FAQ Archives - Showplace Design Center

The Beauty of Hickory: The Most Variably Grained and Colored Wood

Posted on February 2, 2023May 16, 2024 by Justin Ehrman

If you’re looking for a wood species that offers a wide range of graining and color consistency, hickory should be at the top of your list.

Learn More

This versatile and beautiful wood has become a popular choice for any room in your home, and for good reason. With its unique graining, natural variation, and warm, inviting color, hickory is a wood species that truly stands out.

One of the defining features of hickory is its variability. Below are two areas in which hickory’s characteristics can vary, providing an unexpected beauty with each cabinet.

Variability

The graining in hickory can range from straight and fine, to wild and wavy, and everything in between. This variability means that each piece of hickory wood is truly one-of-a-kind, and it gives the wood a natural and organic look that is difficult to replicate.

See Homes in Hickory!

Color Consistency

The heartwood of hickory can range from light to dark colors, with a reddish hue that adds warmth to the wood. Sapwood is usually lighter in color and can have a yellow or creamy hue. These color variations within a single piece of wood are part of what makes hickory unique and beautiful.

See Homes in Hickory!

Hickory is a strong and durable wood, making it a great choice for high-traffic areas like flooring or furniture. It’s also a popular choice for cabinetry and millwork, as its natural variation and character make it a great addition to any kitchen or bathroom.

Hickory cabinet doors finished in Sparrow showing variability — This photo demonstrates the variability of stains on hickory. Sparrow finish shown.

Also, whether you prefer a natural finish that highlights the wood’s natural graining and character, or a stained finish that adds a pop of color to your space, hickory is a versatile wood that can be customized to fit your style.

If you’re looking for a beautiful and character-rich addition to your cabinetry or millwork, hickory is a great choice.

Let’s get started!

So why not add this beautiful and versatile wood to your home today?

Connect with a local Showplace dealer to get started on your next home improvement project.

Find Your Local Dealer

How are Showplace Framed Cabinets Made?

Posted on January 25, 2023 by Justin Ehrman

Have you ever wondered how Showplace cabinets are made? Or have you asked your dealer what materials are used? Read on to learn more.

Learn More

Showplace Cabinetry offers high-quality cabinets with a wide variety of style and functionality to fit any design need or trend.

Here are just some of the ways that Showplace quality is why we are one of the top cabinet brands in America.

Showplace Quality

You want quality you can count on, and Showplace gives you just that. Compare our construction features here to other cabinetry brands. We think you’ll agree that Showplace gives you a lot more for your money. And Showplace stands behind this American-made quality with a limited lifetime warranty.

Face frames: 3/4″ thick select hardwood components, dadoed to receive tops, bottoms, and end panels
Hand-applied finish: sealed and given an oven-baked topcoat of catalyzed varnish for lasting durability, in satin or matte sheen
Drawers: soft-close and full-extension drawer glides are concealed under the dovetailed solid hardwood box and are the best in the industry. A dovetailed solid walnut drawer option is available
Shelves are a hefty 3/4″ thick and adjustable
Hinges: 6-way adjustable and with soft-close action are the best in the industry
Interiors: Showplace offers three different interior options
Durability: 1/2″ plywood sides, tops and bottoms provide structural rigidity and lasting durability, with an available upgrade to 3/4″ plywood sides
Space maximizing: Wall cabinets are 13″ deep, providing more storage space to accommodate larger, over-sized plates and serveware

Cabinet drawers

Learn more about our quality drawer boxes.

Solid Quality

The superior Showplace drawer has a four-sided solid hardwood box that is dovetailed for rigidity. The 1/4-inch drawer bottom is captive on all four sides. A dovetailed solid walnut drawer option is available.

Soft Close

Our drawer glide is a ball-bearing, full-extension undermount unit, out of sight and away from dirt and grime. It has a smooth soft-close action, and is rated for 75-pound dynamic loads as well as 100-pound static loads.

More Storage

Opening height for top drawers in base cabinets are an industry leading 5-1/2″ tall; this provides increased storage depth to keep contents from catching when drawers are opened.

Watch our soft close drawer glides in action!

Are you ready?

Visit a local Showplace dealer to learn more and to start designing your dream space today!

Find Your Local Dealer

Smart Ways to Save Money on a Kitchen Remodel

Posted on January 24, 2023August 4, 2023 by Justin Ehrman

Are you planning on remodeling your kitchen in the near future? If budget is on your mind, we have some ways to save money.

Learn More

There are many things you can do to save money on your next remodel project. Your designer may have other ideas, but here are just a few ways to get more for your money when you begin your kitchen refresh.

