Market Opportunities for

Kitchen Cabinets Made

From Alaska Hardwoods:

A Synthesis and Review

of Recent Research

David L. Nicholls and Maria C. Stiefel

United States 

Department of 

Agriculture

Forest Service

Pacific Northwest

Research Station

General Technical

Report

PNW-GTR-702

February 2007
Authors

David L. Nicholls is a forest products technologist and Maria C. Stiefel is a 

science writer, Alaska Wood Utilization Research and Development Center, 204

Siginaka Way, Sitka, AK 99835.

The Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is dedicated to the principle of 

multiple use management of the Nation’s forest resources for sustained yields of wood, water,

forage, wildlife, and recreation. Through forestry research, cooperation with the States and 

private forest owners, and management of the National Forests and national grasslands, it

strives—as directed by Congress—to provide increasingly greater service to a growing

Nation.

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Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) 

or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Abstract

Nicholls, David L.; Stiefel, Maria C. 2007. Market opportunities for kitchen 

cabinets made from Alaska hardwoods: a synthesis and review of recent

research. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-702. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of

Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 28 p.

The kitchen cabinet industry has shown significant growth recently, with expanding

residential markets, new cabinet styles, and larger kitchens. This industry represents an opportunity for small Alaska wood producers to create high-value secondary products. In response to recent trends in kitchen cabinet manufacturing and 

the need to identify opportunities for underutilized species, the Alaska Wood

Utilization Research and Development Center has conducted numerous studies

evaluating consumer preferences for Alaska’s primary hardwoods—Alaska birch

(Betula papyrifera var. humilis (Reg.) Fern & Raup) and red alder (Alnus rubra

Bong.). These studies explored consumer preferences under a range of marketing

parameters, cabinet appearances, and regional market locations. This paper summarizes these studies and offers insights into the potential market for Alaska’s hardwoods as secondary wood products such as kitchen cabinets. 

Keywords: Alaska, hardwoods, red alder, paper birch, kitchen cabinets, consumer preference studies, willingness to pay.
Contents

1 Introduction

2 Review of Birch

3 Review of Red Alder

4 Review of Marketing Studies

4 Character Markings in Lumber and Wood Products

6 Species Acceptance

7 Data Collection Methods

7 Home Show Setting

7 Cabinet Labels

7 Demographics

8 Individual Study Procedures

10 Statistical Evaluations

12 Results

12 Overall Consumer Preferences

15 Character Markings

17 The Effect of Species Name

18 The Effect of Commercial Stains

18 Willingness to Pay

20 Use of Logo

20 Sources of Product Information

21 Discussion

23 Summary Points

24 Acknowledgments

24 Metric Equivalents

25 Literature Cited
Introduction

The kitchen cabinet industry has shown significant growth recently, with expanding 

residential markets, new cabinet styles, and larger kitchens. From 2004 to 2005,

annual kitchen cabinet revenue increased 13.3 percent, and by spring 2006, the

kitchen cabinet industry reported its 118th consecutive month of sales growth

(Jenkins 2006). These trends are expected to continue, with U.S. demand for

kitchen cabinets projected to increase 6 percent per year through 2008, reaching a

total of $16 billion (AKTRIN Wood Information Center 2004). Further, the kitchen

remodeling market remains strong even as new home construction has seen recent

declines. Adding to this demand for cabinets is the trend for houses having multiple

kitchens, including outdoor kitchens, and kitchen-style cabinets integrated into

other living areas (Baker 2006).

Kitchen cabinets represent an opportunity for small businesses to create highvalue secondary products and are potentially fitting to many Alaska wood producers. In response to recent trends in kitchen cabinet manufacturing and the need to

identify opportunities for underutilized species, the Alaska Wood Utilization

Research and Development Center (WUC) has conducted numerous studies evaluating consumer preferences for Alaska’s two primary hardwoods—Alaska birch

(Betula papyrifera var. humilis (Reg.) Fern & Raup) and red alder (Alnus rubra

Bong.). These studies have explored consumer preferences under a range of marketing parameters, cabinet appearances, and regional market locations.

In March 2006, a meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, reviewed WUC kitchen cabinet research and identified current opportunities for hardwood lumber producers,

cabinet producers, and retailers. The goal of this event was to explore how Alaska

hardwoods could be more fully utilized to meet consumer demand for kitchen 

cabinets within the state. Covered topics included consumer wood preference 

differences within Alaska, preferences for different wood finishes, information

sources used for cabinet purchases, preferences for character-marked Alaska birch

products, preferences for red alder versus competing hardwoods, and the importance of species recognition in cabinet purchases. 

This synthesis and review focuses on remarks from the Anchorage meeting and

a collection of WUC research projects involving consumer preferences for sample

cabinets made from Alaska hardwoods. The first of these projects was in spring

Market Opportunities for Kitchen Cabinets Made From Alaska Hardwoods: A Synthesis and Review of Recent Research 

1
2002, when birch cabinets were displayed at home shows within Alaska1 (see

Donovan and Nicholls 2003; Donovan et al. 2003; Nicholls 2001, 2005a; Nicholls

and Donovan 2002). In fall 2002, red alder cabinets and other hardwood cabinets

were displayed at home shows in Alaska and Washington (see Donovan et al. 2003,

2004; Nicholls 2005b; Nicholls et al. 2003, 2004a; Roos et al. 2005). Finally, in

2005, red alder cabinets stained to different levels (i.e., with different commercial

finishes) were displayed at home shows in Alaska and Oregon (Nicholls and Roos

2006b). This paper summarizes these studies and offers insights into the potential

market for Alaska hardwoods as secondary wood products. Throughout this synthesis, the research projects described above are referred to as study 1, study 2, and

study 3, respectively.

