The dreaded request. - Woodworking Talk

joesdad · 09-07-2008, 11:01 PM

The words I dread the most from any customer for me is..."Can you match the color of my (insert here anything from floors, to the color of my eyes)...?"

My question is, what is the most universal cabinet grade ply available for staining? Birch is my only answer, and I love birch with a nice coat of clear, or a buttery new paint job, but I hate staining anything that covers large surface areas. I'm a little ticked because the conversation I had with a recent customer went something like this...

"Ok, what color are we doing on this project?"

"The same color as the hardwood floors, I love my new floors."

"Great, no problem."

"I think the floor guys even left a gallon of the stain in the garage that you could use"

"Thank you, that was awfully nice of them

Ok, so I just want to run down a few quick details real fast so that we're all on the same page here before I work up the final proposal.

Concealed hinges, four inch standard crown, no fancy base, adjustable shelving, blah blah... and all out of red oak."

"No oak!"

What do you mean?

"I hate oak! It's just...I hate it, that's all. No oak."

"Mam', all this new flooring you just had put in is red oak"

"It is?"

"Yes."

"Oh...ok well, I still don't want the cabinets made out of it"

So I need to use Birch, to replicate her oak hardwood floor. I realize she's more concerned about the color than the texture or grain detail, but I'm still not looking forward to this one.

Handyman · 09-07-2008, 11:19 PM

LOL If it was me, I would turn and run. There isnt anyway you are going to come out of this one smelling like a rose. I have has those kinds of jobs before and they never pan out. Good Luck

Geoguy · 09-07-2008, 11:20 PM

Birch will make some really nice cabinets but you know it will be tough to make them look like (excuse me - the same color as) the oak floor. I'm sure Cabinetman or some of the other professional cabinet guys are much better at color matching cabinetry and may have a few tips. Good luck!

Tony B · 09-07-2008, 11:45 PM

I can also atest to bad experiences that started similar to this. I only had 3, and that was enough for me. If things dont go well at the very beginning, you will be very sorry. If she liked her floor and didnt know it was oak until you told her and still insisted that she didnt want oak, she is trouble.
Run, run run.

Tony B

Rob · 09-07-2008, 11:59 PM

Do you spray your finishes? If so, get a scrap piece of her flooring and a scrap piece of birch ply. Have a rep from M.L Campbell stop by (or deliver it) and tell him/her that you need this birch ply to look like this oak flooring. They will fix you up with colored lacquer and the clear topcoat to match the sheen. One coat of clear to start...(and keep any blotching down)...colored lacquer to get the color right... topcoat of clear to finish.
Voila.
Make sure you get her to sign off on the scrap you have tested first before proceeding.

joesdad · 09-08-2008, 08:38 AM

Yeah, she's a piece of work to say the least, but her husband is very easy to work with as far as planning stuff out. He was standing right there when she made the flooring comment, and I think he wanted to throw her out the window out of embarrassment.

I don't have many like this one, and for me, sometimes how you handle these folks is simply a matter of slowing the process down a bit an making sure all the bases are covered...yes, with a contract and samples as someone mentioned.

Rob, I was already thinking at this point of going your route and handing off the finish part to someone else. I'd like to think someday I'll have the time to experiment more with finishes, but as of now I have to build/finish and move on to the next job. I'll look into your suggestion.

It would be easy to avoid the conflict, but it's like leaving money on the table. So I guess you can say I'll accept the challenge with a smile.

dirtclod · 09-08-2008, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joesdad

So I guess you can say I'll accept the challenge with a smile.

...smile, and a fat down payment"

Terry Beeson · 09-08-2008, 03:35 PM

After hearing similar stories from my BIL who is a retired electrical contractor, and from several friends who are/were custom home contractors, I can tell you that you are probably in a "no win" situation, unless the hubby can turn her. IF they can match the color, I'm willing to bet she will not be happy because there will be some difference she does not like.

JackC · 09-08-2008, 04:29 PM

You are about to condem her husband to a life of living he77. There is nothing you or anyone else can or could do to make this woman happy. She has it in her mind what she wants and it can't be changed, no way, no how. She will find faults unseen by the human eye.

He'll try his best to rationalize with her but after 6 months he'll have high blood pressure, ulcers, take up heavy drinking and more than likely call you to come over and shoot him to end his misery.

skymaster · 09-08-2008, 06:56 PM

JD; First I agree run buddy run. Second NO Birch it is blotchy, stains horrible, it is just as bad as Pine. Maple Ply is probably your better bet. That said tho sorry my friend IF n it aint OAK ply then it aint gonna make her happy. You have had enuf misery for a while aint enuf money here to pay for what is comming
Jack

Terry Beeson · 09-08-2008, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackC

You are about to condem her husband to a life of living he77. There is nothing you or anyone else can or could do to make this woman happy. She has it in her mind what she wants and it can't be changed, no way, no how. She will find faults unseen by the human eye.

He'll try his best to rationalize with her but after 6 months he'll have high blood pressure, ulcers, take up heavy drinking and more than likely call you to come over and shoot him to end his misery.

Jack,

You speak as if you are the voice of experience....

skymaster · 09-08-2008, 11:42 PM

Terry; IMHO I think she should be taken on a great fishin trip to expand her horizon's
Gater trollin I think would be the perfect sport

themechanic007 · 09-08-2008, 11:59 PM

HAHA....Ya i was married to one of these once.....

Woodchuck1957 · 09-09-2008, 02:04 AM

How many different colors are in red oak flooring ?

joesdad · 09-09-2008, 08:45 AM

You guys crack me up...

I'm going to stick close to her husband's side. It's his storage area anyway. She just needed to put in her .02 cents because, well just because...

LaurelLaneWoodWorks · 09-09-2008, 04:13 PM

Make it out of oak and tell her its Birch. She will never know the difference. ;-)

Mike

Terry Beeson · 09-09-2008, 07:53 PM

You know, Mike... you have a point there... Tell her it's some exotic wood from Antartica... Penguin wood...

(Reminds me of a story a fishing guide from Florida told me... He had a couple who had made the trip down and wanted to try their hand at saltwater fishing. They were out in the flats fishing and the husband was asking different questions about the area. There they stood, in a skiff casting flies to waiting Cudas, sharks, etc. when the lady decided she needed to chime in with a question since hubby had been hogging the conversation. Well, she looks right at the guide and says "just how high above sea level are we here?" He replied by holding his hands about 8-10 inches apart...)

toolman Steve · 06-12-2009, 10:06 AM

I had a custom shop for awhile people used to come to me to match furniture they had on a picture .I would ask them if it was from a furniture catalog and of course they would say no.Only to find out when I gave them the drawings and price they would (That's not how much it was in #$%& catalog) Of course I can't compete with people who buy there stock by the rail car load and mine by the piece . After the first experience ( witch went bad I never did it again) I would not do it it's not worth it.

Gerry KIERNAN · 06-12-2009, 10:13 AM

I would ask her if she really wants the cabinet to match her floors, not only in colour, but also texture and grain.

Gerry

Julian the woodnut · 06-12-2009, 10:27 AM

I'll be on the optimistic side for you on this one. It's hard to turn down any work these days! With contract in hand, and a big down payment, be sure to keep at least one of them happy.