Built a desk with solid cherry top and my preferred finish – shellac and final wax coat and steel wool. Wherever an object was placed on the top, it is lighter in color than the rest of the surface. I’ve used cherry in other pieces and have not experienced this. One more detail, the desk was near a window so I don’t know if that helped to accelerate things. Given that cherry darkens over time, here’s where I’d appreciate comments –
1) Should I have used a different finish – pre/post lacquer, poly, wipe on?
2) Should I look for a finish with a UV blocker?
3) Is cherry just so prone to this that objects placed on it should be moved around periodically(I know this sounds silly)?
Anyway, I will likely need to sand this back to bare wood, which is not a problem, but I’d like to redo it so this doesn’t happen again. As always, I’m always grateful for the assistance.
Replies
Take everything off of it and leave it near the window, it will even out over time.
The only way to keep it from darkening is to keep it in the dark.
Cherry darkens in sunlight. No finish will change that. The more sun it gets, the faster it will darken.
If you want to hasten the process, leave it outside in really bright sun. If your window has low-E glass they are slowing down the darkening.
Or, you can leave objects alone so you'll never seen the lighter spot underneath. Or cover the whole top, except for the light area, so just those spots will darken.
#3… cherry is gonna cherry
1) Should I have used a different finish – pre/post lacquer, poly, wipe on?
Shellac is a good finish on cherry. Seriously doubt any other finish would have given a different result with respect to things on it and lighter spots.
2) Should I look for a finish with a UV blocker?
I would't bother myself. Let the cherry do it's natural thing and be done with it.
3) Is cherry just so prone to this that objects placed on it should be moved around periodically(I know this sounds silly)?
Yes, cherry is prone to this. You could move things around, or not, or keep nothing on it. All depends on how much it bothers you.
I have used a lot of cherry. It will darken from light exposure. Doesn't matter what finish you use, tho I suspect that deck finishes with UV blockers would slow the process, but I wouldn't think of using them on a piece of furniture, except that I did accidentally. I made a small mahogany table as a serving table for our deck, and it has been in my wife's office since it was completed. I put a deck finish on it which is seriously less beautiful than a furniture finish.
Just try not to leave things on the desk for long in one place. And enjoy the patina!
I agree with above. That is just what cherry does. There is a limit to how dark it will get however. Just remove or relocate the objects on the surface and the light spots will eventually catch up with the darker spots. Be patient.
I love cherry, but this is what it will do. I periodically move around tchotchkes left on my tables to even things out. I think it is exposure to oxygen, not sunlight, but I could be wrong. I have heard leaving it in the sun will hasten the process. Even indoors after about a year, the cherry won't darken any further and you can leave things in one location.
I am pretty sure it is light, not oxygen in this case.
I've attached a good example of how Cherry darkens over time. I took these photos about a year and a half apart. I recently finished building the stool, which is mostly Cherry. I can't wait to see how long it takes the stool tone to "catch up" to the stand.
If you insist on destroying cherry's god-given mission to want to darken, you will probably need to use a finish with UV protectors. Chris Becksvoort in a few of his videos discusses this habit of cherry.
"#3… cherry is gonna cherry"
So true.
I thought both light and oxygen are responsible for the darkening, but mostly the light.
I would not expect wax to last very long on a top with stuff moving around on it.
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