Fabuwood's New White Oak Finishes

One of the most common questions we see in our Ask A Cabinetmaker Facebook group is how to achieve the natural white oak look. It’s a clean, understated finish that works in almost every style of kitchen, and is in high demand for good reason.

But while it may look simple, achieving that finish is not always easy.

Many homeowners turn to a local cabinetmaker hoping for a custom solution, only to find that the finish is inconsistent, the tone comes out wrong, or the process ends in frustration. The reality is that most small cabinet shops are not equipped to handle the kind of precise, low-contrast finish that this look requires. That’s not a knock on them — it’s just a limitation of the tools, environment, and processes available in smaller operations.

If you’ve run into this problem, or you’re not confident in the custom options available to you locally, know that you have lots of other options.

A Reliable Alternative: Factory-Finished Cabinetry

Over the last several years, a number of cabinet manufacturers have responded to the demand for this natural wood look by creating their own finish systems. These are not off-the-shelf stains or simple paint jobs, they are engineered finishes, applied in controlled factory environments using professional processes and tested materials.

One of our favorite examples is Desert Oak by Fabuwood:

Desert Oak was developed specifically to enhance the natural beauty of rift sawn white oak. It avoids the yellow and pink tones that often show up in less refined finishes, and it presents a consistent, clean tone across doors, drawer fronts, and panels.

And, perhaps most importantly, because it’s a factory-applied finish, what you see on the sample is what you get in the installed product. It takes the guesswork entirely out of the process. It’s also been tested for long-term performance. Fabuwood applies these finishes under strict quality control, using multi-step processes and topcoats designed for durability.

This gives homeowners a level of consistency and confidence that’s often difficult to get from smaller shops.

Other New Finishes from Fabuwood

Fabuwood has also introduced other finishes alongside Desert Oak to give homeowners more curated options that align with current design trends.

Mocha is a warm, medium-brown tone that adds depth without going too dark. They specifically use a process that ensures a very even tone throughout, so no highs and lows like we see in traditionally-stained cabinetry.

Tuscany and Como Ash are made with a textured laminate excellent for very even color. While the natural beauty of wood does sometimes have its drawbacks (inconsistent grain and tone), using a laminate eliminates all of that. Today's laminates are not the same as the Formica countertops from the 90s... these high-definition or "3D" laminates create a natural feel and texture of real wood, but with all the upside of an engineered product.

These finishes follow the same development process and offer the same benefits in terms of consistency, durability, and ease of selection. You can also now order samples of the exact finish from their website.

Looking for the Natural Oak Look?

If you are searching for the right finish and haven’t been able to find someone locally who can deliver it with confidence, ask a Fabuwood dealer (here is the link to their dealer locator) for a Desert Oak sample. You may find that it meets all your design goals, with none of the uncertainty.

And if you're still weighing your options, keep asking questions. That’s what Ask A Cabinetmaker is here for — to give you real information from people who understand what goes into making cabinetry work in the real world.