Common Glaze Options for New Kitchen Cabinets

For those selecting new kitchen cabinets for their home, whether we’re talking utility cabinets, wall cabinets or any other type, color and aesthetics are important factors to consider. The kitchen is often the home’s activity and socialization center, and you want it to be both comfortable and inviting when it comes to aesthetics.

At AWA Kitchen Cabinets, we’re here to help. Not only do we offer a wide variety of color options when it comes to our numerous cabinet and accessory choices, we’ll also help you understand and consider various glaze options that might be available to you to help bring more nuance and beauty to your design. Glaze options are available for a variety of cabinet door styles, bringing a completely different look to many cabinets. Here are several of the common glaze types out there that you might consider for your new kitchen cabinets.

glaze options new kitchen cabinets

Heirloom Finish

To achieve an heirloom finish, glaze will actually be applied directly by hand by your cabinet maker during the production process. It will be wiped on, either over the stain or the paint already in place on the cabinet. In addition, the heirloom finish involves a distressed finish that gives the cabinet front an aged, classic appearance.

In addition to this, the cabinet doors will be sanded down. This is both to limit natural wear-and-tear that comes with cabinet operation and to bring a more traditional feel to the cabinet.

Hand-Wiped Glaze

The hand-wiped glaze follows a similar procedure to the heirloom finish, only without the distressed finish that’s used for those options. A wiped glaze brings the entire cabinet door a small trace of additional color, plus additional glaze on the edges and corners where it won’t be as easy to wipe away.

Brushed Glaze

For those going for a more modern, symmetrical appearance, the brushed glaze is a great alternative option. It involves “drawing” on the glaze using specific tools rather than simply wiping it on over a stain or paint product, using long strokes that bring consistent details throughout the entire door design. Those who prefer sharper, more precise design formats generally gravitate toward this realm.

Pencil Glaze

Similar to the brushed glaze is the pencil glaze, which also utilizes tools and a more precise glazing process. It may use shorter strokes in many cases, however, and has a bit more versatility in overall design than the brushed glaze, which is pretty specific about how sharp and defined it tends to be. Those looking for a modern feel that still leaves room for versatile surrounding designs should carefully consider the pencil glaze option.

For more on the various glaze choices available to you for your kitchen cabinet doors, or to learn about any of our kitchen cabinets or quartz countertops, speak to the staff at AWA Kitchen Cabinets today.