Starting up retirement hobby and am currently working on a slab of Cherry. My question is, are the areas perpendicular to the grain in the photo natural or should they be sanded out? Thanks cherry.jpg
[OP]
Member
Starting up retirement hobby and am currently working on a slab of Cherry. My question is, are the areas perpendicular to the grain in the photo natural or should they be sanded out? Thanks cherry.jpg
Contributor
That’s a natural feature of wood called curl. Some consider it a great thing some don’t.
I like it.
Good Luck
Aj
Contributor
Google curly cherry and see how some people use this (and pay a premium for it) as a design feature and finish it to enhance the curl.
< insert spurious quote here >
Contributor
Greg: that is a terrible board, send it to me and I will dispose of it properly. Seriously, you want as much of that as you can find! Get working! Phil
Contributor
That's a nice board! If you did not already know this, cherry fades significantly if exposed to sunlight. Just something to be aware of. Good luck with your project.
Erik
Ex-SCM and Felder rep
Contributor
A good way to check if further sanding is required is wipe the surface with mineral spirits. Any imperfections will become more visible and the surface will look like it will when an oil based finish is applied. Like others have said that looks like curl, when finished it gives a 3d look to the surface.
Contributor
Erik, I think you have it backwards, doesn't cherry darken with light exposure?Originally Posted by Erik Loza
Contributor
Doug, yes! Not enough coffee today. Thanks for the correction.
Erik
Ex-SCM and Felder rep
Contributor
I like the look of cherry better after it has darkened, but others may not, I don't know. One thing to think about is if you make a table out of the cherry don't leave something always in the same place on it, like a vase in the exact center or a toaster by the wall or whatever because it will leave a pale spot when you do move it. Just shuffle things around from time to time and it will even out.
Contributor
Actually, you were right the first time. All woods will bleach out if exposed to enough direct sunlight. Cherry initially darkens, but if the exposure continues it will get lighter, and eventually be almost colorless. Hard to imagine until you see. I have.
John
Contributor
John, I have cherry furniture I built 38 years ago and it has only darkened and never lightened. Are you talking about really old antiques?
Contributor
John is correct. If left in full sunlight for long enough. It will bleach out to where the dark heartwood will be as light as the sap wood.
Member
20 year old shutters in my office. The one on the right shows the side normally exposed to a north exposure. No direct sunlight but definitely faded over time.
20220120_210204.jpg
Last edited by Greg Funk; 01-21-2022 at 1:04 PM.
Contributor
Doesn't have to be an antique, as Greg shows below, just direct sunlight. I first saw it in a house not even 20 years old in Germany that had floor to ceiling south facing windows. The sun had bleached the cherry stairway so light that I thought it was maple until the owner told me it was cherry. When I looked around the side where the sun couldn't hit it, sure enough, it had the typical cherry color.
The sun bleaches the color out of any wood given enough time with direct exposure. Dual UV protection finishes were developed to help combat this problem with indoor furniture and cabinets. There's one UV system, often based on tin, that helps prevent the finish itself from aging and another called HALS (Hindered Amine Light Stabilizers maybe) that protects the underlying wood.
John
Contributor
If they were stained or dyed, that bleaches a lot more than the actual wood (in the case of cherry) does IME.
~mike
happy in my mud hut
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote