Kitchen cabinets - what wood/finish

[James Mudler]

My wife loves these cabinets. She wants exactly the same color, tone, and finish. As a nebie, what wood type and finsih would you use?

[Jim Hager]

I'll give this a try????

I don't know for sure about any of what you asked but I do have experience working with clients that bring me a picture from one of the borgs and ask me to bid a project against said borg including an identical finish and color.:( I never like to start a project that way but I get to do it a lot.

The wood is probably either a maple or birch. One way or the other it would not matter a great deal in the end. The color of the material is likely a sprayed on tinted lacquer with a dark glaze applied in the corners and rescesses of the cabinets. The top coat would be a sprayed on lacquer of what sheen I can't tell from your pic.

I would try to go with a waterbased dye powder stain probably a light early american from Lockwoods mixed to the proper strength to get the color that you want. The glaze I would probably get from WFS (woodfinishers supply) in a kit containing 8 different glaze colors enough to do 8 kitchens that size for around $30. I would use a precatalyzed lacquer top coat after the glaze dries with the sheen that she wants.

Here is a pic of a kitchen I did with dark early american dye stain mixed pretty stout on maple. I used raw umber glaze to darken the recesses here and there.

http://a6.cpimg.com/image/70/98/41002096-3d2a-02000180-.jpg

I started this one out with a brochure from Lowes and the customer saying I want it to look "just like this" :( She is happy as a clam today.:) :D ;)

[Steve Clardy]

Yea. Looks like stained birch or maple. Hard to tell from here.

[brent lenthall]

James,

I've done several cabinets with this style of finish.

Try this on some test pieces.
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-Hard maple sanded to 120

1 coat water white vinyl sealer (use spray shellac for test piece if you don't have vinyl sealer)- don't sand, let dry 30 mins.

rag on Oil based glaze moderately heavy (try van dyke brown)
wipe off lightly after 10-15 mins. leaving more in corners, beads, etc.

Top coat within 2 hrs. with another coat of vinyl sealer - don't sand - dry 30 mins.

Top coat with Lacquer. sanding with 320 between coats.
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The glaze acts as a stain and will penetrate the wood lightly and highlight the beads, corners, etc. Your results will vary depending on technique and mill thickness of your vinyl sealer.

Good luck.

brent

[Jim Becker]

Brent has it down...it will be a lot of work, but is doable. Do keep in mind that this is not a beginner's finish. Be sure you test and practice the finishing regimen "well" before you start on the real deal. And you need to do it on components that are the same or similar to the final project...you need the nooks and cranies to get a feel for the glazing, etc.

[James Mudler]

Thank you guys. I have a ton of time and material so if I do not get it right the first time, I will gain practice. :p

[brent lenthall]

James,


I'll be building and finishing a maple kitchen over the next 4 weeks with a glazed finish. I don't know what side of Huntsville your on, but your welcome to stop by if your headed north on 65.

brent

[James Mudler]

Thanks Brent! I will be traveling the next few weeks but if I am in Huntsville long enough to travel up, I will contact you.

Thank you again!