Before we get to the “Do’s” in budget-friendly remodeling, here is an important “Don’t.”

You’ve heard the saying, “You get what you pay for.” That is certainly true when it comes to cabinetry. No matter what brand you choose, make sure that your cabinets are constructed with high quality materials and methods. In other words, don’t base your decision solely on price. You may regret your decision after just a couple years.

Showplace Cabinetry offers several cabinet lines to meet your style and budget needs. All of our framed lines are KCMA-certified and meet all construction quality requirements. So, you know you’re getting a great product with a limited lifetime warranty to give you additional ease of mind.

Now, the “Do’s” for a successful, budget-friendly remodel project…

Keep it Simple

Simple layout and design ideas can help you save money.

Use larger cabinets rather than smaller cabinets to reduce the work for the installer, saving time and money.
Leave space between the wall cabinets and the ceiling to avoid the need for trim molding (This is a modern look, too!).
Use flat panel doors in your design to save money and provide a simple, clean look.
Avoid costly cabinet modifications.
Use floating shelves rather than book cases or cabinets to save money and gives you a more spacious look.
Avoid moving utilities if possible.

Get Creative

You can do things to save money and stretch your dollar even further!

Use laminate countertops instead of stone or quartz. Laminate tops are very durable and have many color and pattern options.
Do as much of the labor and material running as you can to avoid charges by contractors.
If possible, try selling your old cabinets and using that towards your project. The buyer may even be willing to remove the cabinets for you to save you time and money.

Other Ideas

Some other ways to help you pay for your remodel project are:

Ask your designer to create more than one layout option to see what it takes to get the best price and value.
Ask your designer if they offer low-interest financing to allow you to get more done.

If you have a small budget, consider refacing your existing cabinets with Showplace Renew. This is a cost-effective way to keep your cabinets and make them look new with materials to reface the cabinet frames, and then replace the doors and drawers/drawer fronts and add other accessories to refresh your kitchen space and make it not only beautiful, but even more functional. Check with your dealer if they offer Showplace Renew products. Read about Showplace Renew in our blog.

Let’s get started!

Does this help you feel more prepared for your remodel project?

Connect with a local Showplace dealer to get started on your next home improvement project.

Find Your Local Dealer

Thanks to Curt Johnson, designer at Showplace Cabinetry Design Center in Sioux Falls, SD for contributing to this blog.

Painted Cabinets: 3 Things to Know

Posted on November 10, 2022 by Justin Ehrman

Painted cabinets are popular and also require a commitment from the homeowner to keep them in pristine condition, typically more maintenance than stained cabinetry. If you plan to select painted cabinetry for your home, here are three things to know about paint on wood surfaces.

Learn More

Paint characteristics are the same, no matter the brand, the surface, or the cabinet manufacturer. What can you expect when you buy painted cabinets from Showplace?

As described in our blog about stains, wood allows stains to soak into wood and take on some of the character of the wood.

Paint, on the other hand, just sits on top of surfaces, including wood used for cabinets. We go to great lengths to ensure your cabinets look like new for as long as possible, but here are 3 things to expect from painted cabinets.

Open Door Joints

When we build our doors, we use glue and joint grooves to construct the doors. Then, we place all doors in a clamp that presses the joints together until the glue dries. This process ensures that the door construction is as solid as possible.

Change in climate, meaning high or low humidity, may cause wood to shrink or expand, causing paint to crack at those joints where there may be the most movement. This is normal and is not considered a warranty event.

Surface Damage

Even though we move all finished parts through a large oven to bake on a top coat for all finishes, that is no match for life with kids and pets.

Toys, claws, pots and pans, utensils, and other hard, sharp surfaces can still do damage to our paint and this is not covered under our warranty.

Surface damage includes stain spots, chips, paint wear, scratches, and more.

Water Damage

Just like with the wear and tear from living around your cabinets, water and other liquids can also damage painted surfaces.

You may see abnormal wear to your paint on cabinets around a sink or waste basket cabinet.

Be sure to take care of your cabinets using the information in our blog post about caring for painted cabinets.

It’s important to note that touch up kits for our standard paints are an easy tool to help with maintenance on chips and blemishes. Be sure to ask your dealer to include a kit with your painted order. Read our warranty here.

Let’s get started!

So, how do you enjoy your painted cabinetry for years to come? Be sure to clean your cabinets regularly and keep them dry, do your best to avoid dents and scratches, and keep a safe humidity level in your home.

Connect with a local Showplace dealer to get started on your next home improvement project.

