[sammyjoe]

This is a solid walnut console, and I can't figure out how to achieve that finish.

I love this sort of mixed finish on the sliding doors, yet I have no idea how it's done since the whole piece is solid walnut.

How do you vary the shades of each board if it's using the same wood?

 

[JMartel]

This is a solid walnut console, and I can't figure out how to achieve that finish. I love this sort of mixed finish on the sliding doors, yet I have no idea how it's done since the whole piece is solid walnut. How do you vary the shades of each board if it's using the same wood?

That isn't from finishing. That is from different boards. The lightest shades is sapwood. Walnut can vary quite a bit color-wise.

 

[3fingers]

It's not a stain. It is just heart an sap wood. With a clear finish like lacquer.

 

[sammyjoe]

ahh...so you just need to pick the boards you want when you buy I assume.

Thank you for the reply! Now to experiment with various oils to get the right shades.

 

[Brian T.]

What they said. You just need some floor space to sort boards.
Maybe cut long ones, fit them in so you don't wind up with all dark top or bottom, one end or the other.
Maybe it's just the contrast, but the sap wood sure is bright.

Western Red Cedar is like that. Most of my wood carvings start as shake blocks, 6" x 8" x 24". Sometimes, I get lucky and get some with sapwood that isn't mud-dirty.
OK. Sapwood stripe in the middle of a glue-up? Down each side? Maybe cut it off entirely? (That means save that block and pick another one.)

 

[cabinetman]

IMO, grain direction on sliding doors looks best if done vertically. My guess on that piece, thin laminate flooring was glued to a substrate, like plywood.

.

 

[Steve Neul]

ahh...so you just need to pick the boards you want when you buy I assume.

Thank you for the reply! Now to experiment with various oils to get the right shades.

When a walnut grows the outer rings next to the bark are nearly snow white and toward the center of the tree has the darker rich color. This white wood is called sapwood. It's real common especially on cheaper grades of lumber so if you like it try to find that grade. It's really considered a defect and the lumber graders usually pull out the boards that are all heartwood for the FAS grade.

 

[sammyjoe]

Thanks a ton for the info guys, I'm relatively new to woodworking so this is all very useful.

 

[GeorgeC]

I think that with that specific piece, long and low, I like the boards to run longitudinally.

George