Natural wood kitchen cabinets are kitchen cabinets made from wood directly exploited from nature, without going through chemical treatment or combining with artificial materials such as industrial wood.

Dr. Nguyen Van Dien - Vietnam Forestry University: "Our research on 150 natural wood kitchen cabinet samples in 2022 shows that hardwoods such as oak and beech have 42% higher mechanical strength than industrial wood, with an average lifespan of 25-30 years under normal use conditions, 2,5 times longer than kitchen cabinets made from conventional MDF industrial wood."

Wooden kitchen cabinets are highly appreciated for their unique beauty, timeless durability and potential to increase in value. Moreover, this is also an environmentally friendly choice, ideal for those who prioritize sustainability and rustic beauty from nature.

Natural woods commonly used to make kitchen cabinets include oak, walnut, mahogany, redwood, and ash. Each type of wood has its own characteristics in terms of color, grain, hardness, and durability, bringing a unique and luxurious beauty to the kitchen space.

Choosing natural wood kitchen cabinets requires determining budget/needs, choosing the right type of wood, checking the quality carefully and choosing quality accessories to ensure durability and convenience.

Join SmartDecor to explore natural wood kitchen cabinets through the following article!

What Are The Characteristics Of Natural Wood Cabinets?

Natural wood kitchen cabinets are kitchen furniture products made from 85-100% solid wood harvested from natural forests or planted forests. Unlike industrial wood (MDF, HDF, plywood) that uses industrial glue and additives, natural wood kitchen cabinets are made from solid wood bars that have been dried to a moisture content of 10-12%, processed using traditional mortise and tenon joints or modern finger-joint techniques.

Natural wood stands out with its unique beauty, high durability, potential economic value and environmental friendliness. This is a worthy choice for those who appreciate the value of nature and sustainability.

Features of natural wood cabinets — What are the characteristics of natural wood cabinets?

Aesthetically

Natural wood has unique, non-repeating wood grain and color, with 8-10 times more diversity than industrial wood. Each type of wood has its own distinct characteristics:

Oak with straight parallel grain and light yellow to light brown color is suitable for Scandinavian style;
Walnut wood stands out with its bold swirls and luxurious chocolate brown color for a modern style;
Xoan Dao wood has smooth grain, warm reddish pink color suitable for traditional style;
Red Merbau wood with large grain and dark red color is typical of classical style;
Ash wood with straight grain and light color is suitable for minimalist design.

The beauty of natural wood is timeless and tends to be appreciated over time.

About durability and longevity

Natural wood, especially hardwood, has good bearing capacity and long service life if properly treated and preserved. A quality natural wood product can be used for many years, even many generations.

About economic value

Products made from natural wood are often more valuable than industrial materials and have the ability to retain their value, even increase in value over time, especially rare woods.

Although the initial investment cost is higher, if well maintained, the maintenance and repair costs of natural wood furniture are usually negligible.

About environmental friendliness and health safety

Compared with some industrial materials, natural wood has lower levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions, making it safer for the health of users.

Choosing FSC certified wood ensures that the wood is legally and sustainably harvested, contributing to environmental protection.

5 Popular Types of Natural Wood for Making Kitchen Cabinets

5 types of natural wood for kitchen cabinets include oak, walnut, xoan dao, go do, ash.

Oak

Oak is a natural wood with a high durability of 50-100 years, most popular in making kitchen cabinets with two main types: White Oak and Red Oak. White Oak has a higher hardness (reaching 1360 on the Janka scale) than Red Oak (reaching 1290), helping to withstand force well and effectively resist natural termites.

Both types have high hardness and durability, good load-bearing capacity, and effective natural termite resistance. The wood grain is beautiful, with colors ranging from light yellow to white. However, oak can shrink and needs to be carefully treated before use.

Walnut

Walnut wood is the highest quality wood among the types of wood used to make kitchen cabinets, standing out with its luxurious chocolate brown color and unique swirling wood grain that creates a luxurious beauty. With a hardness of 1010 on the Janka scale, walnut wood offers durability of over 80 years, good resistance to force and impact, low shrinkage rate (only 4-6%) so it is less likely to warp.

Walnut wood is also considered to have good feng shui meaning, bringing luck and prosperity to the homeowner. Compared to the general level, walnut wood has a high price.

Melia Azedarach

Peach wood is a popular medium-high value wood with beautiful colors from light pink to reddish brown and straight, smooth wood grain. With a hardness of about 900 on the Janka scale and an average lifespan of 30-50 years after treatment, peach wood has good bearing capacity, can withstand heat up to 80°C and is less likely to warp when properly dried.

The price of wood is quite reasonable so it is often used to make kitchen cabinets in many families.

However, xoan dao wood needs to be carefully treated and dried to increase durability and prevent termites.