Review of Birch

Within Alaska, there is a substantial birch resource within the interior and southcentral regions of the state (fig. 1), including more than 2.5 billion board feet of

standing inventory (Wheeler, n.d.). Despite its abundance, only small amounts of

birch are harvested in the state. It is estimated that only 19 sawmills in Alaska

process birch, combining to produce less than 1 million board feet annually (Parrent

2001). Because these mills are small, and some only operate intermittently, it is 

difficult to establish precise estimates of lumber production. Almost all the birch

lumber produced in Alaska is used within the state (Braden and Nicholls 2004), and

is not widely used by woodworking firms outside of Alaska (Nicholls and Roos

2006a, Roos and Nicholls 2006).

Alaska birch is easily machined into secondary products, but it often has a

higher proportion of character marks (e.g., knots, bark pockets, naturally occurring

stains) compared to birch from other regions of North America. Although this lack

of clear cuttings may be a disadvantage when selling lumber under traditional 

grading rules (Nicholls et al. 2004b), recent research has shown that consumers

may prefer lumber with some degree of character for visual applications (Donovan

and Nicholls 2003). Use of Alaska birch in products that require clear, defect-free

cuttings may be limited, but secondary manufacturers can take advantage of its

unique character markings for a variety of niche applications.

2

General Technical Report PNW-GTR-702

1 Nicholls, D.; Donovan, G. 2004. A comparison of consumer demographics between two Alaska

markets. 20 p. Unpublished report. On file with: David Nicholls, USDA Forest Service, Pacific

Northwest Research Station, Alaska Wood Utilization Research and Development Center, 204

Siginaka Way, Sitka, AK 99835.
A small secondary wood products industry has already been established within

Alaska. It includes kitchen cabinets, office furniture, custom woodwork, and gifts

and crafts (Braden and Nicholls 2004). Increasing amounts of locally produced

kiln-dried lumber is helping this industry grow. In recent years, several dehum

idification dry kilns, hot water dry kilns, planers, and moulders have become operational owing in part to a federal grant program (Nicholls et al. 2006). In interior

and south-central Alaska, increasing amounts of kiln-dried birch lumber enhances

the potential for higher valued secondary wood products. 

Review of Red Alder

Although other hardwoods like oak (Quercus L.), maple (Acer L.), and black 

cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) continue to dominate the kitchen cabinet retail 

market, the popularity of red alder is reportedly growing. For example, one custom

cabinetry company owner in Wisconsin reported a marked increase in demand for

rustic alder over the past few years (Kaiser 2006). Also, because of red alder’s 

uniform grain, it can easily accept commercial stains over a wide range of colors.

As such, alder can be used advantageously to resemble close-grained species that

are popular among consumers.

Red alder is already being harvested in the Pacific Northwest, and used to produce furniture, cabinets, and other secondary wood products. Over a decade ago,

In interior and southcentral Alaska,

increasing amounts

of kiln-dried birch

lumber enhances the

potential for higher

valued secondary

wood products.

Market Opportunities for Kitchen Cabinets Made From Alaska Hardwoods: A Synthesis and Review of Recent Research 

3

Figure 1—Geographic range of birch in Alaska and

western Canada (indicated in green). 

Source: Donovan et al. 2003
red alder composed almost two-thirds of the hardwood sawtimber and growingstock volumes in Washington and Oregon. In Washington, 60 percent of the red

alder lumber was used in cabinets and high-value furniture in 1991 (Raettig et al.

1995). Current figures are similar in part because Northwest furniture companies

now realize they can use local red alder instead of importing eastern hardwoods for

their work (Kaiser 2006). In southeast Alaska, red alder is at the northern extreme

of its natural range, and is therefore considerably smaller in diameter than similar

aged red alder in Oregon and Washington.

Red alder stands are found throughout southeast Alaska (fig. 2), commonly in

areas that have been disturbed, such as roadbeds and timber harvested areas. In

contrast to much of the timber resource in Alaska, a high proportion of red alder is

accessible from existing roadbeds. As red alder stands can become mature in less

than 50 years, those established during the region’s pulp mill era (1950s-1990s) are

beginning to approach maturity. It is estimated that about 49.3 million cubic feet of

red alder is currently available in the 6- to 24-inch diameter classes on timberlands

within the Tongass National Forest (van Hees 2003). A very small proportion of

this growing stock, sustainably harvested, could easily support one or more businesses processing red alder into lumber. Much of the red alder resource in southeast

Alaska would be located within the Tongass National Forest.

Currently, there is no established red alder industry in southeast Alaska and,

therefore, little sawing and drying of red alder lumber. In Alaska, red alder has

been used primarily for niche products such as chips for smoking fish and woodcarvings, but otherwise has seen little commercial use (Donovan et al. 2003).

However, market pressures from the Pacific Northwest could lead to opportunities

in Alaska.

Recent price increases in red alder have created incentives to find new commercial sources of this species, potentially including smaller diameter stands from

southeast Alaska. Rising interest in red alder could lead to a range of new opportunities for Alaska wood products firms, including secondary manufactured products

such as kitchen cabinets. 

