How to get cherry toned finished like a pro?

[Mark Patoka]

I've been asked to supply a number of items that will used as display stands to be given out as part of a company's employee award program used to display award medallions that the employees receive.

They want the finish to be like the cherry toned office furniture and feel like the mass produced gifts and items that many people working in a corporate office environment are accustomed to receiving. I'm not going for that high-gloss lacquered look but the softer satin feel and look.

I've been having a difficult time getting my items to this next level of final finish. Most of the items I make are oak so I don't have a problem getting a decent feel and finish as the open grain seems more forgiving to hand finishing and can be sanded out easier, in my opinion.

I've done some items in maple and can get the color I want using TransFast dyes but can't get a decent enough topcoat finish that I'm pleased with. I don't have spray equipment so I hand brush everything.

To get that nice smooth satiny feel, am I better off investing in some spray equipment or using a wipe-on finish (not brushed)? I'll be doing 50-100 pieces initially so looking to cut down my “hands on” time with each piece.

I’ll be doing these in either maple or cherry and I’m continuing to experiment on scrap but does anyone know how to get that consistent color and feel so I can move up from the craft-show look to a more professional look?

Also, I’m not trying to be exactly like the imported items as part of the appeal is the fact these will be locally made but I want them to be as professional as possible.

[tod evans]

mark, for several pieces like you`re talking about i`d spray `em with satin lacquer. you`d be looking at 30-60 seconds each for 2-4 coats plus sand time, a light coat of watco finishing wax sprayed on, dry overnight and buff with a power polisher and lambswool bonnet. maybe 3-4 hrs finish time once the dye dries....02 tod

[Jim Becker]

My standard regimen for cherry is BLO, de-waxed garnet shellac, and whatever clear topcoat is appropriate. (Sometimes it's just the shellac or even wax) If I spray, I use water-borne...generally Target Coatings USL.

[Mike Null]

After you have the color you want, I'd wipe on high gloss poly with 0000 steel between coats and as a finish. Three or four coats will be enough.

[Steve Schoene]

Waterlox Original/Sealer gives a very good finish, that has a very attractive mellow sheen. It wipes on, so you can get a good finish without spraying or extensive rubbing out.

For consistent color dye maple to the cherry color. But, personally, natural cherry is more attractive and "higher-end" than stained cherry.

[John Timberlake]

To match your typical cherry furniture, you have to start with maple or poplar since much of the furniture store stuff is not even cherry or is cherry veneer.

But seriously, you will have to put on multiple layers of coloring. Most of them probably use a combination of a dye/stain followed by spray on toners to even out the finish. I had good luck on cherry by sealing it with shellac, sanding with 150 grit, and them multiple coats of Pennsylvania Cherry gel stain. You made a sealing coat between applications of stain.

But I agree that BLO and garnet shellac make a good finish for cherry, it just doesn't look like furniture store finish.

[Steve Schoene]

John is right--factory finishes are made from layers of dye, stain, and toners. Frankly, its not a good target to shoot for--nicely selected natural wood with a durable clear finish is much nicer, in my opinion. Factories do all that stuff so they don't have to buy better wood, and they don't have to have skilled workers select the lumber. Individual craftsmen can do it better.

[Mark Patoka]

Thanks for the comments everyone. I was trying to get the factory type cherry finish that John and Steve are referring to. I figured it was a many multiple step process. My dining room set is exactly that and looks nothing at all like real natural cherry (but I do like the look of these pieces). Unfortunately I feel many consumers are led to believe the factory "cherry" is how it's really supposed to look.

One of the products I make for one customer that is maple is dyed with a mix of red and brown mahogany dyes and he refers to it as cherry (looks really red in my opinion but the customer gets what he wants).

I do prefer to leave cherry natural and finish it with BLO and topcoat or just topcoat it. I really like the natural "aging" look it gets.

For this job I'm trying to get them to go with a natural cherry or cherry with a gel stain. Much easier than trying to color the maple from my experience.

[Bob Reda]

Mark,

What most people regard as cherry is cherry with a red mahogany stain on it.

Bob

[tod evans]

Mark,

What most people regard as cherry is cherry with a red mahogany stain on it.

Bob

bingo! red mahogany on alder, maple or white poplar will come very close color wise to the mass produced "cherry finish"....02 tod

[Dennis Peacock]

Awright.....don't EVEN get me started on "store bought" furniture. The LOML says that she'll NEVER take me furniture shopping again. :rolleyes: :D

Mark, Looks like the others have you going in the right direction, so I won't toss in my 2¢ worth since I won't be adding any real wisdom.;)

[Jerry Olexa]

The furniture store look is usually poplar w a few cherry veneers thrown in (to claim its cherry furniture) and stained and laquered to look like a dark mahogany/cherry. Its not the true, natural cherry look you get as Jim mentioned above in his process. But, Good advice above..