White Oak kitchen cabinets

Looks like Oak kitchens are coming back - but not traditional oak cabinets: the majority are rift or quarter cut oak veneers on flat doors.

The basics of oak cabinets

Modern kitchens generally have flat (slab) doors and to make those doors, I use Oak veneer - something like that.

Different types of veneer

It could be Flat Cut veneer or Rift (or quarter) cut. Whats the difference?

Flat Cut Veneer showcases a “cathedral” look of annual rings:

oak veneer for kitchen cabinets

This is Flat cut European Oak

Rift (or quarter) has narrow lines with a very straight grain pattern:

white oak veneer for kitchen cabinets

This is Rift cut White Oak

When I get the veneer, It will be laminated on to sheet boards: MDF, Particle board, or lumbercore boards (not a good option). MDF (premium) and particle board offer great dimensional stability compared to plywood, Plywood is good for cabinets but not for doors because it is not perfectly flat.

Oak kitchen cabinet door

It is possible to make finger pulls or integrated handles to make the look of the kitchen even more modern ( like on the picture above )

The last step is finishing

The door are spray-painted with clear coat of polyurethane Italian paint - which is non-yellowing compared to traditional lacquers. It is also possible to add stain.