Okay, I’m a dummy

[Tom Giles]

I’m building a gentleman’s chest out of some 40 year old cherry boards stored in the back of my shop. The case and top are complete and I’m ready to make the doors and the drawer. The problem is the remaining boards at the bottom of the pile that I thought were cherry are actually walnut. Now I don’t have enough cherry to finish the project.

I could try to find more cherry but doubt I could find cherry to color match what I have.
I could use another wood for the doors and drawer. I have some QSWO, white oak, red oak, walnut and possibly enough mahogany.
I could give up woodworking and take up needlepoint.

Any suggestions?

[Jim Becker]

IMHO, get more cherry and just be careful picking the lumber so it's consistent in color. It doesn't have to be a perfect match, but if what you have already is "darker" cherry or "lighter" cherry (and you should know what it looked like prior to milling and after milling) choose accordingly. The overall color will balance out over time...in 6-12 months, you'll not likely detect much of a difference in my experience.

[Jeff Roltgen]

+1, what Jim said.

In addition, take some cut-offs of the new and old cherry lumber and do some finish samples. This will help you detect any need for toning of the offenders to match the vintage stuff.

[glenn bradley]

Another +1 on Jim's suggestion. in a few years all of the cherry will have undergone some color change. The contrasting wood you think looks good now may not later unless you use colorants to control things. I vote for seeking out some similar cherry that will probably all blend in well over time.

[Scott Clausen]

Get some more cherry and use it on the doors and drawer fronts where contrast looks like it was intentional. I am ignorant as to how, but I have heard of people placing cherry in the sun to change the color tone.

[Richard Coers]

Get some more cherry and use it on the doors and drawer fronts where contrast looks like it was intentional. I am ignorant as to how, but I have heard of people placing cherry in the sun to change the color tone.

The ultraviolet light changes the color quicker when place in direct sunlight. All wood will change with ultraviolet exposure. I delivered a curly maple coffee table and they place it under east facing windows and put a collectable duck decoy under it. 2 months latter I got a call and went there. The base of the decoy was obvious in the maple. I told her to either move the decoy, or leave nothing on the table for a couple more months. That did the trick.

[Tom Giles]

Well it’s unanimous. Off to look for more cherry.

[Dwayne Watt]

A few hours in direct sunlight (5-6 hours) will darken the new cherry wood substantially. Simply rotate the part to get all surfaces equally "tanned". Do this after sanding, not before. I have done this with many furniture components to get that dark cherry color quickly. Initially, the piece will just look a bit more drab/brownish gray. The effect will be dramatic when you finish the piece with an oil-based product.
Do not try to match colors by staining cherry. The results will be disappointing in a matter of weeks, maybe days. As others said, build the drawers and doors with the new wood as though you planned it that way. Any color differences will even out in a short time.

[lou Brava]

Did a remodel & had to replace/add on to an existing cherry floor and was worried from start of project about color match of new to old & it turned out to be the easiest & the best part of job ! You could not tell where the old met the new.
I have a question on the pic you posted (if you built that cabinet nice work !) I really like that color stain I've been looking/testing stain on QS white oak & can't get that color. Do you know what stain was used on that cabinet ?
Thanks

[Malcolm McLeod]

I’m building a ...
I don’t have enough cherry to finish the project.

Well it’s unanimous. Off to look for more cherry.

I experienced a massive case of cerebral flatulence on the first big case piece I built (from 'new' cherry) as a gift for my wife - a 8'W x 7'H office storage unit. Basically, I grossly underestimated my scrap allowance for such a large piece. I was also a young newlywed (aka POOR) at the time, so rather than buy more cherry, I grabbed a couple of boards my father had trundled around with him for >20 yrs (and it was probably at least that old when he received it; he was thrilled to see it used).

So figure these supplemental boards at 40+ yrs old. They were a beautiful light milk chocolate color - unfinished - and yes, I'm sure they are cherry. Cutting them revealed a consistent color throughout the board - not just surface darkening. I used them, having heard the common theme expressed here, that a little time and sunlight would balance the color. I even moved the 'new' parts out into the sun for the better part of 3-4 days to darken them.

That case piece is now ~20yrs old and has still not come close to a color match. I cringe every time I look at it, and I would add it to the burn pile, but SWMBO will not hear of it.

If you want a good color match within the next quarter century, I'd recommend you find cherry of a similar age as your original stock. (Or start over w/ all new...?)

Sorry to wreck the unanimity, but this is my experience.

PS- I still have some of the 'new' cherry and some of 'my father's' cherry. Unfinished. They are nearly the same color now, so clearly the finish on the case piece has slowed the darkening process there.