# Will Natural aged Cherry Veneer look the same as naturally aged solid cherry?



## bloodsweatandtears (May 26, 2010)

I am finishing the cherry casement window trim myself. Upstairs, instead of staining, I decided to leave the cherry trim its natural color and just apply 3 coats of minwax poly (sills will get more poly). I am using cherry veneer for the inside side pieces and the inside top peice of each window. I am concerned that perhaps the solid cherry will age differenty than the veneer pieces? (windows are 360 all around the house so some are southern exposure, some north,etc.). Anyone have any experience with how the cherry veneer ages and if it will look drastically different from the solid cherry or will everything darken and redden at about the same pace and final result?

Thanks!


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

I know nothing about the timing, but I have seen a lot of cherry veneer that has aged in the same way that solid cherry ages.


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## Colt W. Knight (Nov 29, 2009)

Cherry veneer is actually cherry, so I don't see why it wouldn't. Its thinner, so it would probaby age quicker, although the glue or paper backing might hinder it a tad.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

With the same exposure the aging would be the same. As for color variance, two different pieces (either solid or veneer) can look different over time.


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

Just leave a piece of each in the sun light for a day or two. Cover half of each with something like aluminum foil. In a day you'll start to see the diference. That will give you an idea of the change that you can expect.

BTW - I think that the poly contains UV inhibitors and may slow the natural aging effect. I would use something like Minwax Antique Oil Finish.


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

rrich said:


> Just leave a piece of each in the sun light for a day or two. Cover half of each with something like aluminum foil. In a day you'll start to see the diference. That will give you an idea of the change that you can expect.
> 
> BTW - I think that the poly contains UV inhibitors and may slow the natural aging effect. I would use something like Minwax Antique Oil Finish.


 
I think only SPAR poly has UV protection, not regular poly


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

rrich said:


> _Just leave a piece of each in the sun light for a day or two. Cover half of each with something like aluminum foil. In a day you'll start to see the diference. That will give you an idea of the change that you can expect.
> 
> BTW - I think that the poly contains UV inhibitors and may slow the natural aging effect. I would use something like Minwax Antique Oil Finish._





phinds said:


> I think only SPAR poly has UV protection, not regular poly



That's true. Finishes intended for interior use don't usually have UV inhibitors. The Minwax Antique Oil is just an elaborate wax type product. It offers not more than a visual enhancement that would need repeated applications over time. It would do little if anything to aid or slow the aging process. The question in the OP seemed to ask if the veneer and the solid wood will appear similar, or age equally over time. 

There are many conditions affecting the look and color of wood used indoors. In the same casement, there could be veneer and solid wood. For trim, there could be periods of natural light from outdoors, with long or short periods of sunlight. There could be areas where the only exposure to light would be artificial light, from incandescent, halogen, or flourescent lighting. 

Two different selections of veneer (different flitches), and random solid wood selections for trim, each may take a different look. There is no control to keep one wood surface uniform to another in the same proximity.

IMO, the beauty of wood is the overall look. Trying to keep a piece of furniture with a combination of veneers and solids uniform in color seems to me to defeat the reason to use real wood and real veneer. Differences in grain and colors is the natural beauty of the material.

If the look wanted is a uniform grain and color, there are composites available with vinyl covering, Formica finishes, and photo finishes, that look like wood.


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## bloodsweatandtears (May 26, 2010)

Thanks everyone, this sets my mind at ease. Appreciate all the responses!


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## ash123 (Mar 14, 2010)

You wrote: "Will Natural aged Cherry Veneer look the same as naturally aged solid cherry?"

Mine does not.


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## bloodsweatandtears (May 26, 2010)

Ash123 - can you elaborate? Does yours look different because of the natural variation of the cherry grain or is it that the veneer takes on a different color type all together? 

I just don't want the window to screem "you used veneer!" because of some obvious difference in how it looks from the solid peices once everything is assembled.


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## ash123 (Mar 14, 2010)

bloodsweatandtears said:


> Ash123 - can you elaborate? Does yours look different because of the natural variation of the cherry grain or is it that the veneer takes on a different color type all together?
> 
> I just don't want the window to screem "you used veneer!" because of some obvious difference in how it looks from the solid peices once everything is assembled.


Two solid boards don't age out the same. I stain everything. I like to lay down a base of NGR. MLC has a pretty good cookbook on how to finish cherry.

I don't want to build anything memorable. If you come in my house and remember any piece I built when you're driving down the driveway back to the highway, I failed. I don't do any contrasts, no salt and pepper, no exotic veneers, no fiddleback, and no mixed woods. The reason I don't like natural is I can't control it. My home is a collection I've made over the last 30 years, all stained, and it all matches today.

I don't like cherry furniture as a product. I like the wood to work with but not the pieces. My sons like cherry. The pieces I've made for them I've laid down a NGR base, used a lacquer wiping stain over that, followed by vinyl sealer and pre-cat lacquer. For my own pieces, I stay away from shading lacquers, and glazes. Those tend to make a piece pop and that's what I'm avoiding.


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## bloodsweatandtears (May 26, 2010)

Ok, thanks I see what you mean. We are going with unstained cherry, left to age naturally. The cherry floor in the same room is also unstained cherry so there will be a great deal of variation accross the floor boards. But our house is a timberframe hybrid and we want to allow for the natural variations in the wood. My hesitation was that the veneer would go one way and the solid peices another (like the veneer going universally darker and showing as a distinct line within the rest of the window casing). If it is really just the natural grain variation in the veneer that will show up just like that from the solid booards, I'm ok with that.


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## mroughan (Jun 22, 2014)

I have cherry heartwood, veneer and sapwood. Unlike ASH123, I used the sapwood to accent several symmetrical pieces. I am assuming the sapwood does not darken with time as the heartwood does. Is that true?

I used a natural Danish oil finish.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The sapwood will darken too however it will have more of a yellow appearance to it. If you need to you can color the sapwood with dyes so it nearly matches the heartwood. The dye is similar to ink so you could use Danish oil over the top.


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## RandyReed (Jul 30, 2014)

"Cherry sap stain"


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## mroughan (Jun 22, 2014)

Thanks for the feedback. I want to keep the variation but relieved to hear that both the heartwood and sapwood will darken. Since I've oiled it already, I'll probably let it go for a couple of years and then if the contrast is too dramatic go to the "sap stain" approach.


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