# Best Finish for Cherry



## craigwbryant (Jan 22, 2012)

So I am building the "Tasteful Wine Rack" from the Dec/Jan 2012/2013 issue of wood magazine. I managed to accquire some cherry through cheap means (took it out of my dad's garage while he wasn't looking) and decided to build the piece out of this cherry instead of shelling out $$ for oak. I am making a few changes to the plans as well, instead of using biscuits I am going to attempt mortise & loose tenon with a mortise jig I got for Christmas and shop-made tenons. I've got all my pieces for the project cut and have glued up the panels that are needed. Tonight, out in the garage thinking through 'the next step' I got a bit ahead of myself and started thinking about what kind of finish to do. I like the natural look of cherry and don't want to mess this piece up with stain, but whats the best way to finish cherry to let its natural colors show through and let it age naturally. I have read that its best to let it sit out in the sun for a few days prior to finishing in order to age the wood, then use something like boiled linseed oil. I've never worked with any finish other than minwax polyurethanes and I have never built anything out of cherry, so I was hoping for advice/opinions on the best way to finish the piece. Thanks.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

I always use a wiping varnish on cherry. If you must stain try this on a scrap. Sand to your desired coarse. I prefer 220. Wet the wood and dry to raise the grain and all those tiny fibers. A quick sand and your ready for the best cherry finish. Then mix 2 teaspoons of lye(Drano) in a pint of water. Wipe it on and let it dry. Then finish with a wipe on varnish. The lye solution ages the cherry as if it were years older after it loses that salmon color. If you pre wet the surface you won't have to sand after you apply the lye stain. I soak the wood with the varnish and while it's wet. Sand with 320. Keep it wet until you have sanded the entire surface. Then wipe the excess of with a rag or with your bare hand keep wiping it in until it almost feels dry. This will soak in and require at least 3 coats to gain a very tough surface without all the heavy build up. 

I use the lye solution to match newer pieces with older ones. The more lye you use the darker it will get yet it doesn't muddy up the grain like stain does. The grain really comes alive. 

Al B Thayer

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.









This is a pic of a new and old head board.









This is the new board after the above method. Priceless.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

PS. Leave the Polly for bar tops.

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Keep in mind that if you put your wine rack in the sun the wood will darken as if you put stain on it. If you want the natural look to stay as long as possible you should keep it away from the sun. I worked with a guy one time that put a saw blade on a new piece of cherry plywood for 30 minutes in the direct sun and the sheet darkened enough there was a clear image of the blade in the sheet. 

As far as the finish I would skip the linseed oil and just use the polyurethane. I would apply the poly with a badger brush in thin coats with as little brush strokes as possible. The more you brush it the more the brush marks show. You just apply it and move on. If you wish to keep it from turning dark for as long as possible you could use a product called Sun Block sold by Kwick Kleen. It's kind of like sun screen for wood.


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## craigwbryant (Jan 22, 2012)

Guys, thanks for the responses. I may have been confusing in my original post. I do want the piece to eventually pick up the rich dark color like what Al posted, I just don't want to do it with stain. This is the second piece that I have built for our house and so I want it to "grow old along with us"! Al's method seems that it may be a bit beyond my skills yet but I am going to try it on some scrap pieces first. If I can't get that right I'll go with Steve's recommendation.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

With all due respect that sun trick is just not true in the real world. Just how much time do you have to lay your wood in the sun?

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

craigwbryant said:


> Guys, thanks for the responses. I may have been confusing in my original post. I do want the piece to eventually pick up the rich dark color like what Al posted, I just don't want to do it with stain. This is the second piece that I have built for our house and so I want it to "grow old along with us"! Al's method seems that it may be a bit beyond my skills yet but I am going to try it on some scrap pieces first. If I can't get that right I'll go with Steve's recommendation.


You only need to try it once and you will be a believer. Its not difficult at all. It will look nothing like a stained piece. It's simple as wiping water on wood. Also. Fine pieces of woodwork should never be finished with poly. 

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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