The Natural beauty of wood
Choosing a wood species for your cabinetry is a key decision depending on the look and style you want for your home. Since our cabinets are constructed from natural hardwood, their appearance will change over time based on a combination of factors: wood species, stain color, exposure to light, and natural resins in the wood. Visit a Menards Team Member for more information about how your wood selection ages before placing an order.
Cherry
![Cherry](https://www.medallionatmenards.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/materialcharacteristics_cherry.jpeg)
Cherry has a smooth grain and a color that varies from light pink to dark brown. It will darken or mellow with age. Mineral streaks, pin knots and sap wood are all natural and acceptable characteristics.
Hickory
![Hickory](https://www.medallionatmenards.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/materialcharacteristics_hickory-1.jpeg)
Hickory has a bold grain pattern. Color can vary dramatically within a single piece of wood; from almost white to a deep, dark brown. Burls, pin knots and mineral streaks are typical and are not considered defects.
Knotty Alder
![Knotty Alder](https://www.medallionatmenards.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/materialcharacteristics_alder-1.jpeg)
Knotty Alder has a very uniform light brown color with a reddish tinge and a fairly straight-grained, uniform texture. Knots, mineral streaks and other variations are typical and not considered defects.
Maple
![Maple](https://www.medallionatmenards.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/materialcharacteristics_maple-1.jpeg)
Maple has a smooth texture and tight, uniform grain patterns. Generally creamy white, it can vary from bright white to light pink or reddish brown. Maple will amber as it ages.
Oak
![Oak](https://www.medallionatmenards.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/materialcharacteristics_oak-1.jpeg)
Oak has a varied, open grain pattern. Colors range from light tan and pink to medium dark red and brown. Oak may contain small mineral streaks and some pin knots.
Quartersawn Oak
![Quartersawn Oak](https://www.medallionatmenards.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/materialcharacteristics_quartersawn-1.jpeg)
Quartersawn Oak is quartered and then cut at an angle to the growth ring of the tree to expose a beautiful aspect of the grain. Color ranges from light tan and pink to medium dark red and brown. Quartersawn oak is a dense, heavy wood that is very strong and resists shock.
Rustic Maple
![Rustic Maple](https://www.medallionatmenards.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/materialcharacteristics_rusticmaple.jpeg)
Rustic Maple is a dense hardwood with a smooth texture and closed grain pattern. Color ranges from creamy whites and light tans to almost black in knotty areas, bark pockets and mineral streaks.
EnduraCore
![](https://www.medallionatmenards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/4O_Maple_IrishCreme_CL-633x195.jpg)
An especially stable surface for painted finishes, EnduraCore is extra smooth and reacts less to temperature and humidity changes than milled wood.