I made a mistake and did not check the wood I made into legs for my cherry side board. It appears to be lighted than the other wood presumably the sap wood.
I like to use neutral color danish oil and minwax WOP. How will the sap would finish? Should I Try some cherry dye on the lighter legs?
Humble Newbie
Replies
No matter what you do (short of paint) to the cherry sapwood, it will never match the heartwood for more than a short while. The heartwood will continue to darken over time while the sap wood doesn't (as much). The difference in color will become more pronounced over time. Oh, another solution. Veneer. If you attempt the stain/dye route, make the sapwood a little darker than the heartwood, the difference will be less noticable for a longer time. The darkening of the heartwood is rapid in the first couple years, then slows. You could wait a year, dye the sapwood to match, and live with minor color variations from then.
I'm afraid they will not blend to a perfect match short of paint or layering on so much stain that it will look painted. Some may have a magic way with dye's but I've never been successfull at a total blend. So why not acept it as something that makes the piece unique one of a kind. IMO, a bit of sapwood in locations can add effect! It's like some call cherry blotchy, I like to call it character but then I love a finish that accentuates the character not cover's it up. Good luck and if you do find that way and still keep that native cherry look, post it and share with us.
...Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off , painting over the ugly parts, and recycling it for more than it’s worth – lyrics from the song wear sunscreen
Yes, yes and yes.
I got several sapwood boards from some cherry I had sawn and they have just as much character as does the heartwood. I almost chucked them till I planed them out and saw the wood.
If you have enough and can glue them up for panels they are quite striking or can be used to accentuate a piece as well. If nothing else they could also be used for internal parts in case pieces too.
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled