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Will poplar crack less than maple over time?

CT_Newbie
10 years ago

Hi! We are getting white painted cabinets. There is a $2400 additional charge if we get maple instead of poplar. I've read the various threads comparing the two and how maple is a bit stronger and tends to be the standard.

The KD felt that the maple was paying for something that wouldn't give me a perceptible difference. She said that the manufacturer prefers to paint on poplar because poplar wood moves less as it is exposed to the fluctuations in humidity (and wood naturally moves and breathes by nature) where as maple tends to shift even more. So you are likely to experience joints opening up more with maple. She said they've been doing their painted cabinets for many years with the poplar (so it's not as if it was done for cost savings.)

Do people think the joints will crack more on maple? I have young kids so I am sure the cabinets will take a beating which is why I want to spring for the harder wood. Also, I've heard so much more about maple and not poplar (granted, I now understand how poplar can be a good choice for painted cabinets.

Do you think the maple is worth the additional charge?

Thank you!

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