Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/Oak built-ins

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Expert: - 3/17/2009


Question
Hi! I have a question about my blonde oak built-in cabinets/shelves. I would like them to be darker, like mahogany. I removed one of the shelves and sanded it down to the bare wood to experiment with.  I have never done this before and have no idea what the finish is, but it didn't seem to be stain, just a coat of something to bring out the natural color of the wood. I applied red mahogany minwax stain, but it was blochy. Do you have any advice for me about how to do this? Do I need a stripper or can I just sand it? Do I need two coats of stain or maybe I need to leave it on longer? Once I get it stained, what do I put on it for a finish coat? Thanks so much!

Answer
Hi Kelli, sanding a finish down does not remove it,it needs to be stripped right down to the wood with stripper. All staining needs to be done on clean, bare wood. I'm sure your cabinets are clear finished with a commercial grade clear finish comprised of sealer and topcoats. This finish may not be easy to strip either... Oak is quite hard, so an oil stain will not get it dark, and the tendency is to over apply the stain in hopes of getting it dark, which is always a bad idea and can lead to a multiple of problems. The only way to get Oak dark is to use Dye based stains,in conjunction with "toning" techniques, which really are not the realm of the novice finisher. If you hope to have a finish that is durable and wears well, you will have to use a good clear coat finish over your staining, and the best finishes are sprayed catalyzed lacquers or urethanes, again, also not the stuff of novice finishers. Another key point is that a reddish Mahogany color on Oak looks quite odd, as this is never a natural color for Oak. This is the look of Cherry, Maple, (which looks very much like Cherry when stained that way), and Mahogany for that reason. While I always hesitate to sway anyone from there projects,what you're proposing is a difficult path to get to a professional looking end result that will last...I would start with stripping first, and it's important to make sure that what you have is real wood...sometimes shelves and interior surfaces are not....I'll be here, so post back if need be- Greg

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Greg Scholl

Expertise

Questions on Woodworking, wood finishing and refinishing of all kinds, repairing furniture and wooden objects, Architectural details, Woodturning, carving, tool usage, product usage, some chemistry as it applies to woodworking and related interests,cabinet making and furniture construction/design, etc. I have experience with all manners of colorants, finishes, paints, stains, dyes, glazes, and coatings, wood species recognition and usage,tool recommendations, blade types and recommendation,techniques and methods for many Woodworking related issues, etc.

Experience

Fine furniture restorer and cabinet maker for over 30 years,serving high end Antique dealers, Interior designers, Collectors in the CT area. Consulting for area Painting/Decorating and Building contractors on non painting issues..(staining, wood prep.,clear finishing, floor restoration and architectural detail restoration and repair, etc.) Sold, built, serviced, setup Home, Industrial, and Commercial stationary woodworking tools for a major tool retailer in CT. for three years, sold hand and power tools , provided knowledge, parts replacement, service, and on site service, Trade show Demo, and training as well.

Publications
Published in Fine Woodworking Magazine (12/97), included on Fine Woodworkings first "Best of Fine Woodworking" CD-ROM (2002) ...("27 year compilation of expert know-how")

Education/Credentials
Art School at Silvermine Guild in Norwalk, CT., 9 year apprenticeship in a European run Cabinet and Restoration shop in CT., various classes on subjects having to do with the field. Seminars from major Tool manufacturers, Skil/Bosch, Delta, Powermatic, Ritter, Porter cable, Milwaukee, Dewalt/B&Decker, Performax.

Past/Present Clients
Many varied clients including work on Martha Stewarts' Westport, CT. show house, many fine Antique dealers and private collectors in and around Fairfield County and in Woodbury, CT. (the Antiques capital of CT.), Golden Age of Trucking Museum, Wilton Historical Society.

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