Review of Marketing Studies

Character Markings in Lumber and Wood Products

A frequent concern among birch lumber producers, retailers, and consumers in 

Alaska is the relatively large proportion of knots, natural discolorations, and other

visual defects. The National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) sets standard

4

General Technical Report PNW-GTR-702
rules to grade hardwood lumber (NHLA 1998), and the presence of character mark

features in Alaska birch is a disadvantage when selling lumber under these standards (Nicholls et al. 2004b). However, several studies have shown that consumers

may be willing to accept character-marked hardwood lumber for certain applications, and that inclusion of knots can lead to yield improvements and cost savings

(Buehlmann et al. 1998, Wiedenbeck and Buehlmann 1995). 

Likewise, Bumgardner et al. (2001a) evaluated consumer preferences for oak

furniture containing three classes of character marks. Preference scores were found

to be inversely related to knot size. However, this study found that knot size

accounted for only 35 percent of the importance in buying decisions, and that there

are opportunities for manufacturers to increase their use of lumber containing small

character marks. 

Jahn et al. (2001) evaluated consumer preferences for character-marked hardwood cabinet doors. This study found that the presence of character features was

unimportant to 73 percent of those sampled. For the remaining 27 percent, character marks were the most important attribute influencing their choice of cabinet

door. This character-sensitive segment of the sample had a higher proportion of

Market Opportunities for Kitchen Cabinets Made From Alaska Hardwoods: A Synthesis and Review of Recent Research 

5

Figure 2—Geographic range of red alder (indicated in

green) along western coast of North America, including southeast Alaska. Source: Donovan et al. 2003.
female and younger respondents, suggesting that these groups would be less receptive to the presence of character marks. In addition, it was found that light levels 

of character were generally preferred to heavy levels. 

Bumgardner et al. (2001b) found that large furniture manufacturers could 

successfully market character-marked products at upper and middle price points.

However, gaps in product knowledge among manufacturers, retailers, and consumers made it difficult for producers of character-marked products to accurately

gauge consumer preferences. A potentially useful strategy for using charactermarked wood is to include character-marked products in the earliest stages of 

product development, especially when formulating new product ideas. 

Bumgardner et al. (2000) found that character marks can be effectively incorporated into furniture production if the “fit” of the character marks matches other

product attributes such as finish, hardware, and design. Character-marked wood

was marketed effectively when sales staff educated the consumers. However, one

obstacle hindering the marketing of character-marked wood was the lack of consistency between product displays and the actual product purchased.

An implicit assumption common to most studies of character-marked lumber 

is that character marks are a negative, or at best neutral, attribute of hardwood lumber. Consequently, researchers have concentrated on ways of mitigating the impact

of character marks. In contrast, this synthesis examines whether consumers may

regard character marks as a positive feature of hardwood lumber. 

Species Acceptance 

In addition to character-marked wood studies, this synthesis evaluates consumer 

preference for shades of cabinets and species name recognition. In a related paper,

Bumgardner and Bowe (2002) investigated the differences between word-based

and specimen-based evaluations of commercially important wood species. They

found that in appearance-based evaluations, respondents tended to rate woods

based on general color. Darker woods tended to be rated as expensive, whereas

lighter colored woods were generally viewed as inexpensive. Another factor evaluated in this study was style, with respondents rating woods as either casual or 

formal. Some gender differences were observed between male and female perspectives. For example, oak was perceived as more formal and expensive by men,

whereas pine (Pinus spp.) was generally perceived as more formal by women. 

Fell (2002) evaluated consumer acceptance of 11 lesser used Canadian species,

including 4 hardwoods and 7 softwoods. Wood color and grain were the attributes

that most affected consumer acceptance. Demographics were important in species

6

This synthesis 

examines whether

consumers may

regard character

marks as a positive

feature of hardwood

lumber.

General Technical Report PNW-GTR-702
Market Opportunities for Kitchen Cabinets Made From Alaska Hardwoods: A Synthesis and Review of Recent Research 

7

preferences, including differences between Canadian provinces, gender of respondents, and urban versus suburban residents. Fell found that for cabinets, respondents generally preferred lighter colors with distinct grain patterns. 

Nicholls and Roos (2006a) evaluated lumber attributes for commercially

important species among secondary wood products firms. Most appearance-related 

attributes were generally considered important, and included lumber straightness,

dimensional stability, absence of checks and splits, and overall appearance. Most

price-related attributes were rated only moderately important.

Data Collection Methods

Home Show Setting

Data came primarily from three WUC consumer preference studies evaluating the 

appeal of kitchen cabinets made from Alaska hardwoods. The WUC researchers

displayed cabinets at home shows where consumers could compare different cabinets side-by-side and indicate their preferences (fig. 3). Respondents were asked to

rank the doors under the assumption that they would be remodeling their kitchen

using the displayed cabinets. Several of the studies also included a willingness-topay component in which respondents were asked to indicate whether their favorite

cabinet would remain so even if it cost $X more than their second favorite (i.e.,

dichotomous choice contingent valuation) (Donovan and Nicholls 2003).

Cabinet Labels

A key feature of the cabinet displays was the level of information provided. In all 

three studies, the cabinet labeling method was periodically varied so that a given

respondent might be influenced by either appearance features only, species identification labels, labels indicating type of commercial stain, or a marketing logo. An

important part of this process was to note anecdotal comments offered by respondents (independent of the structured data collection). Often, these comments 

provided useful feedback in designing future studies.

