Cabinet Finishing Systems & Door Styles

Natural Variations of Wood

The designer must understand why wood parts finish differently and why various wood species require special finishing considerations. For example, there can be different absorption rates present within one piece of wood. This defect is associated with random variation in porosity, mineral streaks, growth patterns, and the dense tissue around knots in wood.

The variation can be caused by how the tree grows or by a bundle of fibers growing in a wavy fashion within the tree and at angles to the vertical access. When the log is cut, some bundles of fiber are cut parallel to the main direction of growth and some are cut at an angle, exposing the fiber end with its open water-conducting channels or pores. Such open surface inevitably will assume darker hues than surfaces composed of near-parallel bundles of fiber, producing a blotchy effect when stain is applied. A similar variation in color caused by differing wood fibers occurs when veneer panels are rounded, or solid wood moldings are curved.

Additionally, some natural wood colors will change to darker finishes in the presence of oxygen and light. For example, cherry will become much redder during the life of the furniture piece or cabinetry. When this darkening occurs in lacquered veneers, it is often viewed—erroneously—as the fault of the finish.

Successful designers carefully and completely review the types of color variation the client should expect and be willing to accept before the cabinet order is placed.

Finishing Methods

Although most cabinet manufacturers supply finished casework, designers should have a working knowledge of wood coloring and wood finishing. A wide variety of finishing techniques is used in the cabinetry industry. Designers should review manufacturers’ published information about finishing processes as well as their compliance with environmental protection guidelines or requirements.

Factory Finishing

Most cabinet companies finish cabinetry in the manufacturing facility and this is called factory finishing. The benefits of factory finishing include consistency, control of film thickness, environmental compliance, and curing / drying of the finish in a controlled atmosphere. The finished cabinetry will then be protected from humidity changes during transport or installation at the job site. Unfinished wood can expand or shrink, which can compromise the case’s stability. Damage to the wood door assembly can occur if extreme climate changes occur between cabinet assembly and cabinet finish.

Field Finishing

Wood finished on the job-site is referred to as field finishing. Field finishing is typically specified when there is not a demand or specific need for a superior appearance and is not apart of the factory finishing. This would normally be specified in the painting specification section. A finisher / painter is responsible for examining and accepting the woodwork as supplied before beginning work. They are also responsible for meeting or exceeding the control sample supplied by the kitchen and bath designer. They must match the surface performance characteristics (such as color, texture, and sheen), including proper surface preparation, shading, and blending of color, and other requirements the designer specifies.

Environmental Concerns

The environmental concern regarding the cabinet finishing process focuses on limiting or eliminating hazardous substances called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Some water-based stain systems eliminate VOCs; however, the durability of such systems may not be suitable for the planned usage of the cabinetry. Other finishing systems have been formulated to have very low VOC emission levels while providing an extremely durable finish. Regulations surrounding VOC emissions are continually changing in the cabinetry industry. Designers should work closely with manufacturers to understand chemical emission control or elimination efforts under way within the specific manufacturer’s finishing department or as regulated by state environmental codes.

Enhancing Natural Wood Tones

The natural color of the wood can be enhanced simply by adding a coat of oil. The approximate color resulting from a transparent finish can be determined with a wet test. Simply moisten an area of the unfinished wood with clean water. More porous woods will show a greater change in color than woods with closed grains.

Staining Wood

Stains are employed to bring out the full beauty of the grain or to emphasize the color of the woods. Woods with no color that must be stained are basswood, poplar, gumwood, and white pine. Light-colored woods that may be finished in their natural color or stained include ash, beech, birch, cherry, elm, oak, maple, chestnut, and mahogany.

Stain usually is not used on woods with natural beauty and rich color, such as butternut, mahogany, rosewood, teak, and walnut. These woods, which have a natural beauty of pattern and color, can receive a clear finish, which will magnify their beauty. However, even on these woods, it is common to use a light stain to even out the color.

It must be remembered that a stain is not a finish and that a finishing coat must be applied over it, except in the case of varnish stains, penetrating wood-sealer finishes, and lacquer-containing stain.

