The oak is synonymous with strength, growth and longevity, especially in the United States.  Oak trees are from the genus Quercus and consist of over 400 species, making it one of the most varied plant species on the planet.  Most oaks have spirally arranged leaves with catkin flowers that bloom in spring.  Acorns are the fruit of the oak tree.  Almost all oak species are deciduous, with the exception of the live oak, which grows in the deep south and looms large in southern folklore for its shape, girth and Spanish moss.

Oak is prized for commercial use because of its strength and resistance to insect attack.  It has attractive grain designs, especially when quartersawn.  Oak is commonly used in visible building timbers, ship building, barrel production for use in aged alcoholic beverages like wine and whiskey, flooring and fine furniture.  US Customized Finishes produces oak cabinet doors, drawer fronts and moldings.  Red Oak cabinet doors are available for finishing in your shop.  Red Oak is selected for color. Defects such as knots and splits are removed. Burl and pin knots are acceptable and panel rips are arranged to form a reasonable blend of grain and color tones. 

In addition to red oak wood doors, US Customized also manufactures mdf cabinet doors with thermofoil finishes including Solar Oak thermofoil.  Matching or blending melamines may be available to blend with Solar Oak foil.

Maple or “Acer” is a common variety of tree and shrub form the genus Aceraceae, or from the botanical family Sapindaceae.  Although Maple is associated with North America and Canada in particular, most of its approximate 125 species are found in Asia, with several species in Europe. 

 Maples consist of trees that can reach heights of 150 feet and shrubs which are only a few feet high.  Most maple plants have the characteristic 5 point leaves, and most species are deciduous, but there are a few evergreen varieties.  Maple has many commercial applications including use in maple syrup, building timber and furniture use.  Maple cabinet doors are very popular with several different options, including Paint Grade Maple, Stain Grade Maple and White Maple. 

The wood for stain grade maple and white maple is consistently light and creamy with very subtle grains.  Paint grade maple is more varied with dark streaks, hence its utility is generally limited to painting.  In addition to maple cabinet doors, US Customized Finishes also manufactures MDF cabinet doors and offers several maple thermofoil options including Sanibel Maple, Fusion Maple and Hard Rock Maple thermofoils.  MDF products using these maple thermofoils may be available with matching or blending melamine backs. See our thermofoil chart for information on melamines that may be available from DixieLam, Roseburg and Panolam.

Hickory wood comes from the hickory tree (genus “Carya”), derived from the ancient Greek word for “nut”.  Hickory is a deciduous tree comprising 17-20 species, including approximately 14 which are native to North America.  Hickory trees produce a large nut about 1-3 inches in diameter.  If you have ever parked underneath a hickory tree, then you learned never to do so again as the nuts frequently fall and can leave hailstone-like divots in an automobile’s skin.  Small yellow catkin flowers are produced by hickory trees in the spring.

Hickory cabinet doors are very durable and strong because hickory wood is extremely hard, dense and shock resistant.  The grains of hickory cabinet doors vary widely in shape and color.  Accordingly, hickory wood is generally not selected for cabinet doors solely because of color. 

US Customized Finishes manufactures hickory cabinet doors as well as many other species of unfinished doors and moldings.  Because of the strength and durability of hickory wood, it is used in many other applications like tool handles, baseball bats, and wood flooring.

Hickory drawer fronts and moldings are also available to complement your overall design scheme.   Whether the doors are stained or painted, hickory cabinet doors are a wonderful choice.

US Customized Finishes also manufactures MDF thermofoil doors in a variety of woodgrain finishes.