Staining maple cabinets...........

[Mark Rios]

I've got a set of maple cabinets ready to hang and install. My painter, the guy who usually does my cabinet finishing for me, needed to go out of state for the holidays. That leaves me to finish this set of cabs.

Maple faceframe cabs, simple, v-groove/chamfered edge, inset panel doors (hard maple rails and stiles with mdf core, 1/4" maple panels).

Is there a staining product/brand that would be hard for me to mess up? I have read posts that maple is hard to stain. Is it that tough?

I thought that I'd clear lacquer the insides and shelf edges first and then mask the insides off and then stain. Does this work?

If somone could lay me out a finishing procedure for these cabs I'd be willing to pay for the time. I'm in a bind. It would have to be hand applicated as I have no place to spray nor any spray equipment.


Thanks very much for your help and advice.

[Jim Becker]

If you must "stain" maple, try water-soluable dyes rather than pigment stains. And practice on some scrap from the same project. Remember that your final color depends upon your top coats, too...so be sure to apply them over the dye on the samples to judge the look you will be getting.

[Jerry Olexa]

Dye is generally better on maple than conventional pigment stain if you need to add color. IMHO. GLuck

[John Keane]

Water soluble dyes as in Transtint dyes? Final color depends on your top coats. I thought that top coats such as Lacquer, Shellac, Polyurethane are clear, and may enhance the color but wont change it. I am about to finish a maple cabinet, and I would like to get the finish right.