Hi, we just had new cherry cabinets installed in our kitchen and noticed that some of the dorr panels have cracks and holes. It is not a smooth surfacr. I can actually fit my thumb nail in the holes. We also have some dark steaks (almost black) running through. Is this a natural part of cherry wood? We did not order a distressed style, we ordered a traditional raised panel style. The panel door we ordered to look at before we ordered our cabinets did not have any of these inperfections on them (no knots, crakds or holes).

Some of them also have shrinkage where the inner raised panel has shrunk so there is no stain around some of the sides of the panel. Our distrbuter said it was because we had them stored in our garage and it may take a while for the humidity to return to the wood. The cabinets were delived direclty into our kitchen so they were never in our garage.

The cabinets are not the most expensive one out there but they were not cheap (36,000). Are these holes inherent in cherry wood or should we ask for new door panels. We don't want to be unreasonable but this is not what we expected. Please advise. Thanks. Liz

Take them back if they weren't stored in the garage. Get new door panels and hope they match.
The distributor himself may have stored them in a cold place until his whole order came in.
If they were directly delivered to the kitchen and it was heated and basically average temps to acclimate to current temps then it was either they were delivered from a cold warehouse that they sat in or too long in a cold delivery truck overnight. Then delivered to a warm house and that too can easily cause your problem
The shrinkage is really bad because the center panel is now loose in the door. That kind of shrinkage is a BIG sign it was subjected to big temp changes and it mat even have gotten to damp and wet. That much shrinkage will NEVER go away nor will it re expand.
I personally would be worried about the base and top cabinets themselves now and later they may separate also
For $36,000.00 picture with a frame that separated demand another frame Ergo Cabs and doors.
I install cabinets and we go to GREAT lengths to Re acclimated the temp changes and especially keep them out of the damp wet areas. Wood sensitive to changes like that.
I don't know what your Geo is but the COLD weather is a killer for delivery's of finished wood products. I feel his trying to blow smoke because he knows he's in a pinch and will say whatever he can to get you to go away.
All this above is based on they were direct to your house and the house in temp was close to what it is now.
Think of it as this way many times people turn there heat down on a home when they go away for a while and from 50 to 72+ the cabinets Handel this.

Signed 21 Boat

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