Advantages:
- Durable
- Works well with almost any finish
- Fits in almost any kitchen design plan, from a professional chef’s kitchen to traditional
Disadvantages:
- Over time, maple may fade in color and start to yellow. Depending on what you had in mind for your design, this may not be a disadvantage.
OVERVIEW on Maple Cabinets:
The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your home, and the right choice for kitchen cabinets is key to the successful execution and ongoing use of the space. Now more than ever, you can choose from a diverse range of kitchen cabinet materials and finishes. For each aspect of home design and remodeling you can also strive to make choices that are 1) Functional, 2) Stylish, 3) Cost-Effective, and 4) Environmentally Sustainable. These are the four key guiding principles in the GREENandSAVE strategy. You will find that in certain cases, one or two of the criteria take precedent over others. However, as you review the home improvement options that are right for your home, you may be surprised to learn that reaching all four is more achievable than you thought.
Selection Tip: In choosing a kitchen cabinet material and finish make sure to think through the countertop and backsplash that will work best for your design and installation. Solid surface and natural stone materials typically need to be precut prior to installation versus tiles that can be cut and set right on the job site. Kitchen countertop backsplashes sometimes look great when they match the countertop material, but you can alternatively enhance the countertop material by choosing a different tile to run from the top edge of the counter all of the way up to the underside of the head cabinets. If you decide on the tiles, also take care in choosing the right color grout and look for new tile grouts that are stain resistant. Think of the kitchen cabinets, countertops, and backsplashes as an integrated kitchen design system, so try to avoid buying one before you get perspective and price out the materials, finishes, and installation implications for all three.
DETAILS on Maple Cabinets:
Along with oak, maple is one of the most popular woods for kitchen cabinets. Maple is versatile, durable, and gives an original look to any kitchen as it can be paired with almost all appliances and finishes. There are virtually no downsides to having maple wood in your kitchen.
Cabinet makers consider maple one of the best wood products. It is entirely possible to fill your whole kitchen with maple, use virtually any finish and have it mesh well with your appliances.
Just like oak, you get a wide variety of choices when choosing maple wood. The colors can range from white/pale yellow to tan/neutral, to deep reds and all shades of brown. There are also various textures within the maple, giving you the option to fill your entire kitchen with maple and highlight certain areas with textures, keeping the area from feeling too uniform.
While oak kitchens are recommended for rustic, casual, "country" kitchens, maple works with any design theme you have in mind. Whether you are looking for a professional chef's kitchen, a European feel, Early American, sophistication or rustic, maple will work in your kitchen.
The one downside to maple wood may not be a downside at all, depending on your design idea. Over time, maple wood will start to yellow, which is very important to keep in mind as you're designing. If your design calls for that golden feel, the transformed color may add to your space.
GREEN Considerations:
If you are considering maple to completely remodel your kitchen, do not fall into the habit of thinking everything has to be brand new. Are you simply updating your existing maple cabinetry? Good! Can any of it be reused? Even better!
Before purchasing everything that will go into your new kitchen, check to see if you can reuse existing parts from your current kitchen. Maybe your cabinet's shelves are fine, but the doors need to be replaced. By saving the shelves, you've already saved a large amount of wood and money. With all of the maple options, finding doors that are a match to your shelves should not be too difficult.
For the new maple fixtures you are purchasing, make sure to use FSC-certified or reclaimed wood. A Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification guarantees that wood is grown and harvested in a sustainable manner. Many companies also use reclaimed wood, meaning they use salvaged wood to produce beautiful products.
Columbia Forest Products is the largest manufacturer of hardwood plywood in North America. They have transformed their business to supply only formaldehyde-free products, an extremely beneficial factor for the environment, as well as your home. Checking to be sure that the products you are placing in your home are manufactured and sold in eco-friendly ways is half the battle of keeping your home environmentally-friendly.
