Wood Grades

Please read the following descriptions of our wood species and grades carefully when selecting a wood species for your order. If you have more questions regarding color matching or panel strip sizes, please call your Customer Service Representative. Please also note that because climate and ecosystems across North America are so diverse, no two trees are exactly alike so neither will two boards be exactly alike. If you would like a closer look at a specific grade, we recommend that you order a sample.

Based on our experiences with wood, we have also made some finishing recommendations for each wood species and grade. For instance, if you are planning on using a clear or light finish, please choose either the select or premium grade.

NOTE: The images shown with each wood grade are finished with a clear lacquer which enhances the colors and details of the wood grain.

 

White Maple, Flat Cut, Soft

Soft White Maple
Soft Maple is the most economical wood grade. Color and grain variations along with mineral stained and brown or green heartwood are allowed with no effort given to matching. Machining quality is the same as any other grade. This wood grade is best suited for drawer boxes and solid color paints with good hiding characteristics

White Maple, Flat Cut, Natural

Natural White Maple
Natural White Maple is an economical grade of Maple for cabinet doors. Color and grain variations along with mineral staining and brown heartwood are purposely encouraged with a time limited effort in matching. Machining quality is the same as any other grade. This wood grade is best suited to medium to dark spray stains with some hiding characteristics.

White Maple, Flat Cut, Select

Select White Maple
Select White Maple is our standard grade form Maple products. Color and grain variations are only tolerated to limited degree. The color is fairly uniform and well matched. Moderate color variations are allowed between doors. A few of the smallest pin knots may be allowed along with at small amount of mineral streaks and brown heartwood allowed in machined areas. This wood grade is well suited to most applications where medium to light spray stain finishes are specified.

White Maple, Flat Cut, Premium

Premium White Maple
Premium White Maple is our finest grade of Maple. Color and grain uniformity are assured. All doors in a given order are made from material of the same color and grain characteristics with very low tolerance for variations in machined areas. This wood grade is of excellent quality and perfect for clear or light spray stain finishes or where customers demand a near “plastic laminate” quality look.

Red Oak, Flat Cut, Natural

Natural Red Oak
Natural Red Oak is our most economical grade of Oak. Color and grain variations are allowed with a time limited effort in matching. Mineral stain, sapwood, and a limited number of pin knots are allowed with the best side turned forward at glue up. Machining quality is the same as any other grade. This wood grade is best suited to medium to dark finished or spray stains with hiding characteristics.

Red Oak, Flat Cut, Select

Select Red Oak
Select Red Oak is our standard grade used for Oak products. Color and grain variations are held to closer tolerances than in a Natural grade. The color is fairly uniform and well matched. Moderate color variations are allowed between doors. A few of the smallest pin knots may be allowed along with a small amount of mineral streaks and sapwood allowed in machined areas. This wood grade is well suited to most applications where lighter spray or wipe stain finishes are specified.

Red Oak, Flat Cut, Premium

Premium Red Oak
Premium Red Oak is our top grade of Oak. Color and grain uniformity are assured. All doors in a given order are made from material of the same color and grain characteristics with very low tolerance for variations in machined areas. This door is of impeccable quality and perfect for clear or light spray or wipe stain finishes where extremely quality conscious customers are involved.

Red Oak, Rift Cut, Select

Rift Cut Red Oak
Color and grain variations are only tolerated to a limited degree. The color is fairly uniform and well matched. Moderate color variations are allowed between doors. A few of the smallest pin knots may be allowed along with a small amount of mineral streaks and sapwood allowed in machined areas. Being Rift Cut, this wood type minimizes the ray flakes in the Red Oak and creates a fairly 'straight grain' look. This wood grade is well suited to most applications where light to medium spray or wipe stain finishes are specified.

Red Oak, Quarter Cut, Select

Quarter Cut Red Oak
Color and grain variations are only tolerated to a limited degree. The color is fairly uniform and well matched. Moderate color variations are allowed between doors. A few of the smallest pin knots may be allowed along with a small amount of mineral streaks and sapwood allowed in machined areas. Being Quarter Cut, this wood type creates a fairly 'straight grain' look with an emphasis being placed on choosing material with ray flakes. This wood grade is well suited to most applications where light to medium spray or wipe stain finishes are specified.

White Oak, Flat Cut, Select

Select White Oak
Select White Oak is our standard grade of White Oak. Color and grain variations are only tolerated to a limited degree. The color is fairly uniform and well matched. Moderate color variations are allowed between doors, with a few small pin knots being allowed. This wood grade is well suited to most applications where light to medium stain finishes are specified.

White Oak, Rift Cut, Select

Rift Cut White Oak
Color and grain variations are only tolerated to a limited degree. The color is fairly uniform and well matched. Moderate color variations are allowed between doors. A few of the smallest pin knots may be allowed along with a small amount of mineral streaks and sapwood allowed in machined areas. Being Rift Cut, this wood type minimizes the ray flakes in the White Oak and creates a fairly 'straight grain' look. This wood grade is well suited to most applications where light to medium spray or wipe stain finishes are specified.

