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Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/birch cabinets stained way too dark

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Expert: - 9/6/2009


Question
Hi, the birch cabinets arrived, and we were in tears they were so beautiful.  Then the stain guy got ahold of them.  WE wanted just a shade darker than clear coat, and he went way too dark and we never were provided samplings.  He has been sanding, steel wooling, and who knows what else, for a week now, and they look redone, blotchy, darker, and with much less detail from the sanding, etc.  I'm guessing around $18,000 worth of cabinets, and of course between the stain sub and the builder they are telling me replacing the cabinets is NOT an option.  Should I be telling them otherwise, or should I continue to give them a chance even though I can see it's not going where we need it to.

Answer
Hi Dave, Geeeez I hate to hear these stories. I'm not sure what to tell you, but entrusting $18,000 worth of new cabinets to a "stain guy" sounds like a huge mistake. Sounds like he really screwed them up, and once too dark, it's almost impossible to start over as it were....you'll never be able to get back to raw, new wood look. You shouldn't have let ANYONE touch these without a finished sample, that was approved and signed off by you and the bulider. Why weren't these factory finished by the cabinet company? The Builder and Sub are responsible, but if you never agreed on the finish, with a final sample, then unfortunately you share that blame, and all 3 of you will have to work it out somehow. Regardless, a Pro "finisher" should be working on cabinets, NOT a "stain guy". Cabinet finishing is an art, and should be done with state of the art finishing materials, including catalyzed clear finishes, to give you a maintenance free, furniture grade finish that will last upwards of 20+ years. This is not the realm of a "stain guy". Wish I had better information to give you.....post back and let me know what happens...regards- Greg

Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks

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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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