Wood Species for Doors

REFLECTING NATURE’S BEAUTY

It is tempting to look for “Perfection” in wood products, just as we expect in other materials, like carpeting, counter tops and wall coverings. What we mean by perfection in these man made materials is impossible and undesirable in products made of wood.

Wood is a natural material with variations in color, grain pattern, and other characteristics. The color of wood within a tree varies between “sapwood” (the outer layers of the tree which continue to transport sap) which is usually lighter in color, and “heartwood” (the inner layers in which the cells have become filled with natural deposits). This produces different colors and grain patterns in the wood.

Wood comes from trees. It is the most important fact to remember in understanding the nature of wood. Whatever characteristics are in the wood is traceable to the tree from which it came. Wood is not a man made material designed and manufactured to give you consistent characteristics throughout. Grain and color variation along with defining characteristics of individual wood species should be expected.

Exposure to light will cause wood to age and vary from its original color over time. With all that said these are all reasons wood products are beautiful and an example of nature’s perfection!

CLICK HERE for a more detailed explanation of color shift in wood

There are two wood options you can select with natural grade or select grade for many but not all of the wood species we offer. These options are only available for solid wood door options. All of our veneers we get come in a select grade veneer.

Natural Grade
The “Natural” grade of wood will allow for color variations, including some sapwood common with each species. A limited effort will be made in color and grain matching. Other character marks that are common to the species will also be allowed with some restrictions. This is our most economical grade in each species.

Select Grade
The “Select” grade of wood color and grain variations are fairly uniform and held to closer tolerances than in our “Natural” grade. A moderate amount of color variation is allowed between doors. Limited amount of character marks allowed with a small amount of sapwood allowed in the machined areas and edges.

Plywood Panels
Series 100 doors (#’s 100-140), 400 doors (#’s 400-416, 440, 475, 478, 490, 491, 492, 493, and 494) and 700 doors (#’s 700-740) have a 1/4″ thick veneer panel insert. The veneer panel on the back may not match fronts on some types of woods. Veneer panels, while warranted to be of similar color themselves, may not perfectly match the solid wood frames. A 1/2″ solid wood panel is available as an upgrade for most of the door styles.

Back Side Of Cabinet Doors
The grade of the wood on the back side of doors may not match the fronts. Natural characteristics of the wood species are allowed on the back of the doors, including small filled knots, unless stated otherwise for a specific wood. If the back of one or more doors in your order needs to match the front in grade quality, you must notify us of this when placing your order.

Below you will see the wood options we offer for our classic doors. If there is a wood species you are interested not shown here feel free to ask. Sometimes we can do additional wood species not shown on this page. The pictures of wood samples shown include a natural clear finish.

Scroll over or touch the images below to view the specifications for each of the wood species

An open grain wood that is heavy, hard, strong, stiff and high in shock resistance hardwood. Cream to a medium brown heartwood with a light colored sapwood. Natural range of colors with varying amounts of the brown allowed. Pin burls and mineral streaks allowed no larger than 1/8" wide by 4" long. Select Ash is NOT available.

Ash

A heavy, hard, strong, high in resistance to shock, good resistance to abrasive wear, very closed grained hardwood. The sapwood is white with a red tinge, while the heartwood is light to dark reddish brown. The wood is generally straight grained with a close uniform texture.

Beech

A heavy, very strong, hard, closed-grained, even textured hardwood. The sapwood is nearly white while the heartwood is a cream color or light brown tinged with red. The natural range of colors allowed but mineral streaks are limited to 1/8" wide by 3" long.

Birch

The white of the sapwood is used varying in color from a whitish pale yellow to a light pink with moderate color variations allowed between doors. Mineral streaks not exceeding 1/16" wide by 1-1/2" long. The heartwood may occasionally appear only in the machined areas of the panel and frame edges.

