Suggestions to slightly darken maple to go w/walnut

[Dan Mitchell]

I'm making a couple end tables like the one in the pic. I had some hard maple, which I'm using for all but the top, which is walnut, which I also had. Tables are pretty much done, but putting the bits together for a dry-fit, I'm thinking I might like to darken the maple legs, aprons, etc., just a touch, to better match the walnut tops. Finishing is my weak point, and I have even less experience with staining. Anyone have any suggestions as to a good stain to harmonize the maple a bit with the walnut? I'd prefer something that doesn't do a lot of grain-raising, with the requisite incessant sanding. Maybe something wipe-on. Finish will probably be tung oil for the base, with maybe poly on the top for durability, but I'm open to suggestions there as well. I have to go to Rockler tomorrow, so any specific products I can find there would be especially convenient ;)

TIA

Dan

[John Keeton]

Dan, IMO you will never be able to "better match" the maple to the walnut. There is just too much difference in grain, color, texture, hue, etc. The maple will not stain well, though it will accept dye fairly well. However, it will be very difficult to achieve a match.

I would think you would be better served to celebrate the beautiful contrast between walnut and maple - my absolute favorite combination for woodworking! Honestly, I know of no other two woods that go together so well finished in their natural state.

Having said that, others may be able to offer a dye solution to your question. Please keep in mind that the walnut you see today, will not look anything like the walnut you will see in 3-4 years. It changes color and tone - sometimes dramatically - becoming much more amber and lighter in color.

[Jeff Nolan]

John pretty much summed it up. If you select boards carefully you could get it close to walnut as the grain density is close, the problem with getting it close is that the eye sees as much contrast as when you go for contrast.

How the eye processes images is exactly why contrasting species are so pleasing to most people. Color contrast amplifies the intensity of each color while closing matched species draw attention to the point at which something changes. The human eye is extraordinarily well tuned for capturing slight variation, whether it be in distance (ever notice how you can look at two objects that are the same size and catch that one of them is 1/8" off?) or color or depth.

I'm not a big fan of maple/walnut or maple/mahogany, or any other combination like that, but my preferences do not align with contemporary styles where this is often found. It does have a place and as John suggests this is probably one of those cases.

If it were me I wouldn't try to make the maple look like walnut, I would try to make it look like a rich well-aged piece of maple with honey and amber tones and a rich satin or semi-gloss finish, maybe even add some distress to the wood. For the top I would dye it a deep mission brown and then glaze it with gel stain to highlight the grain... finishing it with orange shellac (these being end tables you have to think about the limitations of shellac but with proper care it can be a good choice).

As always, test your protocol on some sample pieces and see how they go together.

[Jamie Schmitz]

Have you considered Danish oil? It comes in many tones and is a nice way to do subtle finishes. Also you could bleach the walnut to lighten it.

[Jim Becker]

If you choose to color the maple, do not use a pigment stain. Use a dye. Personally, I prefer to use water soluble dyes as they are easier to apply by hand without overlap marks. Alcohol soluble dyes have wonderful color, but are best sprayed since the alcohol flashes off so fast. Water soluble dyes look very muddy after first application, but look wonderful after they get sealed with de-waxed shellac, with or without BLO applied first. Yes, you get a little grain raise, but a few swipes with 320 or 400 paper whisks them away...

I recently combined an "antique maple" dye with black walnut trim on a tack trunk project and it looks wonderful. This picture is the only one I have that shows the colors somewhat accurately...unfortunately, it's a bad picture.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/a-j-adopt/009.jpg

[Dan Mitchell]

I'm not really trying to make the maple "look like walnut" which, even if it were possible, I find unappealingly "fake" just in concept, I was just thinking darkening it a tad in its own natural hues might make the contrast between the 2 a bit less stark, maybe by bringing the maple towards a honey tone.

Thanks for the replies.

Dan

[Jeff Nolan]

Jim,
That's a nice looking trunk, I really like how you recessed the top panel in the frame.

[Tom Veatch]

... I was just thinking darkening it a tad in its own natural hues might make the contrast between the 2 a bit less stark, maybe by bringing the maple towards a honey tone. ...

Wipe the maple with BLO.

[Scott Holmes]

BLO then seal with with a coat or two of garnet shellac. I just came in from the shop... doing a project with hard maple and walnut.