Demographics

These three consumer preference studies occurred in the following markets: 

Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Sitka, Alaska; Seattle, Washington; and Portland,

Oregon. Respondents were not screened (other than being at least 18 years old),

and often an incentive, such as a key chain or tree seedling, was provided. In each

study, respondents provided their demographic information on age, income level,
8

General Technical Report PNW-GTR-702

gender, home ownership, and whether they were the primary decisionmaker in cabinet purchases. On average, respondents were older and wealthier than the normal

population. For example, in the first study, the median age was 50.0 years compared to a median age for Alaska of 32.4 years (USDC Bureau of the Census 2000).

In all three studies, the median household income of respondents was over $70,000.

Respondents in the second study in Anchorage declared an average household

income of $77,729 and in Seattle they declared $86,628 (compared to the median

household incomes of $55,546 and $45,736, respectively) (USDC Bureau of the

Census 2000). The ratio of males to females was relatively even in the first two

studies, but in the third study twice as many females participated. 

Individual Study Procedures

Study 1—

The first study evaluated the consumer appeal of kitchen cabinets made from

Alaska birch. The research questions compared consumer preferences for birch

cabinets to other commercial hardwoods, based on visual criteria and how much

consumers were willing to pay for the various cabinet styles (see footnote 1;

Donovan and Nicholls 2003; Donovan et al. 2003; Nicholls 2001, 2005a; Nicholls

Figure 3—Alaska birch cabinets on display at home show in Anchorage, Alaska. 

David Nicholls
and Donovan 2002). Data were collected from 630 respondents at home shows in

Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Sitka, Alaska, in spring 2002. All cabinets were rectangular, raised-panel style made from kiln-dried Alaska birch lumber with dimensions

appropriate for a residential kitchen. Two sets of cabinets were produced: the first

group had doors with different types of character marks (fig. 4) and the second

group had doors with different levels of the same character type (fig. 5).

Study 2—

The second study compared consumer preference for kitchen cabinets made from

red alder versus other commercial hardwoods. Research questions included: How

do consumer preferences for red alder kitchen cabinets compare to other commercial hardwoods, based on visual criteria? How important is level of staining as a

product attribute for red alder cabinets? What potential does red alder have to 

substitute for commercially established species, in particular eastern hardwoods?

(Donovan et al. 2003, 2004; Nicholls 2005b; Nicholls et al. 2003, 2004a; Roos et

Research questions

included: How do

consumer preferences for red alder

compare to other

hardwoods? How

important is level of

stain? Can red alder

substitute for other

species?

Market Opportunities for Kitchen Cabinets Made From Alaska Hardwoods: A Synthesis and Review of Recent Research 

9

Figure 4—Different types of character marks in Alaska birch cabinets (study 1). Source: Donovan and

Nicholls 2003.

Figure 5—Different levels of character in Alaska birch cabinets (study 1). Source: Donovan and Nicholls

2003.

Clear Ray fleck Spalted Grain variation

Low Mid-low Mid-high High
10

General Technical Report PNW-GTR-702

al. 2005). Data were collected from 1,460 respondents at home shows in Anchorage,

Alaska, and Seattle, Washington, in fall 2002. Cabinets were constructed from 

red alder, maple, red oak (Quercus rubra L.), hickory (Carya Nutt.), and cherry

(Prunus spp.). The three red alder cabinets each had a different level of stain (fig.

6). Three labeling regimes were used: no information provided, species name provided, or species name and logo displayed (logo for red alder only; fig. 7). 

Study 3—

The third consumer preference study evaluated red alder kitchen cabinets with 

various commercial stains. Research objectives were to study the popularity of red

alder cabinets with different stains and evaluate the effect of product labeling on

consumer preferences (Nicholls and Roos 2006b). Data were collected from about

600 respondents at home shows in Anchorage, Alaska, and Portland, Oregon, in

2005. All cabinets were rectangular, raised-panel style made from defect-free red

alder. One cabinet was unstained and the other six were stained to resemble the 

following hardwoods: oak, maple, pine, chestnut (Castanea P. Mill.), mahogany

(Afzelia Smith), and walnut (Juglans L.). Each respondent saw one of three labeling methods. The first method displayed “alder” plus the name of the species being

simulated through staining (fig. 8). The second method provided only the name of

the species being simulated, and did not mention “alder.” The third labeling method

provided no information, so choices were made based only on visual appearance. 

Statistical Evaluations

Various statistical tests were used to compare relative popularity and willingness to 

pay in these studies. A discrete choice logit regression model was used to analyze

Unstained Light stain Dark stain

Figure 6—Different levels of stain in red alder cabinets (study 2). 

Source: Donovan and Nicholls 2003.
survey data and calculate willingness-to-pay estimates. The Chi-square test was

used to compare labeling regimes (Nicholls et al. 2004a). Independent sample 

t-tests were also used to measure significant differences in selections. An analysis 

of variance (ANOVA) with a Tukey post hoc test was used to compare variance.

Market Opportunities for Kitchen Cabinets Made From Alaska Hardwoods: A Synthesis and Review of Recent Research 

11

Figure 8—Red alder kitchen cabinet doors commercially stained to different levels (study 3).

Source: Nicholls and Roos 2006b.

Unstained Alder stained as walnut Alder stained as oak

Figure 7—Red alder logo used for consumer preference evaluations in

study 2. (Designed by Amy Sweeney)
Logistic regression was used to measure the significance, sign, and magnitude of

demographic factors (Roos et al. 2005). To determine willingness-to-pay estimates,

Donovan and Nicholls (2003) used contingent valuation methodology.

