Standard Grade Cabinet Doors At Cutting Edge
Updated November 27, 2024
Discover the features of standard grade cabinet doors, including the suitable finishes, to make informed choices for your cabinetry projects.
As a cabinet maker or contractor, placing an order when you’re unsure about the specifics can feel overwhelming. You’re left questioning whether you’ve chosen the right material grade for your cabinet doors – one misstep could cost you valuable time, money, and potentially your client’s trust.
In the woodworking industry, material grades are often misunderstood, leading to unnecessary confusion. While it’s tempting to assume standard grade cabinet doors will meet your needs, how can you be certain they’re the best fit for your project? The last thing you want is to replace an entire set of cabinet doors because the material grade didn’t meet expectations.
At Cutting Edge, we understand how critical these decisions are for your success. With over 20 years of industry experience, we’ve developed clearly defined material grades to eliminate uncertainty and ensure you get it right the first time. Let us guide you through the specifics of standard grade cabinet doors so you can confidently make the best choice for your next project.
After reading this article, you will know:
Quality Expectations for Standard Grade Cabinet Doors
We recommend standard grade cabinet doors for orders receiving a medium to dark stained finish.
Stained finishes are recommended because standard grade doors may have up to 25% color variation on the flat surfaces of the cabinet doors. A stained finish will hide most color variations.
Mineral streaks up to 3mm wide by 15mm long are allowed. You might be thinking, ‘That’s nice, but what are mineral streaks?’ Mineral streaks are dark-colored lines in the wood caused when the tree absorbs and deposits minerals from the soil. You can see a mineral streak in the picture to the left.
In standard grade doors, no open or closed knots are allowed. However, pin knots (knots smaller than ¼” in diameter) are acceptable as long as they aren’t in a noticeable pattern.
Now, is standard grade the best grade out there? Or are there other grades out there that might work better for your order?
Comparing Common Cabinet Door Grades
Our standard grade cabinet doors are called standard grade for a reason: they work for most orders. However, there are other options available that may be a better choice; it will depend on what you or your customer is looking for.
There are a lot of other options available. We will briefly look at the other available cabinet door grades and when you might choose to order those grades.
1. Rustic Grade Doors
Rustic cabinet doors have the fewest quality restrictions. Almost anything is OK in a rustic cabinet door. Knots, mineral streaks, cracks – as long as there are no structural issues or machining defects, the door is up to our quality requirements.
Because of the wide range of acceptable wood, rustic doors are a great option if you want to showcase the natural features of wood.
2. Knotty Grade Doors
Knotty cabinet doors can’t have any open knots or see-through holes.
Other than that, knotty doors are much like rustic cabinet doors. As long as there are no structural issues or machining defects, anything goes.
Knotty doors are the best choice if you want most of the natural characteristics of wood, but don’t want to be able to see through knots in the cabinet doors.
3. Paint Grade Doors
This one’s pretty obvious, right? Paint grade cabinet doors are for orders that are getting painted.
Since you can’t see the wood through a painted finish, any color variation or small defects are acceptable.
However, anything that might show through the painted finish (knots or cracks) will either be filled with putty to make the flat surface level or rejected.
4. Builder Grade Doors
If your order will get a dark stained finish, you might choose builder grade cabinet doors. This grade costs approximately 8% less than standard grade doors.
Any color variation is acceptable for builder grade doors as the dark stained finish will hide the color variation. However, defects like knots and cracks are unacceptable because they will be visible through the finish.
5. Standard Grade Doors
Our hero! Standard grade cabinet doors are the middle-of-the-road option. They are the best choice if you want wood doors but don’t want all the natural features of wood (like knots and color variation).
6. Select Grade Doors
Select grade cabinet doors are the premium option available and have a price tag to match. Because they cost at least 20% more than standard grade doors, you can expect almost perfect doors. No color or grain variation on the flat surface of the doors is acceptable.
This grade is for orders getting a light stain, clear lacquer, or whitewash finish.
With that out of the way, when and why should you choose standard grade cabinet doors over all the other options?
When and Why Should You Order Standard Grade Cabinet Doors?
As you have already seen, our team recommends standard grade doors if your order is getting a medium to dark stained finish. The recommended finish range is important because a lighter finish might require a higher grade, while a lower grade might work for orders getting a darker finish.
Benefits of Standard Grade Cabinet Doors
Because standard grade allows for some color variation and wood characteristics, the price is reasonable. The cost of raw standard grade Maple doors ranges from about $24/square foot to over $60/square foot depending on the door style.
Standard grade doors work well for a wide range of finishes. If your customer isn’t 100% certain what finish their order will receive, standard grade material will be a safe bet.
Also, standard grade wood is readily available, so your order shouldn’t encounter delays.
Standard Grade Cabinet Doors: The Common Choice for a Reason
At the start of this article, you may have felt uncertain about whether standard grade doors were the right choice for your projects. As a cabinet maker or contractor, selecting the wrong grade can lead to wasted time, unnecessary costs, and potential delays.
Now, you have the clarity you need. You understand when standard grade doors are the ideal solution and when another grade might better suit your needs. This knowledge empowers you to make informed decisions and maintain your reputation for delivering quality work on time.
Your next step? Learn how much standard grade cabinet doors cost and what factors influence their pricing.
