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janeway452

Maple kitchen cabinets with sprayed on stain look "plastic"

janeway452
9 years ago

My sister is planning to replace kitchen cabinets due to installing granite counter tops. They currently have good quality oak cabinets that are in need of refinishing. The other day she showed me some samples they had brought home from a local home improvement store. Two stained maple doors (one veneer center) and one of their original doors. She asked me what I liked best. From across the room and up close my first thought was that I hated the maple--their original oak was better! I hated them. They are tired of the oak grain and want something without the grain, so maple seems like a good choice, but, UGH, these look like the stain was sprayed on and the over all impression for me was they looked plastic. Even the stains didn't look like something you would stain wood with.

Can maple kitchen cabinets be stained (properly?) for a natural wood look (without the grain, of course)? Does this sound like these particular cabinets are just bad choices and if they look around them can find something with more of a natural (maple) wood look?

Comments (7)

  • kompy
    9 years ago

    It's probably the price range of cabinets they are looking at. Put a low end maple door sample next to a semi-custom or custom door sample and they are worlds apart. The quality of the finish make a huge difference. Can you tell us what brand she is looking at?

    I also would not consider 'natural maple'....as it is a bit dated and CAN look cheap with a recessed panel style. Medium stains are usually the most non-trendy.

    Tell your sister to consider a semi-custom cabinet line. If that's already what she is looking at....tell her to look at another brand. I know that Kraftmaid's new finishing technique can sometimes look too shiny (and plastic-y). Medallion Silverline has nice maple and cherry shaker styles that won't break the bank.

    Also tell her to consider a cherry upgrade. It is not a huge price increase over maple, typically. For an overall kitchen, probably just a few hundred more. You'll get a wood with a much richer finish!

  • MrsShayne
    9 years ago

    Maple is used and stained all the time. I have that orangy oak and hate it. I'm looking at maple or cherry as well. If done correctly, maple should look fine. see samples.

  • HomeChef59
    9 years ago

    Maple is a great base for all kinds of finishes. It wears well, too. Look at other lines of maple. I prefer it to cherry. Alder is also a good base for stains.

    It really is a case of to each his own. I hate the glazes in finishes, particularly the painted finishes with glaze. It just looks dirty to me.

  • rwiegand
    9 years ago

    It's almost always better and easier to choose a wood with the color and grain you want to start with rather than staining wood to look like something else. Most kitchen cabinets get fairly opaque stains because that allows the manufacturer to use cheap wood and not pay any attention to color matching or grain patterns/orientation in the wood.

    I think real wood assembled with care and attention to detail in a simple, consistent, and classic style, in it's natural colors, no matter what color it happens to be, is the least likely ever to appear "dated". It's a model that's worked for several centuries now, unlikely to change soon I think. Doing a good job of making wood look like something it isn't requires a high level of skill and expertise, not something you're likely to find in mid-range factory built cabinets.

  • lam702
    9 years ago

    I had read somewhere that maple is more difficult to stain in the darker shades, as it doesn't always accept the stain evenly. But I agree, a better quality cabinet should have a nice, even stain no matter what wood it is made of. IMO, its not worth it to put in a cheap cabinet, then install a beautiful granite counter. Better to wait, save up for the cabinets you really want, or perhaps refinish the oak ones. I'd bet your current cabinets are better quality than a lower end big box store cabinet. Oak is considered very dated, but you can't beat it for hardness and durability. I think it will make a comeback someday (everything does, eventually) so you might consider refinishing or painting the cabinets. I've seen some beautiful gelstained and painted oak cabinets here on GW. A lot of work, but it can be done for little cost and looks great if properly done.

  • GreenDesigns
    9 years ago

    An expert finisher can get any wood almost any color. It won't be cheap. Quality always costs more. You won't be looking at $100 replacement doors if you want something nice looking from an expert.