Afzelia xylocarpa

Red wood is a rare and precious wood of the first class, belonging to group I with outstanding durability of over 100 years and luxurious color from orange yellow to dark red. With a hardness of 1700-1800 on the Janka scale, red wood is exceptionally hard and strong, has good bearing capacity, good water resistance and almost absolute natural termite resistance. Large wood grain, characterized by complex grain lines, creates a unique beauty for kitchen cabinets.

However, the price of red wood is very high, heavy, and the manufacturing process is complicated, so you need to consider when using it.

Ash wood

Ash wood is a bright-colored wood with high durability, especially suitable for modern and minimalist kitchen spaces. With a hardness of about 1320 on the Janka scale and a lifespan of 40-60 years, ash wood has a solid structure, is easy to process and has good bearing capacity.

Characterized by pale, almost white sapwood (outer wood) and heartwood (inner wood) that ranges in color from grayish brown to pale yellow streaked with brown. This bright color helps make kitchens feel spacious and airy and is suitable for many modern, minimalist and Scandinavian design styles.

On the downside, ash wood color can be inconsistent between the sapwood and heartwood.

TOP Beautiful and Impressive Natural Wood Cabinet Models

2025 will see many popular natural wood kitchen cabinets, with the top 5 trending wood types being oak (35% market share), walnut (20%), mahogany (18%), red oak (15%) and ash (12%). Each type of wood offers its own unique design style and advantages suitable for many different kitchen spaces.

Natural oak kitchen cabinet model

Oak kitchen cabinets bring a simple, sophisticated and close beauty. Modern oak kitchen cabinets often have a minimalist design, neutral colors, combined with black or white accessories to create highlights.

Natural walnut kitchen cabinet model

Walnut kitchen cabinets exude luxury, class and uniqueness. Walnut kitchen cabinet models often have neoclassical or modern designs, using light to highlight the beauty of the wood grain.

Natural peach wood kitchen cabinet model

Peach wood kitchen cabinets bring a cozy, traditional feeling and save costs. Peach wood kitchen cabinets often have simple designs, combined with other materials such as granite and glass to create novelty.

Natural red wood kitchen cabinet model

Red wood kitchen cabinets are a symbol of luxury, class and eternal value. Red wood kitchen cabinets are often elaborately designed, using sophisticated carvings, highlighting the beauty of the wood grain.

Natural ash wood kitchen cabinet model

Natural ash wood kitchen cabinets are the perfect choice for those who love modern, sophisticated beauty and the warmth and simplicity of nature. Ash is often favored in minimalist, Scandinavian or modern designs, where the natural beauty of wood is honored in its purest form.

What to Note When Choosing Natural Wood Cabinets?

To choose a satisfactory natural wood kitchen cabinet, you need to determine your budget and usage needs first, then choose the type of wood and check the wood quality carefully. Finally, pay attention to choosing quality kitchen cabinet accessories and find a reputable supplier to ensure durability and functionality.

Determine your budget and needs

The first step in choosing natural wood kitchen cabinets is to clearly define your family's budget and needs. According to SmartDecor's survey, the budget for natural wood kitchen cabinets often accounts for 20-30% of the total cost of completing the kitchen interior. Therefore, determining your budget will help you narrow down your choices and avoid unnecessary expenses.

In addition, carefully consider the needs of using kitchen cabinets, including:

Storage space required.
Number of drawers and cabinet doors.
Design style suitable for kitchen space.
Special features (such as shock absorber system, smooth slide rails, spice tray…).

Clearly defining your needs will help you choose a kitchen cabinet model that both meets your needs and suits your family's aesthetics.

Choose the right wood

There are many types of natural wood used to make kitchen cabinets, each with different characteristics and prices.

Choose the type of wood that suits your budget and your family's design style. If you want a modern, minimalist kitchen, oak or mahogany are good choices. If you want a luxurious, classy kitchen space, walnut or red oak will be the perfect suggestion.

Check wood quality

Once you have chosen the type of wood you like, the next step is to check the quality of the wood before ordering kitchen cabinets. Some criteria to note when checking the quality of the wood:

Wood moisture: Wood with high humidity is susceptible to warping and termites. The ideal humidity for wood used to make kitchen cabinets is 8-14%.
Wood grain: Wood grain is even, no cracks, no large lines.
Color: Even color, no yellowing, no stains.
Pairing details: Joints must be tight, without gaps or chips.

In addition, ask the supplier to provide documents certifying the origin and quality of the wood to ensure that the wood is legally harvested and meets quality standards.

Choosing kitchen cabinet accessories

Besides the quality of wood, kitchen cabinet accessories also play an important role in ensuring the functionality and longevity of the kitchen cabinets. Some accessories to note when choosing natural wood kitchen cabinets:

Hinge: Choose soft-close hinges that can withstand force well and open and close smoothly.
Slide rail: Choose slide rails that have good load-bearing capacity, smooth sliding and shock-absorbing features.
Handle: Choose handles that have a design that matches the style of your kitchen cabinets, are sturdy, and are easy to use.
Other accessories: For example, spice trays, rice bins, knife and cutting board racks, etc., you should choose specialized accessories that are of good quality and designed to fit the kitchen cabinets.

