[gowings]

I am trying to finish a entertainment center to look like the rest of the maple in the room. Made of Maple veneer plywood and solids. The old maple say 10 years old has a yellow or shall we say golden look to it. Any ideas how to get there. I was told the old maple had no stain to it. Just straight varnish or urethane. They want that golden/ yellowish look. I mainly use water based polyurethane finishes for interior usage. Less odor and nobody complains of the smell.
Thanks

 

[rrich]

The problem with most WB polyurethane finishes is that they add no color. You're probably going to be forced to go the oil based route.

 

[Steve Neul]

Matching an existing color is a lot of work and trouble even for an experienced finisher. It just takes a lot of trial and error testing on samples of wood. If you would post a picture we could give you a clue on where to start. If you have any small pieces of the stain color for a sample you might be able to take the sample and some scrap wood to a real paint store like Sherwin Williams to match the stain. They often match stain for painters and depending on their talent may be able to make a matching stain for you. Just be sure to check it before you spread too much of the color on and it should have a finish on it before you sign off on the color. The color needs to match with the finish on it and if the old finish has yellowed sometimes you have to use amber shellac on the new work to match the old work.

 

[lacman]

Try Target Coatings they have a water based urethane that has a yellow or golden cast to it to match oil based urethane. The product is EM2000. Check it out at targetcoatings.com

 

[gowings]

On it thanks:thumbsup:

 

[gowings]

Got another stain also I've been battling with trying to match. Some old Kitchen cupboards with thermofoil. Not in production anymore
It's a creamy color. I've been mixing whites and tans but no luck on maple so far.

 

[Steve Neul]

That is called a pickle finish. It's basically white enamel paint that is thinned down a lot. You apply it to the wood and wipe off the excess with a rag. I think the color you need is just a pure white so all you will just have to tinker with how much to thin the enamel. The tan you are seeing is probably the natural color of the wood showing through. Once the enamel has dried you could topcoat it with a water based polyurethane.

 

[gowings]

Not sure if your correct. The tan has to be in the thermfoil itself. In the corners of the existing doors the edges are peeling away. The thermfoil is sucked on in a vacuumed oven and heat set to the bare wood cupboard. It's like a thick membrane. I have some white latex stain I tried but it was too white. Then I added some tan but that turned out miserable looking. I must of tried 6 different recipes in all and was not happy. That pickling you talk about. Am I just thinning it down with mineral spirits. I think I need something more creamy looking

 

[Steve Neul]

Not sure if your correct. The tan has to be in the thermfoil itself. In the corners of the existing doors the edges are peeling away. The thermfoil is sucked on in a vacuumed oven and heat set to the bare wood cupboard. It's like a thick membrane. I have some white latex stain I tried but it was too white. Then I added some tan but that turned out miserable looking. I must of tried 6 different recipes in all and was not happy. That pickling you talk about. Am I just thinning it down with mineral spirits. I think I need something more creamy looking

It's really difficult to tell color from a picture. Perhaps it is an offwhite of some kind. Anyway if you are using latex you would thin it with water. I don't like to use latex paint for pickling because it dries too quick. It ends up with blotchy spots of white where you have difficulty getting it wiped off quick enough. It would just be easier to get a more uniform color if you would use an oil based enamel and that you would thin with mineral spirits. I believe Minwax sells a pickling white stain in their woodfinish line. I've never used it though. I usually have white paint around the shop and I just thin that.

 

[cabinetman]

Not sure if your correct. The tan has to be in the thermfoil itself. In the corners of the existing doors the edges are peeling away. The thermfoil is sucked on in a vacuumed oven and heat set to the bare wood cupboard. It's like a thick membrane. I have some white latex stain I tried but it was too white. Then I added some tan but that turned out miserable looking. I must of tried 6 different recipes in all and was not happy. That pickling you talk about. Am I just thinning it down with mineral spirits. I think I need something more creamy looking

In getting a close match, you have to experiment with the thinning of mineral spirits and oil base paint. There may be more than one or two colors needed and ultimately getting the "creamy" consistency. I use the ½ pt sizes for color choices.

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