Wood behaves like wood.
A working sample library of the species and paint-grade materials we specify most often, with the variation, matching, and sourcing realities stated up front rather than discovered at delivery.
Screens are not samples
Color, tone, and grain on this page are indicative only. Monitors, ambient light, and finish schedules all shift the result. Final species, cut, and finish selections are made from current physical samples reviewed under the project's own lighting.
White oak
The species most Austin projects ask for, and the one where the cut matters most.
Plain-sawn appearance
The most available cut. Wide cathedral figure with strong variation from board to board — warm and lively rather than uniform.
Rift-cut appearance
Straight, tight, consistent grain lines with the cathedral figure largely absent. Specified when the design wants calm verticals across a run.
Quarter-sawn appearance
Straight grain with the characteristic ray fleck. Specified and sourced when available; the fleck is part of the material, not a defect.
What we won't promise
We do not promise exact visual uniformity across a cabinetry package. Cut availability, yield, and board character vary by supplier and lot.
Walnut
Depth of color and figure, with real variation between heartwood and sapwood.
Character
Ranges from chocolate brown to grey-purple tones, often with visible sapwood unless specifically selected against.
Finish behavior
Walnut lightens and mellows with light exposure over time. A clear finish will not hold day-one color permanently.
Where it lands
Studies, libraries, media walls, bars, and feature cabinetry where the material is the point.
Specification note
Sapwood tolerance, color range, and whether solid and veneer components must match are agreed before ordering.
Maple
Tight, fine grain. Used both as a paint-grade substrate and as a stain-grade species.
Character
Pale, close, subtle grain with occasional figure. Reads clean and quiet.
Paint-grade use
A stable, dense choice for face frames and components under a painted finish.
Stain behavior
Maple can accept stain unevenly and may blotch. Where a stained maple is intended, we confirm the approach on a sample first.
Where it lands
Face frames, drawer boxes, painted cabinetry, and light-toned stain-grade work.
Alder
A softer-grained stain-grade hardwood available in different character grades.
Clear / select alder
Minimal knots and a consistent warm tone, for a calmer stain-grade result.
Knotty / rustic alder
Visible knots and character marks, appropriate for hill-country and rustic-leaning interiors.
Subject to sourcing
Grade availability varies. We confirm which character grade is actually obtainable before it is specified.
Working note
Alder is softer than oak or maple, so it marks more easily at high-contact locations.
Poplar (paint-grade)
A workhorse paint-grade hardwood for framed components.
Why it's specified
Stable, machines cleanly, and finishes well under paint at a sensible cost.
Where it lands
Face frames, rails and stiles, and framed door components under a painted finish.
Not for clear finish
Poplar's green and grey streaking makes it a poor candidate for a stained or clear finish.
Grain telegraphing
Under a high-sheen paint, hardwood grain can read slightly. Where a perfectly flat painted face is required, MDF panels are the better substrate.
Paint-grade MDF & HDF
The most reliable substrate for a flat, crisp painted surface.
Why it's specified
No grain to telegraph, stable dimensionally, and it holds machined profiles cleanly.
Where it lands
Slab fronts, Shaker panels, fluted and routed detail, and finished end panels.
Considerations
Heavier than plywood at the same thickness, and vulnerable to standing water at unsealed edges — relevant at sinks and utility areas.
Coordination
Edge preparation and priming approach are part of the finish scope, which is typically handled by the project's finisher.
Natural & engineered veneers
How large panels and continuous runs get their grain to behave.
Natural veneer
Real wood sliced from a log, carrying the species' actual variation. Sequencing and matching are specification decisions.
Engineered veneer
Reconstituted veneer offering greater consistency and repeatability than natural stock, where uniformity is the priority.
Matching & sequencing
Book-matching, slip-matching, and running grain continuously across doors and panels are specified in advance — they cannot be added after the panels are cut.
Grain direction
Vertical, horizontal, or continuous-run grain direction is drawn on the elevations and approved before fabrication.
Sourcing, variation & sample approval
What we can commit to, and what depends on the market on the day the material is ordered.
Nothing is always stocked
We do not claim every species, cut, or grade is continuously available. Availability is confirmed at the time of specification for the actual project.
Natural variation is expected
Color, figure, and mineral content vary within a species and between lots. A cabinetry package is not a manufactured product with a fixed color number.
Sample approval
Where species and finish matter, a physical sample is prepared or obtained and approved before material is committed.
Finish expectations
Stains read differently on each species, and clear finishes change over time with light exposure. Expectations are set on the sample, not on a screen.
Grain direction & sequencing
Drawn on the elevations and approved with the rest of the set, because it cannot be corrected after cutting.
Finishing scope
Painting and finishing are not part of a standard cabinetry scope by default; they can be coordinated or quoted separately.
Where a project needs greater consistency than solid wood offers, engineered veneers or professional decorative surfaces are usually the better specification.
Have a species and finish already specified?
Send the schedule with your plans. We'll confirm what's realistically sourceable for the scope and flag anything that needs a sample conversation first.