Choosing kitchen cabinet accessories from reputable brands with long-term warranties will help ensure the quality and longevity of your kitchen cabinets.

Find a reputable supplier

Choosing a reputable supplier is the key factor to get a quality natural wood kitchen cabinet set and thoughtful after-sales service.

When looking for a natural wood kitchen cabinet supplier, keep in mind the following criteria:

Experience and reputation in the market.
Professional design and construction team.
Showroom displays a variety of products.
Warranty, maintenance and after-sales policy.
Positive feedback from customers who have used the service.

In addition, carefully refer to the quotation, contract form and working process of the supplier before deciding to choose. A reputable supplier will have a detailed quotation, clear contract and professional working process.

Questions About Natural Wood Kitchen Cabinets

1. What is the structure of kitchen cabinets?

Kitchen Cabinets consists of three main parts: cabinet frame, cabinet doors and kitchen cabinet accessories.

Cabinet frame is the load-bearing part, creating shape and structure for kitchen cabinets, including the frame, landing, partition and back panel. Materials for making cabinet frames are diverse such as natural wood, industrial wood, aluminum.
Cabinet door Used to open and close, store furniture and comes in many designs and materials (wood, glass, acrylic).
Kitchen cabinet accessories are details that increase utility such as shelves, pot racks, cutting boards, knife and cutting board racks, chopstick and spoon trays, trash cans, range hoods, ovens and cookers.

2. Why should you choose natural wood kitchen cabinets instead of industrial wood?

Natural wood kitchen cabinets should be chosen because of 3 outstanding advantages: 2,5 times more durable (25-30 years compared to 8-12 years of industrial wood), unique beauty from natural wood grain that cannot be copied, and environmental friendliness (60% lower VOC emissions).

Meanwhile, industrial wood has advantages in price (30-50% lower), diverse colors and easy construction, but is less durable and can emit formaldehyde which is harmful to health.

See more articles Should choose natural wood or industrial wood for interior? to have a more general perspective on choosing materials for cabinets.

3. Besides natural wood, what other materials are kitchen cabinets made from?

In addition to natural wood, other popular kitchen cabinet materials include:

Industrial wood (MDF, MFC, HDF, Plywood, plastic wood).
Aluminum (glass door aluminum, aluminum sheet).
Stainless steel.
Plastic (PVC, Picomat).
Enamel coated steel.

Among them, plastic and industrial wood are quite popular. If you intend to make kitchen cabinets from these two materials, please refer to the article. Should choose kitchen cabinets made of plastic or industrial wood? to understand clearly.

4. What should be noted about feng shui when choosing kitchen cabinets?

Based on Feng Shui interior design principles, need to note the following issues when choosing kitchen cabinets:

Placement direction: “Sitting in a bad direction, facing a good direction,” avoid facing the main door/toilet/bedroom, do not place in the middle of the house or under a crossbeam.
Water - Fire: The kitchen cabinet and sink/refrigerator should not be placed next to or directly opposite each other; if so, there should be a distance or a Wood object to neutralize them.
Color: Choose the color that matches the homeowner's destiny.
Size: Use the Lo Ban ruler to choose the right size.
Clean: Keep the kitchen clean and airy to allow air circulation.

See more article Kitchen Feng Shui: taboos & effective solutions for more details.

5. Where is a good place to order natural wood kitchen cabinets in HCMC?

SmartDecor specializes in interior design, production and construction full package, focusing on creating optimal, aesthetic and sustainable living and working spaces. With the motto "Our house - Your home", SmartDecor is committed to providing quality kitchen cabinet interior solutions, expressing the individual personality of customers.

SmartDecor's outstanding services:

Providing design styles from classic to modern, minimalist, meeting all requirements and aesthetic tastes of customers. The team of architects will consult in detail, sketch ideas and create 3D drawings so that customers can clearly visualize the future space.
Ensuring a fast, professional and on-schedule construction process. Furniture products such as kitchen cabinets, tables, chairs, beds, wardrobes, etc. are meticulously crafted, of high quality, ensuring durability and aesthetics.
Focus on using quality materials with clear origins, from natural wood to industrial wood, metal, stone... to create durable and safe interior products for users.
Enthusiastically listen, advise and support customers throughout the process from design to construction and even after completion, ensuring maximum satisfaction.

SmartDecor has carried out many projects from apartments, townhouses to villas, offices, receiving many positive reviews about the quality of services and products. Whether you need to tailor a natural wood kitchen I-shaped, L-shaped, U-shaped or parallel, SmartDecor also meets your needs.

Natural Wood Kitchen Cabinets: Characteristics, Classification, Top Models and Selection Notes