Synopsis: Rich red tones are the colors most associated with mahogany, but you can also achieve a light golden-amber color by bleaching and then dying the wood. Learn the technique, and where best to use it.

Rich red tones are the colors most associated with mahogany, but you can also achieve a light golden-amber color by bleaching and then dying the wood. Honduras, Philippine, and African (khaya) mahogany all respond well to bleaching, but Cuban mahogany will darken if bleached and is therefore not a good choice (in any case, you are unlikely to want to bleach this rare and pricey wood).

While bleaching flatsawn boards produces a unique-looking-wood, bleaching quartersawn boards with ribbon-stripe figure is a great way to imitate satinwood. Cut into thin, narrow strips, it can be used as a border or inlay and is a great deal cheaper and more easily available than genuine satinwood.

From Fine Woodworking #210

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