AboutGreg 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.
Question Hi Greg. If you have answered this question before, can you lead me to the date and question so that you don't have to be bothered with answering twice. Thank you, by the way, for helping people with their woodwork projects. What a great service you give. Ok, my question. We are military and just moved into a 20 yr old house with oak cabinets, LOTS of them...the color is brown with a yellowish tint. I have tried old English tinted without much success to get the yellow out. Just last night I tried Howard's Restor.a.finish (walnut) and had some success, but not really what I am looking for. I don't really want to have to refinish all of the cabinets because there are soooo many,... so many... we don't have the money, and we'll be leaving again in 2 years. I care about all the houses we live in and their appearances because I know we have to eventually resale ~ so that is why I even bother to work at it and make it better. I desire the cabinets to be darker, even mahogany or cherry. It would make a better match for the floor and granite countertops...I considered polyshades, but am unsure if that is reasonable. can you help?
Answer Hi Kelli, first of all, thanks for your service too! I have this question a lot, so let me sum it up for you in a few sentences. Modern kitchen cabinets are finished with catalyzed finishes in most cases, and these are very hard, durable finishes that can't be finished over without a lot of prep and some serious knowledge and experience working with these finishes. Painting is quite common, and can yield nice results, but a paint finish won't last like the commercial catalyzed finishes do. (15-20 years) While Polyshades is a tinted polyurethane, it can't tint more than a few shades darker without looking muddy, and more importantly, oil based polys are not recommended over a catalyzed finish. I'm NOT a fan of that product, and I've never see an outcome with it that looks like a professional finish. It's also very difficult to apply that stuff evenly for a professional look with a brush. Toned finishes are sprayed on as a general rule to allow for an even, consistent finish film. Oaks typically aren't finished that dark usually either. A kitchen full of dark cabinets can also really change the lightness of the kitchen and even make the space feel smaller. The cabinets could be properly cleaned and prepped, and then toned and relacquered with a catalyzed product, but you will be hard pressed to find anyone to do such a job "on site". If you could, it would likely cost close to as much as refacing/replacing. If you really hate it, look into refacing, even Sears does a decent job, and will offer free estimates. If it's not in the budget, I would consider just living with it, and especially if you know you're leaving in 24 months....don't spend the effort and money on something that's only a temporary home....hope that helps a little- regards- Greg
