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CKCA Column: Exotic Choices

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CKCA by Caroline Castrucci
Caroline Castrucci is CP/Owner of Laurysen Kitchens Ltd. & President of Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association. For more info email ccastrucci@laurysenkitchens.com

 

Move over maple, make way oak: there are more choices in wood species for kitchen cabinets than ever before

 

Although oak, maple and cherry are mainstays of the kitchen cabinet industry, more and more customers want something that will set their kitchen apart from that of their arents, and their peers. An uncommon or “exotic” wood species can provide the distinct style that many desire.

 

For the environmentally conscious consumer, bamboo is an increasingly popular choice — with good reason. A sustainable raw material with a growth cycle averaging three to five years, the mature plant is as strong as many hardwoods. Bamboo has a unique aesthetic featuring a soft grain pattern and distinct “knuckle” pattern which can be made highly visible by employing the horizontal grain method of processing and bonding the bamboo strips into panels. Those truly interested in a green product should ensure that the bonding and finishing processes employed do not use added urea-formaldehyde or other adhesives which may emit high levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Read more about greener finishing and manufacturing options at woodworkingcanada.com.

 

Lyptus is another option for those looking to go green. As suggested by its name, Lyptus comes from fast growing eucalyptus trees, harvested from nontropical certified plantations within 14 to 16 years of planting. The lumber varies in colour from light to deep pink, depending on wood density. Its fine grain will accept a wide range of stain colours making it a “manufacturer friendly” material. To ensure colour and density consistency, raw materials are colour sorted. When considering lyptus and bamboo as “greener” choices, it’s important to factor in shipping methods and potential greenhouse gas emissions since both wood species typically come from distant locations.

 

Other woods from far-off lands include macassar ebony and zebrawood, both native to Africa. Notable for their distinctive striped appearances — macassar ebony features chocolate brown to black striping and zebrawood, straw to dark brown — a clear finish is usually applied to these pricey wood species, allowing the striking colour variations to remain visible. (Zebrawood is considered a threatened species in its native habitat of Central Africa and now requires reforestation efforts due to its increased popularity.) Both species can be difficult to work with in their raw states, but veneers are available for cabinet case construction, and slab veneer doors are also available from a variety of sources.

 

If a more consistent colour of cabinetry is desired, walnut or wenge may be suitable options. Walnut, with its dark colour, fine grain and durability, is an excellent choice for kitchen cabinetry. Solid walnut can range in colour from creamy white sapwood to dark brown heartwood. Kiln dried walnut tends to become a dull brown while air dried walnut takes on a purplish hue. As walnut is scarce, veneers are often used to provide a more affordable option. While walnut has been around for years, the use of wenge in North America is fairly recent due in part to the trend towards contemporary kitchens in darker finishes. Like walnut, wenge’s dark coffee brown colour with lighter brown streaks makes it well-suited to a natural finish. Unlike walnut, however, wenge is extremely difficult to machine, and can actually be somewhat of a health hazard if not handled properly. Since wenge itself is considered endangered, cabinet manufacturers may opt for engineered or reconstituted wenge veneers for cabinet case materials and doors. The look of wenge is achieved by dying and laminating together other more common and sustainably managed veneers such as poplar and obeche.

 

Design trends come and go, and mahogany and teak are once again popular choices for cabinetry. Teak is a yellowish brown wood which, if left in its natural state, will lighten over time. A clear UV blocking finish can be applied to prevent this change in colour. The majority of teak is commercially grown on state controlled plantations in Indonesia. Because teak is a slow growing species, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) does offer certification of sustainably grown and harvested teak. Mahogany is also generally a plantation grown species which should be purchased from a FSC-certified source. It has a generally straight grain and is most commonly a reddish-brown colour that darkens over time. Easy to work with and very durable, it’s a good choice both for manufacturers and consumers. That said, the species is becoming increasingly rare and as a result is very expensive.

 

It’s unlikely that exotic species such as wenge or zebrawood will ever become as popular as maple or oak, and budget restrictions will always be a limiting factor for the majority of consumers. However, with the ongoing environmental efforts at maintaining exotic species, and the advent of engineered veneer options and realistic laminate imitations, literally a whole world of wood species options are now available to anyone searching for a unique design aesthetic for their dream kitchen.

 

 

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