Staining Cherry

[Johnboy]

hi, first post here so be gentle with me!!

I am making a Lazy Susan in cheery to go on a Cherry dining table. The finish on the table is very dark and nothing like natural cherry. Most cherry furniture I have seen is stained this dark reddish colour. Any suggestions for what stain to use to match this.

Thanks

John

 

[Chris Knight]

Cherry raises more Q&A than any other wood. You will find dozens of recipes and articles on the net.

A site I think is pretty good for finishing is http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/

and the associated forum site http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/phpBB2/index.php

The site owner, Jeff Jewitt is one of the foremost finishing experts and is very ready to enter into questions posted in his forum.

However, do a search on the foruim archives first, as I said cherry has been done to death.

 

[Johnboy]

Thanks for that, interesting site. The consensus seems to be that you have to mix your own stain with most suggestions being based on red mahogany. I have various stains left over from other projects so will start experimenting.

John

 

[Anonymous]

I find it really sad that many finishers totally destroy the natural beauty of cherry by staining it a deep red mahogany colour. Yugh!

I work with cherry a lot and use the natural colour as well as its own darkening over time to give a wonderful colour that bears no relationship whatsoever to mahogany. If you want mahogany then use it (or sapele); don't ruin a beautiful wood!

Norm at the NYW is one of the worst offenders....

<flame off>

 

[Bean]

Well said that man

Bean

 

[Alf]

Some of us have long since exhausted our "For the love of Mike, don't stain cherry!|" quota, so we shut up now and just sigh heavily... :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Johnboy]

Blimey, my first post has reappeared!! The lazy susan was for my sister who wanted it to match her dining table. I would never stain cherry for my own use, I love the natural colour and the way it darkens over time. I ended up using liberon georgian mahgany stain with some yellow stain added. It turned out a pretty good match.

John