Select Birch

A medium weight, strong, rather hard fine-grained hardwood. A light reddish-brown heartwood with the sapwood varying from a whitish brown to a light yellowish brown. Small gum pockets are considered normal markings. A variety of color and grain variations along with sapwood allowed with mineral streaks no larger than 1/4" wide by 4" long. Cherry is very sensitive to ultraviolet lighting and will darken with age.

Cherry

Select Cherry will be selected for the heartwood with limited amounts of sapwood showing only in the machined areas and edges. Moderate color variations will be allowed between doors. Gum pockets allowed along with mineral streaks no larger than 1/8" wide by 2" long. Cherry is very sensitive to ultraviolet lighting and will darken with age.

Select Cherry

A special grade of Cherry with more character allowed. Grain variations, small to medium knots, sapwood, gum pockets and mineral streaks combine to create an interesting door. Knots in Cherry may have cracks and/or holes and some knots may be filled on the back side. Cherry is very sensitive to ultraviolet lighting and will darken with age.

Rustic Cherry

An extremely tough and resilient, quite hard and heavy hardwood. The color varies from nearly white to cream with fine brown lines and a tan to brown heartwood. The natural range of colors allowed along with pecks, burls and mineral streaks. A definite choice for those who love nature and the true natural look of wood. Select Hickory is NOT available.

Hickory

An exceptionally stable wood that is relatively hard, works well, highly lustrous, polishes well and is durable. The colors vary from a light pink to reddish-brown and tannish-brown. The natural range of colors allowed including some sapwood. The grain pattern is very distinct and pleasing with more figured grain, milder texture and slightly larger pores than other Mahogany species.

Sapele Mahogany

This hardwood is heavy, very hard, strong, close-grained, tough, stiff, uniform texture with excellent resistance to abrasion and indentation. The color is a creamy white sapwood with a reddish-brown heartwood. Mineral streaks are common and are not considered a defect. The natural range of colors allowed on the face side.

Maple

The creamy sapwood is carefully selected and mineral streaks are present but no larger than 1/8" wide by 2" long. Moderate color variations are allowed between doors. The heartwood may occasionally appear only in the machined areas of the panel and frame edges.

Select Maple

Poplar is used for the solid wood on the Paint Grade doors. Poplar is a medium weight strength wood and very stable. The yellowish color has a slightly greenish cast and occasionally with rather dark streaks. A wide range of color and grain allowed. The Series 100, 400 and 700 flat panel doors have a 1/4" thick MDF center panel. You can request veneered or solid wood center panels with the Poplar frames.

Paint Grade Poplar

A medium density wood with excellent strength and stability. Yellow Poplar has a creamy white sapwood and may be streaked with the heartwood varying from pale yellowish brown to olive green, often with limited streaks of blue, gray and purple. These highlights make up for the wood's otherwise plain grain, the natural color range is allowed.

Yellow Stain Grade Poplar

You can request Soft Maple for the solid wood used in Paint Grade doors. See Soft Maple for the characteristics, the full range of color is allowed.

Paint Grade Soft Maple

Red Alder is a relatively soft hardwood of medium density, a relative of Birch that is fairly straight grained with uniform texture. Alder is a light brown with a yellow or reddish tinge, there is no visible boundary between sap and heartwood. Because Alder has a close grain and readily accepts stain, Red Alder can imitate Cherry, Mahogany and even Walnut with the proper finishing.

Red Alder

The same characteristics as Red Alder but will be selected for a higher grade of color and grain match with a moderate amount of color variation allowed between doors.

Select Red Alder

A special grade of Red Alder that is fairly uniform in color with moderate variations between doors. Grain variations and knots of all types and sizes are allowed. Knots in Red Alder will commonly have cracks and/or holes and some knots may be filled on the back side.