Type of Stain	Characteristic
Water Stain	Powder, best applied with spray equipment. Will raise grain of wood. No preliminary sealer coat required.
Non-Grain-Raising Stain (NGR)	Stain in which powders are dissolved in a solvent other than water to minimize the problem of grain raising. Best applied with spray equipment, which carries mixture into the pores of the wood and later evaporates.
Spirit Stain	Powders soluble in alcohol, which are very quick drying. Best applied with spray equipment. Can result in a slight muddiness in the finish.
Pigmented Wiping Stain	Effective in staining a cabinet made from different woods. Pigments are suspended in a penetrating resin vehicle to allow for more color coverage to conceal the differences in the various woods being used. This type of stain requires a wiping step in the finishing process.
Varnish Stain	Not often used for fine wood finishes, these stains fill, color, and add a gloss to the surface, all in one coat. When a product is made from less expensive grades of lumber, varnish stains may be successful because they give a uniform coloring to woods streaked with very soft and porous parts.

Sealing Woods

A sealer coat should be applied to a wood surface after a stain has been used, unless otherwise directed. The sealer coat is normally a thin coat of the material used for the coloring. The purpose of the sealer is to keep the stain from bleeding into succeeding coats, by sealing the pores and to smooth the wood for the final finish.

Wire Brushing

Wire brushing is a manual process that opens the woodgrain of the lumber or veneer even more significantly. This is typically done with red and white oak. As the woodgrain will be opened further, the stain will be absorbed quick and deepen the grain pattern of the wood.

Painted Wood Finishes

Painted material is typically either a paint grade solid wood (like poplar or soft maple), MDF (CARB II compliant medium density fiberboard) or a combination of both.

As well some doors are painted on high-density fiberboard (HDF) which is much stronger and harder because it is made out of exploded wood fibers that have been highly compressed. HDF differs from particle board in that the bonding of the wood fibers requires no additional materials and unlike particle board, it will not split or crack. This combination of materials provides a smooth and consistent finished surface. Nickels applies paint onto 1-piece HDF and 5-piece MDF/wood doors.

When a 5-piece door is painted, the joints will inevitably telegraph through the painted finish. On some occasions, the joints will open up, thereby developing hairline cracks on the door face. These cracks are considered normal and acceptable, and are therefore not covered as a warranty issue. When a cabinet manufacturer paints onto 1-piece MDF doors, the issue of the joints as described above is eliminated.

Finish Sheen

Sheen is the result of many factors, including finishing techniques, processes, stains, topcoats and the wood itself. Coating material suppliers use a variety of names for different sheens. An untrained eye can see a 10 point or greater difference in sheen. The following sheen ranges were developed by measuring the reflectance of a direct light source at a 60-degree angle with a gloss meter:

• Flat = 8 – 14
• Satin = 15 – 25
• Satin Gloss = 26 – 49
• Semi gloss = 50 – 70
• Gloss = 71 – 90

Multi-Step Finishes

In addition to a wide array of wood stains and fashionable colors for cabinetry, many consumers request cabinetry with hand-applied finishes creating an antique look. These finishes are reminiscent of a room that has developed the patina of a cherished but well-worn furniture piece. Generically, they may be called vintage, multi-step, or layered finishes. Three broad categories of special effects are employed to create these finishes.

Glazing

Glazing is the application of a colored material after the base coat of stain or paint has been applied. There are four broad categories of glazing:

• Patting glazing. Applied on white wood edging after wear, before finish, with pat-pat-pat/sponge rhythm.
• Burnished/dirty glazing. Glazing applied over all surfaces and wiped off, leaving residue in all crevices and shaped elements. Also called a penetrating glaze, which means laying color into the pores of the wood, allowing it to contribute to the finished color of the wood.
• Striated/brushed glazing. A faux finish technique where the consistency of the glazing is such that it appears to be stripes of paint left from brush strokes in both a horizontal and a vertical direction.
• Dry/penned glazing. Almost chalk-like material is applied after burnishing with a glancing stroke: appears on lead raised edges. Identified as defining glazing, which means the wood grooves are highlighted by the glaze

Physical Distressing

A person or machine damages the wood finish to create the look of aged, beaten furniture. A variety of distressing systems are available; the techniques include dents, relief cuts, chisel cuts, peck marks, and worm tracking. Such distressing can mimic natural wear or be taken to an extreme level to create a rugged, worn look. Much of this distressing is limited to wood; only light distressing is applicable to veneers.

Special Effects

Special effects involve the application of specialized materials to re-create the sense of an aged wood surface. Typically, manufacturers employ three broad categories of special effects.

