that they can get away with this type of deception, but the best thing I feel I can do is to educate people when I can, so that they understand what is involved in producing real quality cabinetry.   Then they can make truly informed decisions on what to purchase and what to avoid.  All cabinets are definitely NOT the same.

"Revealing" How I Feel About Granite

I can't help it, I just LOVE granite!  The flow, the patterns, the colors and textures......... they just enthrall me.  When it comes time for a client to select granite for their kitchen remodel, I go with them to the supplier to look at the wide variety of slabs.  It's an important part of the total customer service that we offer our clients at HearthWood Kitchens.  We give them a great deal of guidance and advice so that they can make good choices for the materials that will become part of their new kitchen.  When we go granite shopping, I can guide them away from the softer and more problematic stones, and give them advice on color, pattern, texture, etc.  We make choices that will work together for a beautiful end result.  The bonus for me is that looking at granite is something I just love to do!  With my background in the visual arts, looking at some beautiful granite can give me that same "aesthetic emotion" that people get when they view a breathtaking work of art.  No surprise there, since natural stone is Nature's artwork!  And I never get tired of looking at it.

But, aside from expressing the fact that I get excited about granite, I would also like to mention one of the practical details that needs to be considered when choosing granite countertops.  That detail is called the sink reveal.  An undermount sink is the most popular sink choice when people opt for granite or engineered stone countertops (Cambria, Silestone, Hanstone, Caesarstone, etc.).  Take a look at the diagrams below.  The countertop is shown in grey.  The undermount sink will be attached to the bottom of the countertop, and the sink cut-out in the granite will have polished edges.  The "reveal" is the portion of the sink edge that will be either hidden (negative reveal in top diagram) or visible (positive reveal in middle diagram).  The bottom diagram shows a zero reveal, or a flush mount installation.

                                                             NEGATIVE  REVEAL

                                                               POSITIVE REVEAL

                                                    ZERO REVEAL (FLUSH MOUNT)

 The drawback to the positive reveal is that when you brush crumbs or spills off of the countertop into the sink, they will land on the exposed edge of the sink and you will then have to clean that off, also.   Not very practical, and it's surprising that many sink manufacturers actually recommend the positive reveal installation. We always choose the flush or the negative reveal. This is just one of the many details we guide you through when we help you select new countertops for your project.  Keep reading my blogs to learn a lot more about the process of getting beautiful new granite countertops and all the details and options that we can help you choose.