Know Your Options When Selecting Cabinet Finishes
A palette of colorful possibilities awaits you when selecting cabinet finishes. Whether you want to bring out the natural characteristics of the wood type you’ve chosen, add personality with hues that complement your unique kitchen design, or create a look reflective of the latest cabinet finish trend, UltraCraft has a wide variety of finish types for your cabinet project.
To help you begin selecting kitchen cabinet finishes, here is a quick overview of different finish options that are available, including stains, paints (also referred to as opaques), glazes and finishing techniques.
Cabinet Stains
Stains are applied to cabinet doors to enhance the natural beauty of the wood, while also adding beautiful color. A variety of stain applications are used across our cabinetry brands. Cabinet stains can range from light to very dark. Light stains will allow you to see more of the wood’s natural character, while darker stains will hide much of the grain, but can create richer color and a more dramatic look
Paints (Opaques)
Paints are applied to cabinetry products when the desired look is an opaque-colored finish. When using a painted finish on tighter grained types of wood, you will be left with a smooth finish. On coarse-grained wood like oak, the grain texture will be partially visible under the finish.
Don’t see what you want in our paint colors? Have your designer send us a paint swatch or a sample of the item you want to match, and our Color Masters will produce a custom paint color just for you. Then we’ll produce a full-sized sample door in the style you choose so you can take it home and make sure you love it.
Glazes
Glazes are meant to highlight the different edges on a piece of cabinetry. They can be applied to both stain and paint finishes. There are two types of glazes: flooded and penned. In the flooded glaze process, the glaze material is sprayed onto the entire cabinet door and is then wiped off everywhere except in the highlight areas. In a penned glaze process, the material is hand-applied to only to the highlighted areas.
Finishing Techniques
Linen Finish
Primed and painted wood is lightly hand-brushed with Brown or Nickel glaze creating a linear, brushed look. Available on Maple or MDF with Standard or Low Sheen.
Vintage Finish
An innovative blend of light glazing, rasping, rub-off, worm holes, stress cracks, dents and smooth worn edges on any paint color on Maple. Sealed with a clear top coat. Low Sheen only.
Rubbed
Primed, painted wood is randomly sanded to reveal bare edges and high points, then sealed with a clear top coat. Add Glaze if available (no Linen, please). Always with Low Sheen.
Aged
Painted or stained wood is randomly dented with special tools to cause stress cracks, and sealed with a clear top coat.
Heritage
A combination of Rubbed and Aged detailing. Available on paints. Always with Low Sheen.