Expert: Jamie Yocono - 1/27/2009

Question
Hi Jamie,
We are in the process of doing a new kitchen and everyone is using different materials and telling us that what they offer is the best and we are confused.  
We want the kitchen cabinets to be a lighter color, (antique glaze vs. yellow glaze?)--but not white for the cabinets.  The island cabinets would be a brown color (dark walnut stain) but not a very dark brown.  
One cabinet maker is saying that he will use maple for the drawers and the doors b/c the other guy's using poplar for the doors which he insists this is a cheaper wood and will  dent easily.  The other cabinet maker says he will use birch for the drawers and poplar for the doors b/c he believes the first cabinet guy knows nothing.  He also wants to use either poplar or alder for the island b/c he says that those woods take darker stains better.  The first cabinet maker says that is not true, one can stain maple any color......
As you can tell I am confused.  I live in LA and you know he weather here--which is the better choice--poplar, maple, alder?
Thank you for helping me.
Doris

Answer
Doris,

Those darn woodworkers! Ask ten guys their opinion, and you'll get ten different answers! So I'm here to give you one more, but know this - it might just be one more opinion to confuse the heck out of you.

In my opinion, you have a case of dueling cabinetmakers. It's quite common, and for a different reason than you would think. It's not that they are completely convinced that their method is 100% perfect or correct, it's because that is what they're used to working with. So when one fellow says Poplar and Birch are the way to go, and the other says Maple is better, it's not like there is any ONE WAY to do things. It's a subjective opinion, and I think it's because that's what each fellow has gotten used to working with.

That said - what's the right answer? Who is correct?

In my opinion, Maple is the way to go. Heck, it's the wood they make bowling alley lanes out of... it's hard as nails, and will last forever.  I's not that I don't like Poplar or Alder or Birch - well, wait a minute... I actually do not like any of those woods. They're what I call "second tier" woods. They are not considered a top notch wood, but rather, many manufacturers call them "selected hardwoods" because they are technically hardwoods, but not very nice ones. It's sort of like saying Spam is made of meat products. If they said Spam is made of pork loin, it would sound better than "meat products"... right?

Did I hopelessly confuse you?

I think the cabinetmaker that's recommending Birch or Alder is doing so because that's what he's used to working with. Are they better?  

In a word - no.

All of the woods you mention create problems when applying wood finish. They can be difficult to stain, they can be blotchy if done incorrectly. But the fact is - since they're all difficult to finish, why not ignore that fact and choose the best one for the job, and simply deal with the finishing problem on it's own. Maple is far and away the best choice out of the four woods you mentioned.

First off, Poplar can have a greenish color to it, it's inherent to the wood, and it's also quite soft. Combine those two qualities and you'll probably decide it's best NOT used for anything except in places where it can't be seen.

Alder is soft. Too soft. It's less expensive, too, so I'm guessing that's why it's a choice given to you. I wouldn't use Alder at all.

Birch is better than the first two, but it's rather unremarkable in it's grain and its color. It's more of a "utility" wood, like Poplar. It's OK for components that won't be seen, like corner blocks, and interior framework. But - it's just rather plain and a little finicky to finish.

Maple is strong, the color is lovely, and most cabinetmakers will say this - although it can be difficult to work with, it gives you a long lasting product. It won't ding or dent nearly as much as the others. The only one downside is that it can be a little tough to finish. But if your cabinetmaker knows what he's doing, he should be fine.

Bob Flexner wrote the "Bible" on wood finishing, it's title is "Understanding Wood Finishing" and it might be a good idea to go to a local bookstore and check out the chapter on finishing Maple. In fact, if you're trying to get on the good side of one of the cabinetmakers, you might buy him this book as a token of good will.  It will help both of you out, trust me.

Last thing - if I read your letter correctly, you have two guys giving you two different opinions, right? Just reading what you've written, I wouldn't use the one who is recommending poplar and alder for the island. That's insane, they're too soft and likely to look very beaten up in just a few years, especially if you have kids and pets. Go with the Maple.

OK, good luck, hope this didn't confuse you even more! Write back if you need more advice, or just a shoulder to cry on.... making decisions like this is no fun.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com