Results

These studies offer insights into consumer preferences for Alaska hardwoods and 

how producers can effectively market kitchen cabinets. Certain species, wood 

characteristics, and labeling regimes were inherently more popular than others. 

The main lesson was that there could be successful markets for Alaska hardwood

kitchen cabinets if they are tailored correctly to target appropriate consumers.

Further, select demographic segments were willing to pay a price premium for their

favorite cabinet(s). These studies also provided information on whether marketing

efforts should emphasize a cabinet’s visual appearance, species name, or other

visual cues (e.g., a logo). 

Overall Consumer Preferences

When considering red alder versus competing hardwoods, the results showed that 

cherry and maple were overall the most popular cabinet species, with red oak being

the least popular (study 2). Red alder cabinets generally had intermediate popularity; however, this was influenced by level of commercial staining, with darker stain

levels being considerably more popular than no stain. Red alder light stain was

somewhat more popular than no stain at all. 

When considering Alaska birch, the popularity of character marks was found to

be very strong, especially at high levels of character (study 1). However, cabinets

constructed from clear wood were also popular. Those who preferred doors with

prominent defects were willing to pay more for them, in some cases more than

double the original price, as was the case with the cabinet having distinctive grain

variation. 

Consumer preference by age—

Older respondents preferred birch doors constructed from clear wood, whereas

younger respondents generally preferred character-marked doors (study 1). The

name “hickory” appealed to older respondents, but without the name, hickory was

not as popular among this age group (study 2). The red alder dark stain appearance

appealed to the youngest market segment. The name “red oak” was popular among

younger respondents, but red alder appearance was more popular among older

12

General Technical Report PNW-GTR-702

Certain species, 

wood characteristics,

and labeling regimes

were inherently more

popular then others.
Market Opportunities for Kitchen Cabinets Made From Alaska Hardwoods: A Synthesis and Review of Recent Research 

13

respondents. Unstained red alder was selected as the favorite most often or second

most often in all age categories except those 61 to 70 years of age, who preferred

red alder stained as maple or pine (study 3). The youngest age class (18 to 30 years

old) was the only group to select mahogany as their favorite door. 

Consumer preference by gender—

There were demographic differences in character preferences between male and

female consumers, especially with high levels of character marks in birch cabinets

(study 1). When considering birch cabinets, men generally preferred higher levels

of character than women (table 1). In this study, gender was the only demographic

factor that showed statistically significant differences in a respondent’s choice of

door, with men preferring spalted and ray fleck doors, and women preferring clear

doors (table 2). Men and women showed little differences in preferences among

commercially stained red alder cabinet doors (study 3). Both genders chose the

alder stained as walnut the least, whereas the unstained and alder stained as pine

were selected most often as favorite doors (study 3).

Consumer preference by income—

There was no significant difference in mean income among respondents choosing

their favorite type of character marks in the birch cabinets (study 1). However,

there was a positive relationship between choosing unstained red alder and income

when respondents did not know the species name (study 2). This relationship disappeared when the doors were labeled. The name “red alder” coupled with a darker

stain appealed to higher income respondents (fig. 9) (study 2). 

Table 1—Gender distribution for respondents selecting 

Alaska birch cabinet door as favorite, by character type 

and degree (study 1)

Cabinet door selected as favorite

Door style Male Female All

Percent

Clear 44.2 55.8 100.0

Ray fleck 58.3 41.7 100.0

Spalted 63.5 36.5 100.0

Grain variation/knotted 52.6 47.4 100.0

Low character 48.1 51.9 100.0

Mid-low character 46.2 53.8 100.0

Mid-high character 48.3 51.7 100.0

High character 62.2 37.8 100.0

Source: Nicholls and Donovan 2004 (see footnote 1).
14

General Technical Report PNW-GTR-702

Consumer preference by location—

Within Alaska, different birch cabinet preferences were apparent, even between

Anchorage and Fairbanks markets (study 1). In Anchorage, low levels of character

were favored (45 percent of the time). However, in Fairbanks, high levels of character were favored (41 percent of the time). Preferences among types of character

marks were also significantly different between these two locations. Spalted birch

cabinets were more popular in Fairbanks, whereas clear cabinets were preferred in

Anchorage (table 3).

Table 2—Gender distribution for respondents selecting given cabinet door 

as favorite (combined results for Anchorage and Fairbanks) (study 1)

Lower 95- Upper 95- 

percent percent 

Door confidence confidence

description Males limit limit t-groupa

Percent

Clear 44.2 37.1 51.3 B

Ray fleck 58.3 43.9 72.8 AB

Spalted 63.5 54.5 72.4 C

Grain variation 52.6 46.4 58.8 AB

p-value = 0.0093.

a Treatment means having the same letter are not significantly different based on Tukey's multiple 

comparison procedure (at the 0.05 level of significance). Source: Nicholls and Donovan 2004 (see

footnote 1).

Figure 9—Mean annual household income by favorite kitchen cabinet door (species name provided

versus no information provided) (study 2). Providing species name was significant at the 0.10

level for red alder dark stain and cherry, and at the 0.05 level for maple. 

Source: Roos et al. 2005. 

Within Alaska, 

different birch 

cabinet preferences

were apparent, even

between Anchorage

and Fairbanks 

markets.
In comparison to Seattle consumers, Anchorage consumers generally preferred

maple cabinets, and had less interest in red alder cabinets (fig. 10) (study 2).

