Smcinnis Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 I am planning a cherry wood cabinets for my kitchen but my wife is worried that it will get too dark over time. Has anyone did any projects where you used antique white on the cabinets to make them lighter? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 Have a look at Alder. It looks real close to cherry but will not darken nearly as much. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smcinnis Posted December 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 Thanks but I already purchased the cherry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rutabagared Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 I wouldn't sweat the darkening too much unless the cabinets will be exposed to direct UV light. I installed my kitchen cabinets a bit over 8 years ago and they've darkened a few shades, but nowhere near the amount that would muddy the grain or darken the overall "feel" of the room. On the other hand, other cherry furniture I've built and placed in rooms with greater UV exposure have darkened beyond the kitchen cabinets despite the fact that those pieces are only 3-4 years old. Still, even this furniture is decades away from that antique cherry look. I've built 20 or so larger pieces from cherry since I started woodworking about 10 years ago, and one thing I've noticed is that cherry seems to darken at an accelerated rate initially, then slows considerably over time. Maybe it's just me. . . Enjoy your cherry cabinets! Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick thom Posted December 27, 2011 Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 I hate the thought of buying and painting the cherry. You will find a finish that will have some UV blockers that will considerably slow the tanning process. First you blotch control, then stain/dye to your color preference and then top coat. We have a bathroom done this way and it's about the same colour/tone as 15 years ago when it was new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike M Posted December 27, 2011 Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 I have had a couple of kitchens as well as several pieces of furniture that I've built that were finished with just a clear coat (no stain). Initially, the wood looked a little pale, but after several months it darkened into a medium red-brown color. It is darker than a natural maple but a whole lot lighter than cherry that has been stained a dark brown. It sounds like a trip to a custom cabinet shop might be in order so she can get a better feel for the color range. You could also take a sample board and leave it in direct sunlight for a couple of weeks. Mask part of it off so you can compare the darkening. You should get a pretty good idea of how much the cabinets will darken over time. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynablue Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 If you're concerned about too much direct sunlight you could use something like General Finishes Exterior 450 which has a UV blocker and mildewcides. I know they have semi-gloss but am not certain about any other sheen levels. I have seen several exterior cherry doors finished with it and they look very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bois Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Yeah, painting over cherry would be like silver plating your gold jewelry. If your wife insists on not having natural cherry, I'd be happy to swap it with you for some nice alder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanLincoln Posted December 31, 2011 Report Share Posted December 31, 2011 If you are ever in the situation of remodeling your home or kitchen, you will find that there are countless things that need to be done. You might want to redo the floor, put in cherry kitchen cabinets instead of the plain plywood ones or replace a table with a new one. No matter what your plans for the kitchen or room that you want to remodel, you need to find things that match and fit that particular room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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