• Crackle. Crackle is a random look reminiscent of common finish deterioration seen in porcelain (a very small crackle application) or weather deterioration of a furniture finish caused when the finish dries and cracks because of exposure to heat.
• Spatter/cowtailing. Spatter can be large and watery, small pinpoint black or light/dark brown lacquer that is sprayed across the finish in a random fine pattern to add depth to the finish. Small wisps of accent paints, sometimes called cowtailing, may also be applied.
• Wear/Sand-through. Wear appears on the edge of the doors, the raise of moldings, and other areas where a finish naturally would have been worn off through the continual opening and closing of doors over years of use. Wear also appears on the door, drawer, and cabinet face frame.

Speciality Wood Finishing

Paint, colored lacquer, and tinted varnish all provide a painted appearance on cabinetry. Painting will conceal the wood grain on tightly grained wood species. During painting, an undercoat primer with no gloss is applied, followed by a finish coat of high gloss, semi-gloss, or satin.

A colored lacquer or a tinted varnish provide a painted appearance. However, texture of the grain is still seen through the finish but depending on the laquer or tinted varnish the visual differences in coloring in the grain of wood may disappear. Pickled finishes (white pigment rubbed into woods to enhance the grain) give wood cabinets the look of an antique scrubbed surface. Pickling is most dramatic on woods with large pores, such as oak and ash, although it works well on others too.

Additionally, paint dragging—white or off-white paint left in cabinet joints and within distressed sections heightens this old-world antique look. This appealing vintage effect works beautifully in many kitchens and bathrooms.

Top Finish Coat

The finish coat will give a high-gloss, stain-rubbed, or polish-rubbed finish. The most common clear finishes are lacquer, oil, penetrating wood sealer, polyurethane, varnish, and wax. Cabinet manufacturers have different processes that consist of multiple steps and will use catalyzed sealers and tops coats throughout the finishing process.

Lacquer Finish

A finish that generally has replaced varnish and shellac. Spray equipment is required for proper application. Lacquer offers a hard, durable, water-resistant surface. It is mirror smooth and transparent, enhances the colors over which it is laid, and brings out the beauty of the wood grain. Casework manufacturing will often use a high-gloss sheen instead of offering a speciality lacquer finish.

Oil Finish

A most satisfactory finish on hard or close-grained woods. When an oil finish is applied properly, the wood is impervious to water, heat, scratches and most stains.

Penetrating Finishes

Penetrating finishes are available in wood sealer and resin-oil. These finishes withstand stains, watermarks, minor burns, and scratches. These sealer finishes are of two general types: one contains wax and one contains varnish. The finish coating wax gives a soft sheen rather than a high gloss. Thin, medium, and heavy consistencies are available.

Polyurethane Finish

In addition to the conventional varnishes, several other synthetic clear coatings make excellent finishes for furniture. Of these finishes, the clear, oil-modified urethanes are the most popular. They are highly resistant to abrasion, scratching, water, chemicals, grease, solvents, food stains, alcohol, and oils. They form a coating on the surface without penetrating. They can be applied over bare wood, sealer, or a varnish finish. Do not apply a polyurethane finish over shellac or lacquer finish, unless it has been specifically formulated for polyurethane finishes.

Varnish

Available in all gloss finishes. Provides a finish that is resistant to water, alcohol, and other liquids. Most varnishes today are made of synthetic resins that dry rapidly to form a hard surface coating that is exceptionally resistant to rough wear.

Wax Finish

A simple, effective way of finishing wood. Generally, the wax is applied over a dried and sanded sealer coat of shellac, varnish, or oil.

2-Sided Finishes

When a 2-sided finish is applied in the factory, there will always be an A-side and a B-side. The A-side will be
inspected and will be considered as the face of the panel. The B-side will be considered the back of the panel
and as such, may contain minor flaws. This applies to all doors, finish panels and any other 2-sided application.
In the case of doors and drawer fronts, it will be obvious which is the A-side, and which is the B-side. In cases
such as finish panels, where it may not be as obvious, the cabinet manufacturer will indicate which is the B-side, by applying a self-adhesive removable sticker that may typically be blue in color.

Custom Exterior Wood Finishes

A custom finish is defined by when a kitchen and bath designer selects a wood stain or finish that is not in the cabinet manufacturers catalogue of specifications. Many cabinet manufacturers will have different processes for preparing custom finishes and it is important for the kitchen and bath designer to understand the manufacturers particular abilities and a processes. Of equal and vital importances is for the kitchen and bath designer to understand that they cannot simply select a custom stain or paint finish without impacting the cabinet manufacturers process and timeline. While these production samples are at an additional cost and delay, the generally accepted process is outlined here.