However, Anchorage consumers showed little interest in maple-stained red alder

cabinets as opposed to a high preference for them in Portland (study 3). Further, the

unstained red alder cabinet received high preference in Anchorage but lower ratings

in Portland (fig. 11). 

Character Markings

In study 1, grain variation in birch cabinets was selected as favorite most often 

(42 percent), followed by clear (31 percent) (fig. 12). Respondents tended to prefer

Market Opportunities for Kitchen Cabinets Made From Alaska Hardwoods: A Synthesis and Review of Recent Research 

15

Table 3—Influence of location on consumer preferences (Anchorage versus

Fairbanks markets) (study 1)

Lower 95- Upper 95- 

percent percent

Door Fairbanks Standard confidence confidence

description indexa deviation limit limit t-groupb

Clear 0.344 0.476 0.275 0.414 B

Ray fleck 0.455 0.504 0.301 0.608 AB

Spalted 0.544 0.500 0.451 0.637 A

Grain variation 0.522 0.501 0.460 0.585 AB

p-value = 0.0007.

a Proportion of respondents from Fairbanks (remaining respondents from Anchorage).

b Treatment means having the same letter are not significantly different based on Tukey’s multiple 

comparison procedure (at the 0.05 level of significance).

Source: Nicholls and Donovan 2004 (see footnote 1).

Figure 10—Regional differences for red alder versus other hardwood cabinet doors (study 2).

Source: Roos et al. 2005.
either distinct markings or none at all. Low character was selected as the favorite

40 percent of the time, followed by high character (32 percent of the time) (fig. 13).

In addition, home show attendees offered the following comments regarding

character markings in Alaska birch cabinets:

• Match the frame material with the same level of character found in the face

material. 

• Character marks were generally desirable (including heavy character markings) as long as there was minimal surface roughness associated with them.

• Spalted lumber would be good for small items such as kitchen end tables but

could be too bold for a complete set of kitchen cabinets. 

16

General Technical Report PNW-GTR-702

Figure 11—Regional differences for commercially stained red alder kitchen cabinets (study 3). 

Source: Nicholls and Roos 2006b.

Figure 12—Consumer preferences for kitchen cabinets

from Alaska birch, by character types (study 1).

Source: Donovan and Nicholls 2003.
• Distinct preferences for different types of character; therefore, not advisable 

to market all types of character under the generic term “character marking.”

The Effect of Species Name

Depending on the species, the presence of species name had either a positive or 

negative effect on cabinet door popularity. In general, the alder species name had a

negative effect on consumer preferences for red alder even when stained to different levels (fig. 14) (study 2). The most noteable exception to this trend was chestnut stain (fig. 15). Here, cabinets were most popular when the alder species name

was included. Another exception was the higher income market segment, which

Market Opportunities for Kitchen Cabinets Made From Alaska Hardwoods: A Synthesis and Review of Recent Research 

17

Figure 13—Consumer preferences for kitchen cabinets from

Alaska birch, by levels of character (study 1).

Source: Donovan and Nicholls 2003.

Figure 14—Consumer preferences for kitchen cabinets, red alder versus other hardwoods (study

2). Source: Nicholls et al. 2003.
Dark-stained red

alder cabinets were

generally preferred

by younger, higher

income consumers.

preferred dark-stained red alder cabinets with the name exposed more often than

without (see fig. 9). In study 2, the number of respondents who selected darkstained red alder as their favorite door decreased by 24.5 percent once the name

was present, whereas when the name “red oak” was displayed, the number choosing that door increased by 72.0 percent.

The Effect of Commercial Stains

The effect of commercial stain on popularity of red alder cabinets produced contradictory results. The stains used in this research were all commercial, penetrating

stains and were selected to include a range of colorations (from a total of 22 available stains). Generally, there was a positive correlation between stain level and

popularity, with dark stain being most popular (see fig. 14) (study 2). However, red

alder cabinets stained to very dark levels (e.g., commercial walnut stain) were least

popular (see fig. 15) (study 3). Dark-stained red alder cabinets were preferred by

younger, higher income respondents and unstained cabinets were preferred by older

respondents (study 2). 

18

General Technical Report PNW-GTR-702

Figure 15—Comparison of the three labeling methods in red alder commercial stain study.

Source: Nicholls and Roos 2006b (study 3). 
Table 5—Respondent’s mean willingness to pay (WTP) for 

a favorite red alder cabinet door (study 2)

Door Mean WTP Mean WTP ranking

Dollars

Cherry 29.20 5

Hickory 32.50 4

Maple 39.30 1

Red alder (dark stain) 33.60 3

Red alder (light stain) 20.50 6

Red alder (unstained) 15.70 7

Red oak 35.40 2

Source: Nicholls et al. 2004a.

Willingness to Pay

Birch cabinets—

Willingness to pay is the price premium consumers are willing to pay for their

favorite versus second favorite door, and contingent valuation methodology (CVM)

was used to estimate this amount (study 1). Key findings were that high levels 

of grain variation and character markings in birch cabinets were generally most

appealing; however, clear wood was also popular (table 4). Fleck patterns, spalted

material, and intermediate levels of character were generally less well received.

Differences in consumer preferences were found between Alaska’s two largest 

markets (Anchorage versus Fairbanks). An important finding regarding Alaska

birch cabinets was that there was a positive correlation between popularity and

willingness to pay, with consumers willing to pay a price premium of between

about $15 and $43 for their favorite door (above a base price of $40) (table 4).

