You are here:

Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/baseboards for kitchen

Advertisement

Expert: - 3/17/2009


Question
We are getting new flooring for our kitchen and hallway and will be replacing and adding some baseboard.  We are having a very difficult time getting a stain which will match the existing cabinets.  They are natural maple which has aged over the past 15 years? so they have yellow/amber glow with light and dark variations. I have taken a drawer twice and been unsuccessful in getting a match. The second place is willing to keep working on it but suggested that pine might be the worst wood to use in trying to match the stain. The only two options at my big home improvement store are pine and poplar which is greenish.  Do you have any suggstions?  

Answer
Hi Laure, Pine is not a great material for baseboards because it's so soft, and it doesn't stain light particularly well unless treated with some type of prestain conditioner. Many times oil stains just can't do the trick either, and a Dye stain is the difference. Many people are not familiar with Dye stains, however, and mixing them require a whole different array of products and experience than the typical paint or "BigBox" has. Instead of matching the cabinets, what about a baseboard that matches the floor? This can be nice looking too, and may be easier depending on the floor. Many times a baseboard will be available prefinished that will match. The other suggestion is to call a furniture restorer or cabinet shop to do the finishing of the baseboards. They will typically have a higher level of technique with staining and finishing, and they will know about "toning" and Dye stains, and colorants. I'm sure they would be willing to help solve this difficult issue, as I've been called on quite often for this very reason, myself. Many times, to match an aged light finish, "toning" has to be employed over a Dye stain to get a match. Toning is a process of spraying Dye based clear sealer or finish coats....and this is the stuff of the Pro finisher or cabinet shop...and not of the local hardware store or paint store. Hope that helps a little- post back if need be- Greg

Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

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.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.