In order for a cabinet manufacturer to work with a custom wood finish, the kitchen and bath designer must provide the finishing team with a reference sample that labeled with the project/job name, the company name, and contact information for the designer. From here, the finishing team will use the original reference sample to produce factory samples (typically between 2 to 4 samples sized about 4-inches by 6-inches) for the kitchen and bath designers written approval before the cabinet order can be confirmed. The kitchen and bath designer is always responsible to obtain written approvals from the homeowner prior to confirming orders with the cabinet manufacturer because custom orders cannot be changed, replaced, refunded, or returned.

Ordering a sample door in the desired style with the wood species and stain is always strongly recommended. This is at an additional cost to the homeowner and may be priced into the overall project costs of the job.

The standard for submitting samples is covered in AWI 100 – Submittals.

Exterior Wood Finishing Processes

Typical Stain Finishing Process for Wood

1. Bare wood surfaces are carefully inspected for defects.
2. Material is conditioned (sanded) for staining which includes removal of defects.
3. Initial toner dye is applied to the surface to achieve the base color.
4. A wiping stain is sprayed on the surface, then immediately wiped to achieve final color.
5. Stained material is inspected for defects and color consistency.
6. Control sample offcut from the batch is included in the job for future reference.
7. Sealer coat is sprayed on all stained surfaces.
8. All sealed surfaces are hand-sanded and inspected.
9. All sanded surfaces are top-coated with non-yellowing, low HAPS, clear conversion varnish.
10. Final inspection for defects and color.

Quality Control

Wood has long been admired for its distinct and unique characteristics. All wood species undergo a gradual aging process that will enhance the texture, color, and grain patterns in the wood. The pronounced features of each wood species give a uniqueness and timeless appeal that can only be found in nature. These characteristics are particularly evident with our lighter stained finishes. While manufacturers make every effort to ensure that all of our finishes are consistent with their samples, variations in graining, knots, mineral deposits, and color are inherent in wood and are considered acceptable.

The question of quality will always be a challenge with some homeowners, but it is important to reference the AWI standards with reference to quality and visual inspection and whether the claim of defect is conspicuous. “Inconspicuous”, when used in the AWI standards, means not readily visible under specified lighting conditions without careful inspection at a distance of:

Premium	Custom	Economy
24-inches (610 mm)	48-inches (1 220 mm)	72-inches (1 830 mm)

In addition, humidity in the dwelling is vital to every cabinet and wood finish. According to AWI 200 – Care and Storage, “Wood is a hygroscopic material, and under normal use conditions all wood products contain some moisture. Wood readily exchanges this molecular moisture with the water vapor in the surrounding atmosphere according to the existing relative humidity. In high humidity, wood picks up moisture and swells; in low humidity wood releases moisture and shrinks. As normal minor fluctuations in humidity occur, the resulting dimensional response in properly designed construction will be insignificant. To avoid problems, it is recommended that relative humidity be maintained within the range of 25 – 55%. Uncontrolled extremes – below 20% or above 80% relative humidity – can likely cause problems.”

Cabinet manufacturers take great care to ensure their product meets both quality standards and are packaged well, as such, any problems that occur after the product has left their facility will not be covered by a warranty, but will become the responsibility of the storage company prior to installation, the general contractor during site storage and installation, or the homeowner after occupancy.

Door Styles

Solid Wood versus Veneer

Door styles are designed two ways, using either solid wood or veneer:

• Solid wood: Strips of solid wood are laid up to create a solid wood center panel and then are framed with stiles (vertical members) and rails (horizontal members), creating what is often called 5-piece solid wood doors because they have two stiles, two rails, and one center panel.
• Veneers: Veneers are constructed by adhering real wood, reconstituted wood, or wood-resembling/color laminates to engineered board substrate doors (often called slab doors).

The door and drawer fronts are the most visible parts of the cabinets, so they determine the style of the cabinets and usually set the design theme for the entire space. While a single cabinet maker might have dozens of door styles, they generally fall into several broad categories that are based on their basic shape. Additional variations are created by adding special treatments, such as beading, moldings, or beadboard.

