Advantages:
- Durable
- Takes stains and varnishes well
- Wide variety of choices in oak family
Disadvantages:
- Not as smooth and fine as maple
- Usually recommended only for kitchens with traditional, rustic, casual or country feel
OVERVIEW of Kitchen Cabinets:
The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your home, and the right choice for kitchen countertops is key to the successful execution and ongoing use of the space. Now more than ever, you can choose from a diverse range of kitchen counter materials. For each aspect of home design and remodeling you can also strive to make choices that are 1) Functional, 2) Stylish, 3) Cost-Effective, and 4) Environmentally Sustainable. These are the four key guiding principles in the GREENandSAVE strategy. You will find that in certain cases, one or two of the criteria take precedent over others. However, as you review the home improvement options that are right for your home, you may be surprised to learn that reaching all four is more achievable than you thought.
Selection Tip: In choosing a kitchen countertop material make sure to think through the backsplash that will work best for your design and installation. Solid surface and natural stone materials typically need to be precut prior to installation versus tiles that can be cut and set right on the job site. Kitchen countertop backsplashes sometimes look great when they match the countertop material, but you can alternatively enhance the countertop material by choosing a different tile to run from the top edge of the counter all of the way up to the underside of the head cabinet. If you decide on the tiles, also take care in choosing the right color grout and look for new tile grouts that are stain resistant.
DETAILS on Oak Cabinet Doors:
Oak is one of the most popular choices for your cabinets and cabinet doors, because it is one of the strongest, most durable woods. If you choose to supply your kitchen with oak products, know that you are working with a reliable, durable material.
Whether you are updating or completely changing your current kitchen style, you have a wide variety of options in oak products. The colors of oak range from tan to burgundy and can be stained and finished to be virtually any shade you want. One of the most popular factors of oak is that it will take staining and finishing well, and as it takes staining over a period of time, more original details will start to show through the grain.
Oak is usually recommended for traditional, casual, country looks, so if you want to update your kitchen to modern, contemporary design, oak may not be your best option. It does not adapt to multiple designs as easily as other woods.
GREEN Considerations:
If you are considering oak to completely remodel your kitchen, do not fall into the habit of thinking everything has to be brand new. Are you simply updating your existing oak cabinetry? Good! Can any of it be reused? Even better.
Before purchasing everything that will go into your new kitchen, check to see if you can reuse existing parts from your current kitchen. With all of the oak options, finding new materials to match the existing should not be a problem. By reusing what you currently have in your kitchen, no matter how much or how little, will save a lot of time, wood, and money.
For the new oak fixtures you are purchasing, make sure to use FSC-certified or reclaimed wood. A Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification guarantees that wood is grown and harvested in a sustainable manner. Many companies also use reclaimed wood, meaning they use salvaged wood to produce beautiful products.
Columbia Forest Products is the largest manufacturer of hardwood plywood in North America. They have transformed their business to supply only formaldehyde-free products, an extremely beneficial factor for the environment, as well as your home. Checking to be sure that the products you are placing in your home are manufactured and sold in eco-friendly ways is half the battle of keeping your home environmentally-friendly.
