Materials
Wood species
Baltic Birch and Hard Maple are our standards, stocked and ready to build. Beyond those, our Las Vegas shop mills the full list below for custom and wholesale orders.
Quick answer. Gritly builds drawer boxes in Baltic Birch, a void free multi ply panel and our standard, and in Hard Maple, a dense solid hardwood, both stocked. Alder, cherry, hickory, walnut, white oak, poplar, sapele and the rest of the list below are milled for custom and wholesale orders. Baltic Birch is the stable, lighter choice for most kitchens; Hard Maple is the hardest wearing. Both get the same dovetail joinery and 5/8 inch sides.
The standards
| Species | Why we stock it |
|---|---|
| BALTIC BIRCH | Void free multi ply panel. Stable through humidity swings, holds screws, machines clean, and the striped edge grain looks sharp. The workhorse of the lineup. |
| HARD MAPLE, SELECT | Dense, tight grained solid wood with mostly clear grain. The traditional choice for fine drawer work and heirloom kitchens. |
| HARD MAPLE, NATURAL | The same Hard Maple with some grays, browns and occasional small pin knots. More character, same strength. |
Walkthroughs
Read about each wood
Every species we build in has its own page: what the wood is, how it behaves in a drawer, what it weighs on the runner, and when we would pick it over the standards. Start with the two we stock, then read the rest if the job calls for something else.
Baltic Birch
Our standard: a void free multi ply panel that stays flat, holds screws and ships in about 2 to 4 days.
Read the walkthrough →Hard Maple (Select Grade)
Dense, mostly clear solid hardwood, the traditional pick for heavy use drawers and heirloom kitchens.
Read the walkthrough →Hard Maple, Natural grade
The same Hard Maple with grays, browns and the odd pin knot, more character at the same strength.
Read the walkthrough →Walnut
Rich brown hardwood that lightens slightly with age, for drawers meant to be seen every time they open.
Read the walkthrough →Cherry
Fine grained hardwood that darkens with light and age into the classic furniture color.
Read the walkthrough →White oak
Heavy, hard and ring porous, with straight grain and flecks in rift or quarter sawn and cathedral grain in flat sawn.
Read the walkthrough →Alder
Soft, even grained and easy to stain, clear or knotty, a lighter box for cabinets that match alder doors.
Read the walkthrough →Poplar
The paint grade choice: light, easy to work, with green and gray streaks that disappear under a coat.
Read the walkthrough →Soft maple
Looks like Hard Maple at lower cost and weight, and dents a little easier in a hard working drawer.
Read the walkthrough →Melamine
Wipe clean, no finishing, in white, black, almond and wood look colors for utility drawers and easy care interiors.
Read the walkthrough →Available on request
Custom and wholesale orders can be built in any of these commonly milled and stocked species.
*Certain materials and laminates available by special order.
Melamines
For utility drawers and easy wipe down interiors: Almond, Black, Chocolate Pear, Folkstone Gray, Hardrock Maple, Silver Frost, White, and textured melamines.
Not sure which wood?
Tell us what the drawer is for and we will give you a straight recommendation. Or read the birch vs maple comparison for the two standards.
Wood species questions
Which wood is best for drawer boxes?
Baltic Birch for most kitchens: it is stable through humidity swings, light, holds screws well and costs less. Hard Maple for heavy use drawers and heirloom work, where you want the hardest wearing surface and the classic furniture look. Both get the same dovetail joinery.
Is Baltic Birch solid wood?
No. Baltic Birch is a void free, multi ply birch panel, which is exactly why it stays flat and square where solid boards would move. Hard Maple is solid hardwood. We say Built in USA because the Baltic Birch panel is imported; the box itself is built in our Las Vegas shop.
Can I order drawer boxes in walnut, cherry or white oak?
Yes, on custom and wholesale orders. Every species in the list above can be milled for a job; ask us with your sizes and quantity and we quote it.
Do you build melamine drawer boxes?
Yes, for utility drawers and easy wipe down interiors, in white, almond, black and several wood look and textured melamines, as a custom or wholesale order.