1-Piece Cabinet Doors

Flat Doors, Veneer and Laminates

Flat doors are flat-shaped pieces of lumber, plywood, or engineered board substrate. If a veneer is used, the designer should verify what grade of veneer and how the door panels will be laid out permitting grain consistency per cabinet, per elevation, or not at all. This type of door style may have the edges finished in a PVC edge tape designed to blend with the doors, a finger-jointed wood veneer edge tape, or a solid wood edging.

Flat Doors with a Wood Frame

Laminate or wood doors may be of a slab configuration with a wood, thick PVC edging, or metal frame around the doors and drawers. This can provide a very high-tech, contemporary look, or can have a transitional sense if laminate and wood are combined.

Flat Doors with a Continuous Pull/C-Channel/J-Channel Integral Pull

A wood or laminate slab door can have a metal or routed wood pull that replaces a surface-mounted hardware piece. This hardware may be placed at both the top of drawers and the top of doors to create two horizontal lines through the space. Alternatively, the hardware may be at the top of the doors and the bottom of the drawers so one wider strip is featured.

Similarly, a Gola is a channel that is mounted to the cabinetry itself that allows the users room to use the actual doors and drawer fronts as the pulls. Gola’s give the cabinetry a modern look and are increasingly becoming available with options for lighting.

5-Piece Doors

Miter-Framed Doors with Raised/Flat Panels

These doors have a frame made up of two horizontal rails and two vertical stiles, which are joined by a miter in each corner, with a panel floating in between. The door may have a flat or a raised center panel. The center panel may be made up of solid wood strips laid up as one panel or a veneer center panel. When this look is created by routing a one-piece door, it is a false raised panel door. If the panel is flat, it is a recessed panel door. If the center section is raised, it is called a raised panel door. A door with an arch is called an arched raised panel door. Doors with a rounded, recurved top rail are called a cathedral door. These doors are typically seen in traditional settings.

Mortise-and-Tenon Doors with Raised/Flat Panels

Doors having a frame made of two horizontal members (called rails), two vertical members (called stiles) that have a square joined corner, and a panel floating in the center are mortise-and-tenon doors. The door may have a flat or raised center panel. The center panel may be made up of solid wood strips laid up as one panel or a veneer center panel. This door style is typically seen in traditional and old world settings. It can also be used in transitional rooms.

Specialty Doors

There is a wide variety of special materials used for accent doors in kitchen and bathroom cabinetry. Several of the most popular are detailed next.

MDF Carved or Shaped Doors

MDF material is shaped to emulate a mortise-and-tenon raised or flat-panel door. This type of base material typically is used under a painted surface and with resin-impregnated foil doors, often called a thermofoil finishing system.

Specialty Center Panels

Miter-framed doors and mortise-and-tenon doors may feature center panels of contrasting veneers, wood, wire, lattice, glass, rattan, or other specialty materials. These types of doors typically are called frame-only doors.

Specialty Glass Doors

Many manufacturers offer cabinet doors that emulate the look of historic mullion windows found in colonial times, when glass was so difficult to produce it could only be made in small panes. These are typically called mullion or muntin doors. These accent doors may have an arch at the top or be a square design. The mullions may be on only the face of the door backed by a solid piece of glass or may be divided-light mullions (some manufacturers will call mullions “tru-lites,” rather than true lights). Regardless of the name, this type of specialty glass door has individual panes of plain glass, specialty glass, or beveled glass painstakingly placed within each opening created by the wood mullion.

Glazing is installed in the center panel of the wood door by either by using a wood stop that holds the door in place or caulking. Wood stops mean that the glazing is loose and may rattle slightly when opening and closing the door.

Cabinet Drawer Fronts

There are few drawer styles that are also not door styles, but the main difference is the way the rails have to shrink to fit as the drawers get smaller. There are three basic drawer styles. Slab or flat, 5/4 raised, and five-piece or matching.

A slab drawer front is just that, a slab or flat piece(s) of wood. There is little to no detail except for perhaps the outer edge of the drawer front.

A 5/4 thick drawer is raised, generally to a raised panel to compliment the raised panel door style.

The five piece or matching drawer front is a stile and rail construction similar to the door. Often times the standard top drawer will have thinner rail construction to allow for a generous raised panel. This isn’t a problem with second and third drawers on a standard three drawer base, as these drawer fronts are taller, allowing for the standard stile and rail width.