Birch Kitchen Cabinets - Complete Guide

Interior design trends come and go, and different kitchen styles with them. At the same time, well-proven materials remain relevant for many generations of designers and DIYers. A good kitchen is not only about appearance and ergonomics, it is also about the durable cabinet and drawer material they are made of. The reliability of cabinet materials affects not only how satisfying you are using the kitchen, but also how it will look and feature in a few years.

One of the best-proven materials on the cabinetmaking market is birch wood. Light, soft and smooth wood with moderate grain make a birchwood an ideal for kitchen cabinets. It grows mainly in the United States, Canada and northern Europe making birch cabinets more affordable than other wood materials. For this reason, both solid wood cabinets and cheaper plywood sheets for cabinets are made from birch wood.   

Birch is resistant to humidity and temperature changes well, and is not prone to warping. So, birch hardwood accepts a wide range of finishes, they can be stained and painted in bold colours, lacquered and covered with polyurethane.  

If you are going to do a renovation, then you will most likely come across birchwood as the most practical and widespread option for cabinets. This Cut2Size blog will let you explore all the pros and cons of birch wood cupboards for the kitchen and numerous options for finishing them.

Birchwood Characteristics

Birch is a natural hardwood. There are around a dozen birch tree species native to North America, however the most common are the white birch, yellow birch, and black birch. In Canada, when people talk about using birch wood as a material to make birch wood cabinets, they usually refer to yellow birch or what is popularly known as golden birch.

Natural birch kitchen cabinets are frequent in homes way back in the 1960s. People’s love for birch wood kitchen cabinets is still as strong as it was decades ago. If you have a home that was built in the 1970s chances are, your kitchen has natural birch cabinets and after many years, it is still as durable and looks as good as new.

If you’re wondering “is birch wood good for cabinets?” definitely yes. Based on the finished and even unfinished birch kitchen cabinets you see in older homes; it is an extremely durable material for kitchen use.

Top Birch Kitchen Cabinets Stains and Finishes

If you are planning to use birch wood to remodel your kitchen cabinets, you need to know what kind of stain to use, how to cure the wood, as well as the best type of finish to use on the material. Many people confuse the difference between stains and finishes. The distinction between finish and stain is fairly straightforward. Wood stains enhance the natural birch cabinet colours, while wood finish seals it and keeps it dry and free from moisture.  Staining Birch wood can be a bit challenging compared to other types of wood but applying stain colors on birch wood is a much more economical approach to protect the wood and enhance its natural color.

Different Types of Stains for Birch Wood 

• Water-based birch wood stain

Coating your birch wood cabinets with a water-based stain enhances the wood grain thus giving your wood that natural wooden surface. It is also environmentally friendly since it does not contain any harmful chemicals and has less polluted elements. Water-based stains are ideal if you wish to have light birch kitchen cabinets. You can also apply a second coat for grey birch cabinets if you want to make it a bit bolder and darker.

• Oil-based birch stain

An Oil-based stain is a popular type of solution for stained birch cabinets. This stain penetrates deeply into the wood and makes it durable and resistant to any form of damage. It contains non-toxic oil chemicals which preserve the wood or whatever type of finish and paint that is applied on the surface. It takes around 2 to 3 hours for an oil stain to dry and should be dried at room temperature.

• Pre-stain wood conditioner

Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner is a stain-preparation product that is used to prepare raw wood for staining. It infiltrates the wood grain to ensure that oil-based dyes are accepted uniformly. By leveling out the penetration of oil-based stains, the Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner prevents streaks and blotches.

Different Types of Finishes for Birch Wood

Finishes refer to the final coat of stain or paint that is applied to the wood. If you have colour-painted birch cabinets in your kitchen, the wood was probably treated with different kinds of stains and finishes for it to arrive at that particular colour and texture. There are a variety of birch cabinet colours you can find Red birch kitchen cabinets, for example, are not naturally red. A red finish or paint has been applied to its surface to make red birch cabinets look naturally reddish.

• Oil-based finishes

Oil-based finishes are an ideal finish for the natural colour of birch wood. It gives an amber hue to the wood and makes the birch as lighter as possible. If you want to have lighter or white birch cabinets in your kitchen, this type of finish is the best one to use.

• Water-based conditioner

To simulate the texture of the birch wood, apply a single coat of water-based conditioner to get an equally coloured finish.

• Water-based conditioner + water-based stain

If you want to revive the once shiny colour of your rustic birch cabinets, a water-based conditioner finish coated with a water-based stain gives aged wood a brighter and shinier look.

• Paint

Paints offer birch wood the best protection from UV deterioration and degradation of any of the finishes. A painted surface prevents outside moisture from penetrating the wood, inhibits harmful UV rays, and protects natural polymers as well as other compounds that would otherwise be worn away.

Birch Kitchen Cabinets Pros and Cons

Let’s talk about birch cabinets pros and cons. There are many kinds of cabinet designs that you can create using birch wood. Whether you are opting for a contemporary style like flat-panel birch cabinets or shaker birch kitchen cabinets, each of which has its own sets of advantages and disadvantages. Knowing these will help you make an informed decision on what design to choose.

Are Birch Cabinets Still Modern?

Yes. Although birch cabinets started to gain popularity a few decades ago and modern kitchens you see in contemporary homes are either made of stainless steel, aluminum composite panels, or high-density fiberboards, birch wood still has the flair and characteristics to compete against these materials and look good in the modern setting. Modern birch kitchen cabinets are usually designed with flat-panel doors which are commonly seen in Scandinavian and minimalist homes. This gives the kitchen a natural, crisp wooden look that’s refreshing and visually pleasing to the eye.

How Much Do Birch Cabinets Cost in Canada?

Birch kitchen cabinets cost is determined by the size of your kitchen, the level of craftsmanship, accessibility, and the cost of labour to install the cabinets if you engage a contractor. Birch cabinets cost is less expensive compared to other types of wood like maple for example. While the cost of birch kitchen cabinets changes from time to time and varies from one supplier to the other, let’s talk about the average cost of birch cabinets in Canada.

Cabinets made of birch are less expensive. A typical ready-to-assemble 10 by 12-foot kitchen cabinet costs anywhere between CA$5,000 to CA$15,000. If you are looking for birch cabinets lowest cost, you can buy per board foot which costs around CA$2-5 per board foot. If you are assembling it yourself or you’re only remodelling a small portion of your kitchen cabinetry, buying the wood per board foot will save you a lot of cash.