Expert: Greg Scholl - 7/29/2010

Question
QUESTION: I'm building a roll around butcher block cabinet. Trying to match as closely as possible my existing cherry(5 years old) kitchen cabinets. You know the drill, "I'm not sure if the builders used a base stain and poly or toner\lacquer and topcoat. I guess the easiest way to test the finish is find an inconspicuous place to test some lacquer thinner. Your thoughts?
I have also considered applying an oil finish and topcoat with poly. What would that entail and how?
I have read your reply on refinishing using Waterlux? Is this good choice on bare wood cabinets? My kitchen cabinets also have a glaze on the reliefs. Will glaze and Waterlux play well together for this application?

ANSWER: Hi Ben, trying to match an existing finish, on Cherry which darkens and changes over time with UV exposure, is always a tough job. Can you contact the builder? That would save you some time likely, but still won't allow you to make an exact match. WaterLox is a fine choice for Cherry, and typical glazing techniques would work fine as long as proper drying times are maintained...but the "look" of an oil/varnish finish (WaterLox is a Tung oil modified Varnish, basically), is very different than a toned lacquer finish, for instance.One could use poly over an oil, but I wouldn't recommend it, as an oil finish needs to cure for several weeks/months to be sure it will allow the poly to adhere well for the long haul...you're better off using one or the other depending on the final look you're after and your abilities....It sounds like the cabinets might have been finished with conventional techniques, (Lacquers, toners, glaze, etc.), and therefore, you'd really need to use the same materials and techniques to get a really good match....and that takes some serious finishing "chops", as well as spray equipment, or at least some high quality aerosols. A small job like that can be done with aerosols, and Mohawk, Behlen, and others make Pre-Catalyzed lacquers,Pre-Cat Urethanes, sealers, and a range of dye based toners that would allow one to recreate the factory finish, BUT it takes a pretty high degree of skill and knowledge to know what to get, ( is it light Cherry, Brown Cherry, Antique Cherry, Natural Cherry, Pennsylvania Cherry? Satin, Semi Gloss, Dead Flat? What color is the glaze?....you get the drill), and how to use them to mimic the original....wish I could help more, but without seeing the original finish it's impossible to guide you, I would try to contact the builder for more info on the cabinets ......Post back if need be......regards- Greg

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QUESTION: I think in situation like this one should fall back on what they best. I won't say I have great finishing chops but I do have some history to fall back on. Here's my plan. I'll seal with shellac and denatured alcohol mix.
Apply reddish base color (Gunstock w\ a bit of Van Dyke Brown)and let it set 5 minutes and wipe. Let dry and apply a darker stain on top if needed to highlight it. Apply a light spray (Earlex 5000)of poly, brush on, wipe off some glaze. Spray more poly. If the color need a bit of tweaking i can tint the final poly spray then say a prayer.

I would love to be able to find the cabinet builders but no idea who built them.  I've attached a couple picture of my kitchen cabinets but I don't think they will be any help in determining the color or finish.

Thanks for the help and  information.

Answer
I was able to only see one picture, but that sure looks like a typical, toned, Cat Lac finish to me. While I know what you mean about falling back to what one knows...I think you'll find that shellac, even a washcoat, will immediately make the Cherry look different than the stock finish....shellac's and Varnishes (solvent), including Poly's, look different and refract light differently than either catalayzed Lacquers or catalyzed Acrylic Urethanes....the state of the art in kitchen cabinet finishing for the last 15+ years....hopefully you have some scrap with which to experiment on.If you do seal with shellac, I would be sure to use a dewaxed Blonde or Super Blonde shellac, because Cherry will be very sensitive with any Orange cast, and immediately look quite different(a color I love on Cherry, but not in your situation)....one thing the almost "water white" lac's and Acrylic's do not impart....hence the reason they can keep the Cherry color balanced and extremely light.Shellac will also immediately accentuate any grain differences, rather then camouflage them the way sealing and toning with the lac's or urethanes does. While I'm not sure what Poly you will use, keep in mind that consumer grade polyurethane is no where NEAR as tough or durable as the KCMA rated catalyzed finishes that are employed by quality cabinet finishers.Most of them are also yellow/amber/orangish/browns in hue, UNLIKE the other finishes, which have NO color really, except perhaps a very light "straw" color..and if you are building and finishing this type of high end stuff, you should start to learn about these finishes, especially because you already own the Earlex. Mohawk, Sherwin Williams, M.L. Campbell, etc., have developed several high quality, catalyzed finishes for use in the kitchen and commercial furniture/cabinet market, and the majority of these are waterborne technologies that can meet or vastly surpass the durability, and performance of the older, high VOC solvent technologies....with MUCH less toxicity, and MUCH improved safety, and they dry (cure)quickly as well.Hope that helps- just make sure to do samples from start to agreeable finish BEFORE committing to the piece...as it really sucks to have to undo....regards- Greg