White Oak, Quarter Cut, Select

Quarter Cut White Oak
Color and grain variations are only tolerated to a limited degree. The color is fairly uniform and well matched. Moderate color variations are allowed between doors. A few of the smallest pin knots may be allowed along with a small amount of mineral streaks and sapwood allowed in machined areas. Being Quarter Cut, this wood type creates a fairly 'straight grain' look with an emphasis being placed on choosing material with ray flakes. This wood grade is well suited to most applications where light to medium spray or wipe stain finishes are specified.

Cherry, Flat Cut, Natural

Natural Cherry
Natural Cherry is our most economical grade of Cherry. A variety of color and grain variations including sapwood and a moderate amount of pitch marks and or pin knots are randomly assembled to yield an attractive door with lively character. Virtually any spray stain finish colors work well on this wood grade depending on taste.

Cherry, Flat Cut, Select

Select Cherry
Select Cherry is the standard grade of Cherry. Color and grain variations are only tolerated to a limited degree. The color is fairly uniform with little or no sapwood and well matched. Moderate color variations are allowed between doors. A few small pitch marks and/or pin knots may be allowed and some sapwood and or mineral streaks may be found in machined areas. This wood grade is well suited to most applications where medium to light spray stain finishes are required.

Cherry, Flat Cut, Premium

Premium Cherry
Premium Cherry Is our finest grade of Cherry. Color and grain uniformity are assured. All products in a given order are made from material of the same color and grain characteristics with very low tolerance for pitch marks, sapwood, and pin knots or variations in machined areas. This wood grade is of excellent quality and perfect for clear or light finishes or where customers expectations of color uniformity are extremely high.

Hickory, Flat Cut, Premium

Premium Hickory
Premium Hickory Is a special designer grade of Hickory. For this wood grade, the sapwood and heartwood are matched and blended to flow through the panel in such a way as to minimize abrupt color changes along lamination lines. This is a very attractive natural looking wood grade and is usually finished clear but most light spray stains work well on this door.

Hickory, Flat Cut, Rustic

Rustic Hickory
Rustic Hickory is our most economical Hickory. Color and grain variations including sapwood and heartwood are matched to result in a rustic look. Closed knots, mineral staining, and pitch marks are allowed throughout. Doors in this wood grade are usually finished clear but most light spray stains work well on this wood grade as well.

Alder, Flat Cut, Clear

Clear Alder
Clear Alder provides results for an inexpensive cabinet door that resembles select cherry. Color on this type of door will be fairly uniform with consistent grain structure. This type of wood grade is usually finished with a light colored spray stain.

Alder, Flat Cut, Knotty

Knotty Alder
Knotty Alder is a special designer grade of Alder. Color on this type of wood grade will be fairly uniform but grain variations and knots of all types and sizes will be present. It should be noted that alder knots usually contain slightly opened cracks. We make an attempt to make sure these knots are not open enough to allow light through. This type of wood grade is usually finished with a light colored spray stain.

Pine, Flat Cut, Clear

Clear Pine
Clear Pine yields an inexpensive clear lightly colored wood product. Color and grain variations are selected and matched to produce a fairly uniform light colored door. This wood grade usually finished clear or with very light spray stains to avoid the blotchiness often associated with wipe on stains.

Pine, Flat Cut, Knotty

Knotty Pine
Knotty Pine is the most popular grade of Pine. Color, grain variations, knots, and other natural characteristics are selected and matched to produce an attractive product. Large knots are avoided in stile material to avoid warping. An attempt is made to insure knots in panels are well spaced, will remain tight, and are not generally in machined areas. This wood grade is usually finished clear or with very light spray stains to avoid the blotchiness often associated with wipe on stains.

Walnut, Flat Cut, Select

Select Walnut
Select Walnut is our standard grade of Walnut. Color and grain variations are tolerated to a limited degree. The color variation is fairly uniform allowing the lighter colors to appear only in some deeper profiles and on the back side of the door. A few pin knots and small knot clusters may be allowed if overall color is consistent. This wood grade is well suited for light stains to dark stains.

Walnut, Flat Cut, Rustic

Walnut-Rustic

With Rustic Walnut, color variations and knots are purposely selected. The color may vary from a light creamy white to rich dark browns and this color variation may appear in some of the deeper profiles and on both the front and back faces of the door. The color variation together with the fact that we make sure each door has knots in the face of the door gives this wood grade a completely different look then our select grade. Walnut knots tend to be pitted and cracked in the knot area but you should not be able to see through them. This grade is well suited for all types of finish, depending on personal preference.

Mahogany, African, Flat Cut

Mahogany

African Mahogany has a pale reddish-brown color with a straight, interlocking grain. The irregular patches or streaks in the grain produce beautiful dark and light bands of color when finished. It is free of knots and suited for clear coats to dark stains.

Yellow Poplar, Flat Cut

Select Poplar

Yellow Poplar is fine textured, soft and lightweight. Yellow Poplar has grayish-white sapwood with greenish brown heartwood so the color ranges from a light green to an off white. It machines well and take paint exceptionally well. Poplar is frequently finished to look like other woods, and also works well as a paint grade wood. This grade is free of knots.