# Post-Staining Color Mismatch of Solid Oak and Oak Plywood



## doesgo (Dec 12, 2008)

Over the past year I built an entertainment center and a bookcase, both of which included solid oak and oak veneer plywood. In both cases, the stain I used didn't darken the plywood nearly as much as the solid oak. Both projects used Minwax stain, but different tones.

Is the reason because the thin veneer of the plywood can't soak up as much stain as the solid stuff?

The vast majority of the lumber was from HD, but I ended up getting a piece of 1/2" oak veneer plywood from Menards for the back panel of the bookcase. MUCH better than the HD stuff, and probably not coincidentally it took stain better and nearly matches the color of the solid oak. Again, I'm thinking it's the thickness of the oak facing that affects how it takes color.

I'll start buying my plywood from Menards, but I've got a lot of HD leftovers I can't really afford to throw away. With future projects in mind, is there a way to get the stained color of the thin veneer plywood darker to more closely match the solid oak with the same stain?


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## joesdad (Nov 1, 2007)

What color was the stain? Pour a little into a mixing cup and start adding a little bit of a similar, but darker toned stain. A little at a time is key, sometimes you have to play mad scientist to get even color. Other things to consider when making a final evaluation is lighting. It can trick you into thinking your colors are uneven, when actually they're not.

I agree that the thinner veneer is what's causing the problem. A piece of stained ply can look really nice until you hold it next to a solid piece. The richness of the color usually does come from a deeper concentration.


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## cusingeorge (Nov 17, 2007)

Veneers rarely take stain like solid pieces, and these days, veneers are so thin, there's not much for the stain to change anyway.

You could try leaving the stain on for an extended period or thinning it down with Naphtha and apply several coats (dry 12 hours between since it's Minwax) and see what that will do for you.

Your other options are adding a darker stain to the mix or maybe adding a colorant or dye to the stain.


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## doesgo (Dec 12, 2008)

For the entertainment center I used Natural and for the bookcase I used Golden Oak. The color difference is greater with the Golden Oak, which makes sense since it's a darker stain. Light definitely affects how the finished product looks, and the difference is greater under certain lighting, but it's always there. The outcome isn't bad, but I'd prefer a better match. I'll try a little stain mixing next time around and buy better plywood in the future.

Thanks!


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