Red alder cabinets—

In the red alder study, respondents were most willing to pay a price premium for

maple cabinets, but the mean willingness to pay for dark-stained red alder was

Market Opportunities for Kitchen Cabinets Made From Alaska Hardwoods: A Synthesis and Review of Recent Research 

19

Table 4—Respondents’ mean willingness to pay 

(WTP) for a favorite birch cabinet door (study 1)

Door Mean WTP Mean WTP ranking

Dollars

Clear 36.70 2

Spalted 32.10 3

Grain variation 43.00 1

Low character 14.80 4

Source: Donovan and Nicholls 2003.
nearly as great (table 5) (study 2). Generally, mean willingness to pay was greater

for birch than for red alder cabinets (see table 4). Although this observation is based

on different samples, table 4 shows that respondents were willing to pay more for

the birch cabinet with grain variation than for any other type of hardwood displayed (the second highest mean willingness to pay was for the maple cabinet). 

Use of Logo

The presence of the red alder logo (see fig. 7) on the cabinet doors did not increase 

their popularity. In fact, the percentage of respondents who selected the darkstained red alder door as favorite dropped by almost 30 percent when the logo was

displayed versus no logo (table 6) (study 2). It is possible that a different logo

design would have a more positive effect on popularity.

Sources of Product Information

In the second study, respondents were asked “What information sources do you 

find most important when purchasing kitchen cabinets?” By a wide margin, the

20

General Technical Report PNW-GTR-702

Table 6—Percentage of respondents who selected hardwood kitchen 

cabinet door as favorite when logo was absent versus present (study 2)

Logo not Logo Percentage of change 

Door present present from adding logo 

Percent

Cherry 23.80 25.30 6.30

Hickory 11.50 13.10 13.90

Maple 21.70 22.30 2.76

Red alder (dark stain) 14.20 10.00 -29.60

Red alder (light stain) 8.77 9.39 7.07

Red alder (unstained) 6.89 8.01 16.30

Red oak 12.90 11.80 -8.53

Source: Nicholls et al. 2004a.

Table 7—Primary information source when purchasing hardwood cabinets, by

demographics (study 2)

Percentage of those

Information Overall choosing source Mean family 

source responses that were female Mean age income

- - - - Percent - - - - Years Dollars per year

Home show 16 47.9 49.6 82,600

Internet 6 49.4 40.0 88,000

Magazine 16 60.4 46.2 87,000

Sales staff 48 60.1 47.4 82,500

Word of mouth 14 57.4 46.5 79,700

Source: Donovan et al. 2004.
most common information source was retail sales staff (listed 48 percent of the

time) (Donovan et al. 2004). Magazines and home shows were the next most common responses (both listed 16 percent of the time), as seen in table 7 (study 2). 

Not surprising, younger respondents described using the Internet more often as 

an information source. An ANOVA analysis indicated that choice of information

source differed by age, gender, and market location, but not by income. 

Discussion

Consumer preference studies on kitchen cabinets conducted by WUC researchers 

offer insights into the potential markets for products from Alaska hardwoods,

including red alder and paper birch. Alaska species have unique visual properties

that may help differentiate them from competing species of other regions. Central

to this research was determining the types of cabinet styles and appearances that

were preferred by specific consumer segments in selected markets (including

Alaska and the Pacific Northwest).

The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association recognizes the need for ongoing research and development to stay current with consumer demands and changing

preferences (Jenkins 2006). Because kitchens are becoming the “focal point of

many U.S. households” (Frank 2006), consumers are trying to find ways to distinguish their kitchens. Shifting preferences and increasing demand in kitchen cabinets

may create new opportunities for wood species that were not previously popular,

specifically rustic appearances that could contain character markings and other

lumber defects. Alaska birch and red alder may meet some of these demands for

diverse cabinet styles. 

This research synthesis indicates that a high occurrence of character markings

in Alaska birch (including knots, grain variation, and bark pockets) may represent

an opportunity for manufacturing distinctive cabinets having strong consumer

appeal. Further, consumer willingness to pay a price premium for their favorite

cabinet was in some cases substantial, at least twice the base price of cabinets.

Consumer demographics were found to be important for birch cabinet preferences.

For example, women were more likely to prefer clear wood, whereas men preferred

spalted cabinets. Regional differences were also apparent with spalted birch cabinets being more popular in Fairbanks, Alaska, whereas clear cabinets were preferred in Anchorage, Alaska. This indicates the importance of proper market

research even when considering same-state markets. 

These findings are significant when considering the extent of Alaska’s birch

resource, and the fact that much of the lumber from Alaska birch is of lower grades

Market Opportunities for Kitchen Cabinets Made From Alaska Hardwoods: A Synthesis and Review of Recent Research 

21
(Nicholls et al. 2004b). These two factors, combined with an increased willingness

to pay a price premium for certain appearances of birch when used in cabinet production, could help create business opportunities for Alaska’s sawmills and secondary wood products firms. 

However, production, marketing, and distribution channels would need to be

developed and new skills learned. For example, birch lumber would need to be kiln

dried to high quality standards with a minimum of drying checks, warping, or other

drying defects (as was the case with lumber used in these studies). Producers would

need to develop systems for characterizing and sorting birch lumber having the

desired levels and types of defects. Proper planing, profiling, and edge gluing techniques would be needed to ensure satisfactory properties in service. Lastly, effective marketing strategies would need to be developed. A recent survey of birch

producing firms in Alaska found that almost 94 percent of sales were within Alaska

(Braden and Nicholls 2004). Producers who identify niche markets, and then successfully develop different products for target demographic segments within these

markets, can achieve competitive advantages.

