If we were going to go with real cherry cabinet fronts what type of wood would most resemble it with the same stain for sides etc of cabinets and molding. Would a birch?

I have always loved the look of cherry wood.

Birch and Popular both will stain well and can be similar to the Cherry in colour, but they have a very flat and plain grain structure. I use quite a bit of local Black Cherry in my cabinets, and find that dark Ash and some of the Maples are almost a direct replacement. If you're going to make cabinet sides that are not panels similar to the doors, they are usually made of plywood instead of a solid construction. Oak plywood that has a rotary cut, slab grain, also will take a good stain and look like figured Cherry. You will have to seal the oak well before applying the stains. Otherwise the growth rings will stain darker, as in a Craftsman style of furniture.

If you're a fan of Cherry as I am, why not build it all of this wood? You can purchase Cherry hardwood plywood for the boxes, and use the "real" thing for everything else. Another alternative is to use Birch plywood for the carcass and veneer the cabinet ends with Cherry. The major cost is your labor. The savings gained by using other species of woods is minimal.

Gard

Thanks so much! You guys are awesome.

So where do we buy the cherry plywood? Menards, Lowes, Home depot?

And what color stain do they usually use on cherry to make it so nice and elegant looking? Cherry?

Sorry if that is a stupid question.

I'm not familiar with Menards. Lowes and Depot in our area don't generally special order these materials in small quantities. We can source the hardwood plywoods through local well equipped home centers and lumber yards. The best bet would be to make some phone calls and see what's available. Your stores may have different policies than ours.

If the plywood is not available, veneers can be mail ordered. These can be applied to birch plywood which is available everywhere. A large 2' x 8' piece typically sells for about $50. It is enough to cover the ends of many cabinets. Another way to finish the ends is to use a door panel, made out of your solid Cherry.

If every thing is being made out of Cherry, you may not want a stain. The whitish wood quickly oxidizes after the construction and starts turning the traditional reddish colour. This can be accelerated by a stint in the sunlight. If you want a deep red, Mahogany used sparingly will deepen the tint. An "Early American" or "Colonial" tint is a middle of the road stain, still allowing the natural red to develop with age, while darkening the original lighter wood.

The best bet is to purchase several small containers of the stains you may like. Apply them to scraps of your wood, add some clear finish, and place them in your trailer for inspection. Only then can you know what the finished product will look like. The store's lighting is nothing like your home, and the small colour chips will vary greatly from your actual environment.

Gard