OK What is up with this?

[Toney Robertson]

I made my cabinets our of cherry and thought over time that the sun would darken them. Well just the opposite has happened. The sun has bleached them to where they are a good 3-4 shades lighter now than when they were installed.

I assume that since I have high efficiency windows that the part of the spectrum that darkens cherry is being filtered out where as the part that bleaches it is being let through.

The same thing is happening with a mahogany bowl that I turned my wife. I expected it to reach a deep red and it is now a pale shade of brown.

Any ideas on what would cause this phenomenon?

Any way to correct it?

I assume that if I would take the bowl outside that it would darken but I don't think I want to rip out my cabinets!! :D

Any help is appreciated.

Toney

[Wally Alexander]

I really can't answer your question, but just wanted to say that I have some cherry that has been in my basement, with no windows, for about six years now, and it's a lot darker than when I put it there. I don't really think it needs light to darken, light just speeds up the process. Not sure why yours is going in the other direction. I am on the other side of the fence though, as I prefer the nice pink color that cherry is when first cut. Wally

[johnny means]

What finish did you use? Is it tinted at all?

[Thomas Pender]

I have observed that sapwood does not darken as we would expect or at the same rate as does non-sapwood - just speculating mind you, but if your wood does not have much of a red tinge to begin with as sapwood often does not, then it is unlikely to turn very red.

As for your windows, if that is it, please post it - it is something I think all of us might want to know. You could test it by exposing your wood to light without the help of your windows and comparing. Keep a control piece in the dark.

[Tony Shea]

Many stains that are used actually lighten up from sunlight. Not sure if you used a stain and if so what type of stain? Water soluble dye stains are supposed to be less prone to fading in the sun.

[Darnell Hagen]

Sorry buddy, but your cherry is bleached out.

We had a cherry buffet and hutch in our storefront, the sun came in through the large wall of glass in the front and did just what you're describing. Oil and lacquer finish, "filtering" window blinds.

A refinish job may work, it was impractical to do so in our case. We cut our losses on that piece, it finaly sold at a steep discount.

Cherry needs light to turn but direct sun over a long period is a killer.

[Toney Robertson]

What finish did you use? Is it tinted at all?

Johnny,

I used pure tung oil. No tint or stain.

Toney

[Toney Robertson]

Sorry buddy, but your cherry is bleached out.

We had a cherry buffet and hutch in our storefront, the sun came in through the large wall of glass in the front and did just what you're describing. Oil and lacquer finish, "filtering" window blinds.

A refinish job may work, it was impractical to do so in our case. We cut our losses on that piece, it finaly sold at a steep discount.

Cherry needs light to turn but direct sun over a long period is a killer.

That is what I was afraid of. Areas of the house (all my trim is cherry too.) that do not get direct sustained sunlight are actually darker but especially the cabinets that are in direct sun have lightened.

[Toney Robertson]

Here is a picture of the worst area, that is right across from an east facing window.

A pretty dramatic change.

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[Maurice Ungaro]

FWW did a piece on cherry a few years ago. They showed how direct light is a bleaching agent for our North American cherry. Sorry. :(

[Jim Falsetti]

Interesting. Woodworking Magazine did the same subject and showed the UV rays darkened their cherry. Perhaps UV rays combined with something else in the wood is what causes the varying results.

[Toney Robertson]

Interesting. Woodworking Magazine did the same subject and showed the UV rays darkened their cherry. Perhaps UV rays combined with something else in the wood is what causes the varying results.

I wonder if it might have something to do with UV-A versus UV-B. Maybe my windows filter out one type (Darkening) and let through what bleaches it.

I know one thing - it sucks.

[Howard Acheson]

High Efficiency windows have glass that reduces or block UV light. In fact, most newer houses that have double pane glass windows have UV blocking properties. UV blocking is a plus for most folks. Blocking the UV protects the color in paints, floors and furniture fabrics.

Long term exposure to UV will cause cherry to get darker. At some point, the process will change and the color can become bleached. But, this is generally many years down the road--50 or more years. I have never heard of real black cherry never darkening let alone becoming lighter. Real heartwood cherry will darken even in the absence of UV. So, something is wrong here. Is it really heartwood cherry or is it sapwood? Sapwood is light and will never darken.

[Toney Robertson]

High Efficiency windows have glass that reduces or block UV light. In fact, most newer houses that have double pane glass windows have UV blocking properties. UV blocking is a plus for most folks. Blocking the UV protects the color in paints, floors and furniture fabrics.

Long term exposure to UV will cause cherry to get darker. At some point, the process will change and the color can become bleached. But, this is generally many years down the road--50 or more years. I have never heard of real black cherry never darkening let alone becoming lighter. Real heartwood cherry will darken even in the absence of UV. So, something is wrong here. Is it really heartwood cherry or is it sapwood? Sapwood is light and will never darken.

Howard,

Yes, it is heartwood cherry.

Even though it is fuzzy, you can see in the picture how much it has lightened. Now that is the worst area in the kitchen and it is opposite a east facing window.

I have overlay doors and the picture was taken by opening the door and taking a picture of the wood that never gets any light.

Any ideas?

Toney