Find Your Local Dealer

Wood Grain and Stain: 3 Things to Know

Posted on October 26, 2022 by Justin Ehrman

If you plan to select stained cabinetry for your home, here are three things to know about how wood grain can affect the look of your stained cabinetry.

Learn More

No matter where you purchase your cabinets, you will most likely select a wood species that is universal among all manufacturers, so the results will be very similar.

Stains respond differently to the species of wood you choose. Each type of wood has a different level of density and grain characteristic that determines how the stain will soak in and appear. The pattern of graining is unique to each wood species.

Of course, light also affects the look of any finish. See our blog post on the effects of light on cabinet color.

Let’s take a look at some cabinets in our factory to see how the look of stain changes with different graining.

Grain Pattern

As you can see, this vanity cabinet has doors and slab drawer headers with varying grain patterns which change the look of our Thunder stain on red oak.

The slab drawer headers and door frames are made of solid wood. The customer opted to choose doors with veneered plywood center panels instead of solid wood panels. The grain is horizontal on the headers, causing the stain to appear darker than the doors that have vertical graining.

The door center panels are made of veneered plywood, which also have varying grain characteristics.

This look is acceptable and shows the uniqueness of stained woods.

Quartersawn White Oak Cashew drawer base cabinet

Cut Direction

The drawer headers on this three-drawer base cabinet are made of quartersawn white oak finished with our Cashew stain. We also used our Weathering process with Walnut accents to create a worn look.

Notice the cut pattern causes the stain to soak in differently, creating a beautiful look with the variety of graining.

The varying levels of light and darkness in the finish of this Character Stain show the true beauty of this wood and cut.

This look is also acceptable and typical of this type of wood.

Heart or Sap Wood

Of course, even natural wood has a variety of looks without a stain to highlight those variances.

Grain varies, causing the look to be different on each piece used to build a cabinet, but so does the presence of sap or heart wood.

This pair of natural walnut cabinets highlights how wood color varies when light areas of sap wood are present.

This look is acceptable and shows the true character of woods like walnut.

Read our warranty here.

Let’s get started!

Connect with a local Showplace dealer to get started on your next home improvement project.

Find Your Local Dealer

Effects of Lighting on Cabinet Color

Posted on July 27, 2022July 17, 2023 by Justin Ehrman

Many factors affect the appearance of color. So, when you’re investing in new cabinets from Showplace, you want to make sure they’re going to look as close as possible to what you’ve envisioned.

Learn More

If you’re just getting started and are trying to pick the cabinet colors for your space, narrow down your choices by working with a designer at your local Showplace dealership.

Explore their color chip samples and our list of standard paint and stain colors. Then, when you think you’ve selected the colors you want, order a sample door from your dealer so you can see what an actual Showplace cabinet door will look like in your space. We highly encourage you to make your final finish selections based off a sample door, rather than a color chip.

Be sure to hold the door at the approximate location the cabinets will be installed and view the door with lights on and off, and at different times of day because light affects color in different ways.

Here are some ways light may change how your cabinets appear:

Artificial Light and Color

The type of indoor lighting will change the appearance of the finish or surface of your cabinets because different bulbs have a different color temperature.

Incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, or LED lighting have different color and intensity.

Natural Light

Natural lighting will also cause your cabinets to look different, depending on how direct the light is, whether clouds are dampening the intensity of the sun, or if window treatments are causing indirect sunlight.

Sheen Level

The level of sheen (glossiness) reflects light, which may make the cabinets look a bit different in various lighting. Learn more below.

Sheen Level

If you’ve ever picked out paint before, you already know what “sheen” is. It’s the relative “shininess” or “glossiness” of a finish. Showplace offers all its finishes in your choice of two levels of sheen, no extra charge.

“Satin” is what most people would consider normal sheen for home cabinetry. “Matte” is a little bit softer, a little bit flatter than Satin and is often associated with the finish on fine furniture.

Satin sheen tends to be a bit more reflective than matte, but adds more depth to the color.

View this gallery!

View this gallery!

View this gallery!

Reflections

Depending on the light source and sheen, different colors will respond differently:

Whites may seem a bit yellow or gray, and may even reflect nearby objects, changing the appearance of the color.
Dark, rich colors may appear to change shades (i.e. dark blue may appear as a shade of purple)

Be Prepared

Be sure to purchase a sample door from your Showplace dealer so you can take it home and place it in your space to see how it looks in the lighting you have now.
If you plan to include different lighting in your space than you have now, go to different rooms in your home that may have similar lighting to view the sample.
Remember that colors on a screen will most likely not match the appearance of the same color in person, so consider this when viewing colors online.