Red alder cabinets were found to compete well versus more popular hardwoods,

particularly when commercially stained to various levels. However, established

hardwoods, such as maple and cherry, were overall more popular than red alder.

Red alder was less popular when doors were labeled with the species name (versus

no information). In contrast, the species name of cherry positively influenced consumer responses. For red alder cabinets, preference for lighter stained doors had

significant gender differences (with women favoring this door). The role that

income played was demonstrated by the appeal to higher income consumers of

dark-stained red alder with species name displayed. 

Despite this market potential, and strong national interest in red alder, there is

no red alder lumber industry in Alaska at this time to support a companion cabinet

manufacturing industry. Many of the same challenges facing birch cabinet production (including quality kiln drying and production) would also be relevant for red

alder. Perhaps red alder’s biggest asset is its ability to accept a wide range of commercial stain colorations, allowing it to emulate other popular species. This further

highlights the importance of market research, because wood characteristics such 

as texture (Broman 1995), as well as wood color and grain (Fell 2002), influence

consumer’s attitudes toward wood products. 

Wide-ranging information sources available to consumers (including electronic

and print media) create an array of marketing options, and give even small producers the ability to reach specific demographic segments. However, in-store 

22

Perhaps red alder’s

biggest asset is its

ability to accept 

a wide range of 

commercial stain 

colorations.

General Technical Report PNW-GTR-702
sales staffs were found to be an important information source among consumers

pur-chasing cabinets. Niche marketing is an effective way to reach small groups of 

segmented customers and can be used successfully by smaller firms with limited

resources, including many Alaska companies. Key issues for secondary wood 

products firms to consider could include the choice of raw materials to use (i.e.,

spalted, ray fleck, or grain variation wood). 

Summary Points

Birch cabinets—

• Several local Alaska manufacturers are already producing birch cabinets, 

but overall birch utilization in Alaska remains low. 

• With Alaska’s two largest markets (Anchorage and Fairbanks) located 

within birch-producing regions, local sawmills and cabinet makers have 

ample opportunity to market custom cabinets locally.

• Alaska birch contains a wide variety of character marks that cabinet 

manufacturers can include in their products marketed to different

demographic segments.

• Older respondents generally preferred cabinets constructed from clear wood.

• Younger respondents generally preferred the three types of birch character

markings (i.e., ray fleck, spalted, grain variation).

• Spalted cabinet doors were generally preferred by men (whereas women 

generally preferred clear doors).

• High levels of character were generally preferred in Fairbanks (versus lower

levels of character in Anchorage).

• High willingness to pay was evident for cabinet doors having a high level 

of grain variation.

• Consumers exhibited different preferences for different types of character

marks in birch cabinets. Thus, marketing efforts should consider specialized

preferences between demographic segments.

Red alder cabinets—

• Because only softwood lumber is currently being dried in southeast Alaska,

kiln owners will need to “learn” hardwood drying schedules and other 

lumber drying skills when producing red alder lumber.

• Increasing trends for red alder log and lumber prices could place added 

market demand on red alder resources in southeast Alaska, despite its 

smaller diameter and greater distance from most markets.

Market Opportunities for Kitchen Cabinets Made From Alaska Hardwoods: A Synthesis and Review of Recent Research 

23
• Although this red alder research considered only clear wood, “knotty” red 

alder represents another use of lumber.

• Red alder’s ability to accept a uniform commercial stain over a wide range 

of colors could be a key to successful utilization. In this way, red alder 

could emulate more popular species.

• Certain demographic segments show strong preferences for red alder (e.g.,

younger respondents prefer dark stain), whereas preferences by other demographic segments are less well defined. Therefore, it will be important to 

accurately market cabinets to specific target groups.

• WUC research on red alder reinforces the idea that consumer preferences for

wood products are influenced by the visual characteristics of the wood (i.e.,

warmth, color, grain texture, richness) as well as species preconceptions.

• Based on species name only, red alder is not as popular as other wellestablished hardwoods such as cherry and red oak. To maximize red alder

potential, marketers should emphasize visual characteristics rather than 

species name.

• Use of a logo was not effective in increasing popularity of red alder cabinets.

However, this research considered only one logo design; others could be

explored.

• Over a broad spectrum of commercial stains, very dark stains (such as

mahogany and walnut) were very unpopular, being preferred by only a 

small percentage of respondents.

• When considering the effect of species name on consumer preferences for 

red alder cabinets, both income and age are significant considerations.

• When considering unstained, light-stained, and dark-stained red alder 

cabinets, willingness to pay a price premium was greatest for dark-stained 

red alder, and least for unstained red alder.

• Retail sales staffs are an information source to consumers, and this should 

be recognized when developing marketing strategies.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Geoffrey H. Donovan and Joseph Roos for their significant contributions to the research studies described in this paper and for their

insights, enthusiasm, and energy during these collaborations.

24

General Technical Report PNW-GTR-702
Metric Equivalents

When you know: Multiply by: To find:

Board feet, log scale 0.0045 Cubic meters, logs

Board feet, lumber scale .0024 Cubic meters, lumber

Cubic feet .028 Cubic meters

Inches 2.5 Centimeters

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28

General Technical Report PNW-GTR-702
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