The wood species that grow in the rich, fertile soil of Northeast Iowa are an excellent choice for cabinetry in your home. Each species has a unique individual cellular structure which contributes to its durability as well as its beauty. By choosing a North American hardwood species grown in Northeast Iowa, you can be assured that the hardwood has been responsibly harvested and quality controls have been met.
The straight grain of Ash lumber is similar to that of oak. Ash is a hard, open pored wood that is tough with a high shock tolerance, yet it is elastic and is an excellent choice for steam bending. The typical Ash grown in Northeast Iowa is the White Ash, which pulls white and yellow coloring from the sapwood. Generally the White Ash have a big brown heart, which will pull light to medium tones of brown. With these coloring characteristics, options are available for white, brown, or variegated.
Cherry has a slight tight grain pattern that is similar to Hard Maple. The wood found in Cherry is as strong as Hard Maple however it is 2/3rds as hard and may dent. Its innate beauty comes from its rich dark tones found in the heartwood of the Cherry tree. The sapwood (outer portion of the log) has a pale yellowish color. The color of the wood deepens to a deep reddish brown when exposed to the sun and will naturally darken over time. There may be dark spots and fine lines of gum deposits in the wood when sold with a natural or light finish. Dark finishes are also available that bring out the richness of this species.
Hard maple usually has a straight tight grain, however it occasionally produces a figured or curly grain. Hard Maple is exceptionally hard and is resistant to most abrasions, indentations and shock. The Northern White Maple grown in our region has a creamy white sapwood and light reddish brown heart and may contain brown or black streaks. The typical color options for Hard Maple is natural or rustic. Because of the strength and durability of Hard Maple, it is our product of choice when we provide painted cabinets.
The grain pattern of Hickory is mostly straight, however it may wander from the straight lines to form a triangular pattern which often times comes to a sharp point. Hickory is harder than oak and highly stress resistant. The color variation in hickory can range from white to brown and may contain streaks of deep brown caused by birds pecking on the hickory tree. Hickory can take on yellow tones. With such extreme changes in color, hickory is most often sold in its calico (variegated) form but may also be purchased as a rustic product including a variety of colors, knots and other natural characteristics.
Red Elm is known for its strength and toughness. It is a closed grain wood with interlocking grain which makes it resistant to splitting while its elasticity lends itself well to applications that require bending. Red Elm has a reddish brown coloring with the heartwood dimming to a yellowish green. Red Elm is a rarer wood species, however it is one of the specialties of our milling facilities at Kendrick Forest Products and is readily available for clients of Forever Cabinets by Kendrick.
The Northern Red Oak is a strong, straight grained wood and is one of the most stable of all domestic woods. The open pores in Red Oak absorb more of the stain so the grain patterns often become more evident. The sapwood of Red Oak is white to light brown while the heartwood is a pinkish brown and carries red tones. This traditional choice is easily modernized to present color trends. Ask about our popular and unique Merlot finish; red oak has never looked so rich.
If you love wood and want the deep, rich and luxurious look associated with dark wood, then Walnut is the wood of choice. Walnut is a warm chocolate wood that is highly prized for its dark-colored heartwood. It is hard, dense, tight-grained and polishes to a very smooth finish. Walnut is characterized by wavy, bold grain patterns. If you prefer grain patterns that change from cabinet to cabinet, walnut is the way to go. Since it is prized for its deep rich color it will not change significantly when stain is applied, staining walnut will deepen the richness and natural characteristics of the wood. Because of its color, hardness, grain and beauty it is prized for furniture and cabinets.
White Oak is as durable and a bit stronger than Red Oak. It carries green tones and has a more subtle grain. The sapwood is white to very light brown and the heartwood is light to dark brown. Oak wood has a course texture; it is heavy, straight-grained, hard, tough, very stiff and strong. White Oak is often “quarter-sawn” for shaker style cabinetry. “Quarter-sawn” grade is specially cut White Oak lumber where logs are quartered and sliced across the grain resulting in a tight, straight grain pattern. While maintaining the normal color range of flat cut oak, this method of cutting eliminates cathedral grain, but still allows limited amounts of mineral and pin knots. Quarter Sawn lumber also contains a distinct characteristic called medullar wood rays or “flake”. These flakes are clearly noticeable and will appear in a variety of sizes, patterns and directions that become more pronounced after finish is applied. Flakes will be present on the door panels; however, framing will consist of straight grain material that may or may not contain flakes.