Find Your Local Dealer

What is a Character Stain?

Posted on May 9, 2022 by Justin Ehrman

Some stains mute variations in wood – the darker the stain, the more variation is hidden. Character stains provide a rich, semi-translucent look accentuating the grain and variation found in natural wood. Try it with one of our Showplace specialty woods to make your eye-catching cabinetry all the more noticeable.

Click to view this gallery!

Give it Some Character

Add character stains to your cabinets and bring out the inherent variability, distinctive grain and unique personality of natural wood. This specially formulated finish is only available at Showplace, and for no extra cost.

Character vs. standard

View the comparison between a character stain and standard stain below. Can you see how the graining and markings of the wood varies between the two stain types? That enhancement of the wood brings added warmth to the finish and the look of the space.

Character Stain – Cashew

Red Oak

Rustic Alder

Quartersawn White Oak

Maple

Hickory

Cherry

Standard Stain – Autumn

Red Oak

Rustic Alder

Quartersawn White Oak

Maple

Hickory

Cherry

How Grain Direction Affects Color

Notice from these images above that graining in character stains can affect the appearance of the color. This drawer header was placed vertically to compare with doors on the wall cabinet, then was turned horizontally to show how drawer fronts may not match the doors, even though they are technically the same color. This scenario is acceptable and is not considered a warranty issue.

Pendleton door, Rustic Alder Cashew stain

The Beauty of Character Stains

The above images are examples of some of our beautiful Character Stains. Aren’t the gorgeous?

Explore

Stains

Take a look at all of our standard and character stains to find the hue for you.

See Our Stains

explore

Projects

Need to see stains in an actual home? Look no further.

Stained Projects

How Do I Care for My Stained or Painted Cabinets?

Posted on April 27, 2022June 12, 2023 by Justin Ehrman

Showplace cabinetry is designed and crafted to stand up to rigorous daily use. No special or unique care is required for your paint or stained cabinets. Simple common-sense precautions and practices will keep your Showplace stained or painted cabinets looking great for years to come.

Things to keep in mind

Darkening: All woods naturally darken with age. There is no way to prevent this process as it is a part of wood’s natural character. Woods subjected to prolonged direct sunlight will darken faster.

Dimensional changes: Since wood is a naturally porous material, it will absorb and release moisture, causing unavoidable swelling and shrinking. Typically associated with switching seasons, this can cause dimensional changes, and in larger pieces, can result in minor warping. We recommend humidity levels in the home between 30% – 55%. Humidity levels outside that range can lead to cracked joints, shrinking center panels and broken mullions in doors with that modification.

Drawers and interiors: Drawer glides and hinges should need no periodic maintenance or lubrication.

Surface damage: Touch up those inevitable nicks and scratches with a Showplace touch-up kit. Kits are available from your Showplace dealer and include instructions.

Curing time: Showplace Cabinetry uses the highest quality Sherwin-Williams paints, SHER-WOOD® stains, sealers and topcoats providing high performance and a long lasting, enduring finish. All SHER-WOOD® finishes require a period of curing to take place, approximately 30 days, so the film can achieve its full performance properties.

Please be aware that the Showplace warranty does not apply to finishes that are exposed for prolonged periods of time to tobacco smoke and/or other smoke sources.

Horizontal surfaces: If your cabinetry uses finished wood for horizontal surfaces, remember these precautions:

Do not slide items across the surface. Rather, pick them up and set them down.

Make sure plants are in pots that will not seep water onto the wood, and take care that leaves do not touch the wood.

Use coasters under glasses, and hot pads under pots and pans.

Never set synthetic materials like rubber or plastic directly on the wood. The synthetic chemicals can damage the finish. Likewise, inks from printed materials can transfer into the finish.

Basic Care Tips

Wipe up spills, splatters and water spots as they occur. Keep cabinets dry.
Clean as needed with a soft, lint-free cloth. Use mild detergent or soap and warm water. Dry surfaces immediately with a soft cloth.
Avoid using a dishcloth or sponge, which could contain remnants of grease or detergents. Do not use products with bleach, ammonia or abrasive additives.
Never use scouring pads, steel wool or powdered cleaners.
Do not allow oven cleaners to come in contact with wood finishes.
Avoid placing small kitchen appliances where heat is directed onto cabinet surfaces.
Avoid draping damp clothes or dish towels over cabinet doors. Excessive moisture can cause permanent damage.
Have fingerprints? Try Murphy’s Oil soap (use as directed).

Find Your Local Dealer