Maybe belongs in the kitchen forum, but the question concerns the choice of material.
I am reading an American building guide on how to build your own kitchen. It seems impossible to find something similar in Swedish. Anyway, it is emphasized there that hardwood should be used for large parts of the construction.
I am wondering how kitchens were built in the past. Didn't they build their kitchens in pine? If I were to build my own kitchen, should I rather choose hardwood?
I have limited knowledge about how different wood materials behave. Grateful for help.
I am reading an American building guide on how to build your own kitchen. It seems impossible to find something similar in Swedish. Anyway, it is emphasized there that hardwood should be used for large parts of the construction.
I am wondering how kitchens were built in the past. Didn't they build their kitchens in pine? If I were to build my own kitchen, should I rather choose hardwood?
I have limited knowledge about how different wood materials behave. Grateful for help.
Hard exclusive cabinet frames and details are made from tightly grown hardwood. Durable and dimensionally stable.
But most frames and details in regular kitchens today are made of pine since it is much cheaper but unfortunately also softer.
So the answer probably depends entirely on how meticulous you are.
But most frames and details in regular kitchens today are made of pine since it is much cheaper but unfortunately also softer.
So the answer probably depends entirely on how meticulous you are.
In the USA, there is greater access to "hardwoods" at reasonable price points. Here at home, we probably have a tradition of building more with "softwoods," e.g., pine. There are, for instance, Lidhult kitchens with frames in ash, but also other expensive kitchens with pine frames. It largely depends on what type of kitchen you are planning to create. A rustic country kitchen in walnut might feel as out of place as a modern, clean, and sleek one in pine. (Many high-priced custom builds have frames made of the same particleboard material as IKEA...)
Thanks for the answers. The kitchen is going to be painted, so how the wood looks is actually of less importance. But it should still be visible that it's wood. It's more about whether the kitchen will warp if we build with pine?
I will study a bit how the kitchen currently there looks and see if I can copy it. Otherwise, as I mentioned, I found a construction guide with birch plywood and the rest solid. I prefer not to have anything "modern" factory-made, but sometimes you have to compromise, and in those cases, plywood feels like the most "acceptable" material.
I will study a bit how the kitchen currently there looks and see if I can copy it. Otherwise, as I mentioned, I found a construction guide with birch plywood and the rest solid. I prefer not to have anything "modern" factory-made, but sometimes you have to compromise, and in those cases, plywood feels like the most "acceptable" material.
The same goes for plywood, by the way. We in Sweden are not stars at using/developing it for intricate purposes. In the USA, for example, you can get plywood in almost any type of wood without having to sell your car and house. It's possible to buy imported boards here as well, but at a completely different price. Birch ply can be sourced from Finland, so it's a better price for that.
The construction descriptions from the USA often rely on plywood, and those solutions with, for example, "pocket holes" etc., are not feasible with particleboard or MDF, which are the more common sheet materials here.
Furniture plywood in pine is likely a sensible choice for you, as the grain will give you the look you desire after finishing. It's doubtful you'll find it at the usual hardware stores, but it can be ordered at quite high prices.
/Kent
Furniture plywood in pine is likely a sensible choice for you, as the grain will give you the look you desire after finishing. It's doubtful you'll find it at the usual hardware stores, but it can be ordered at quite high prices.
/Kent
Here's a carpentry that "reflects" a bit on its website regarding timber selection. (Note: I have no affiliation with it, no covert advertising...)