Breakdown of Kitchen Cabinet Materials

Oak has uniquely attractive grain markings, is super strong and durable for long life, and has less damage while cleaning.

Maple is shock and abrasive resistant with a highly decorative wood grain while being hard, stiff, and smooth to the touch, and less prone to warping and bending.

Cherry is a reddish brown tints with straight grains and a smooth surface while also being lightweight, moisture resistant, hard, and stiff to prevent warping and bending.

Alder is a brighter, softer hardwood yet harder than pine and is bend and moisture resistant to provide long-lasting cabinet door frames.

RTF cabinet doors are durable and constructed of MDF or other engineered wood products. They are reliable because they’re covered with a plastic material (thermofoil) that becomes the MDF’s finish—usually with a wood appearance.

MDF, high-pressure-laminate (HPL) cabinet doors are on the top of the list as budget-friendly alternatives. Pine (a softwood species) is very common and provides a beautiful grain appearance. But since it is a soft wood, it is prone to denting, warping, and chipping. Pine is still ranked higher than HPL doors because it is a solid wood verses the glued chips in MDF construction. Pine surfaces can also be repaired in many situations, but a laminated surface cannot. High pressure laminate (HPL) cabinets are budget friendly and a type of MDF laminated cabinet. The engineered wood is covered with a resin or paper laminate finish. It is applied using high pressure and heat to ensure a strong bond.