Rustic Red Alder

A heavy open grain hardwood with larger more prominent pores. Red Oak is very hard, stiff, and durable with great wear resistance. The heartwood varies from a pink brown to a reddish brown while the sapwood is a whitish or grayish brown and the natural color and grain variations are allowed. Mineral stain allowed no larger than 1/8" wide by 6" long. Pin burls and small pin knots and limited sapwood allowed. Small filled knots allowed on the backs of doors as long as they do not show through to the front of the door.

Red Oak

Select Red Oak will be selected for a higher grade of color and grain match with a moderate amount of color variation allowed between doors. Limited pin burls may be present and mineral stains no larger than 1/8" wide by 3" long. A small amount of sapwood may appear only in machined areas of panel and outside edge of frame.

Select Red Oak

The same characteristics as Red Oak. Random color, knots in varying sizes including cracked or open knots and a lot of character. Knots may be filled on the back side. Mineral streaks and sapwood allowed. Definitely for someone with a taste for the natural, more rustic look.

Rustic Red Oak

Same characteristics as Red Oak except the grain which is straighter as the lumber is cut from 45° to 70° angle to the growth rings in the tree. Some medullary ray flecking may be present in the Rift-Sawn Red Oak. For a heavier "flecking" preference versus color match choose Quarter-Sawn Red Oak.

Rift-Sawn Red Oak

Same characteristics as Red Oak except the grain which is straighter as the lumber is cut from 60° to 90° angle to the growth rings in the tree. Quarter-Sawn Red Oak is selected for a heavier medullary ray flecking preference versus color match. For a straighter grain Red Oak with less "flecking" choose Rift-Sawn Red Oak.

Quarter-Sawn Red Oak

A closed grain hardwood that is heavy, very strong for its weight and exceptionally stable, commonly known as American Black Walnut. The heartwood is a dark brown to a dark purplish-brown with a light gray-brown sapwood. The natural range of colors allowed, including limited sapwood. The grain pattern can be highly figured, pin burls and mineral streaks no larger than 1/8" wide by 3" long allowed.

Walnut

Select Walnut will be selected for a higher grade of color and grain match with a moderate amount of color variation allowed between doors. Limited pin burls may be present and a small amount of sapwood may appear only in machined areas of panel and outside edge of frame.

Select Walnut

Characteristics are very similar to Red Oak except it is closer grained and slightly heavier. The color varies from a light brown with a grayish tinge in the heartwood to shades of ochre in the sapwood. Limited amounts of sapwood will be blended into the front of the doors. Pin knots and burls are also allowed with mineral streaks no larger than 1/8" wide by 3" long.

White Oak

Select White Oak will be selected for a higher grade of color and grain match with a moderate amount of color variation allowed between doors. A small amount of sapwood may appear only in machined areas of panel and outside edge of frame.

Select White Oak

Same characteristics as White Oak except the grain which is straighter as the lumber is cut from 45° to 70° angle to the growth rings in the tree. Some medullary ray flecking may be present in the Rift-Sawn White Oak. For a heavier "flecking" preference versus color match choose Quarter-Sawn White Oak.

Rift-Sawn White Oak

Same characteristics as White Oak except the grain which is straighter as the lumber is cut from 60° to 90° angle to the growth rings in the tree. Quarter-Sawn White Oak is selected for a heavier medullary ray flecking preference versus color match. For a straighter grain White Oak with less "flecking" choose Rift-Sawn White Oak.

Quarter-Sawn White Oak

A softwood that is light, soft, not strong and close straight grained. The colors vary from cream to a light reddish brown with a yellowish-white sapwood. The natural range of colors allowed along with tight knots of varying sizes.

Knotty White Pine

A softwood that is light, soft, not strong and close straight grained. The colors vary from cream to a light reddish brown with a yellowish-white sapwood. Clear White Pine with only very small knots and the natural colors allowed is available (solid wood panels required).

Clear White Pine

Wood Species for Doors

REFLECTING NATURE’S BEAUTY

Scroll over or touch the images below to view the specifications for each of the wood species

Scroll over or touch the images above to view the specifications for each of the wood species