natural cherry cabinet refinish

11 years ago

I have natural cherry kitchen cabinets in a home that we recently bought. (about 15 years old)

They've been mistreated and need help. It looks as if someone tried to fix them (passes the first glance test), but I notice the wear and tear and one area is down to bare wood (around the trash can cabinet)

I have looked into having them refinished and found a reputable company that seems to be using a quality product ( M. L. Cambell Magnalac). They did a test run on an extra door and I like it, but it seems more brown and has lost some of the red tones. I might not care but the family room has the same cabinets and opens to the kitchen, and I was hoping for a closer match. Will they redden more with age? Perhaps the amber color was in the lacquer they removed. They are using a waterborne pre-catalyzed finish.

They are definitely not sanding to new wood and he said that if they do need to sand more in some places, they may stain to blend in the colors, which I find okay, but wonder what the future hold.

Any solutions?

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Comments (3)

PRO
Al Fortunato Furnituremaker
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Cherry is a difficult wood to predict what the future color will be. It changes fast. Plus only staining in certain areas, that have been sanded to "new wood", to match the existing color will almost guarantee mismatch in the future, creating a blotchy look.

My recommendation to achieve a consistent look would be to strip, sand, stain (if desired) and finish, everything.

I also use ML Campbell products, but I use Krystal for top coats. It is a lacquer based, water white, post catalyzed conversion varnish, that does not yellow. I'm not familiar with Magnalac.
Karenseb
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Thanks for the information. I'll ask the re finisher not to add any stain anywhere.

I suspect the original cabinet finish has ambered giving the cabinets a more reddish tone. The waterborne finish they are using may not yellow as much as my older finish.

Just wanted to clarify.

You are recommending sanding down to bare wood and removing the aged finish. The wood would then appear like new.

I know the new finish would darken fairly quickly. I just wish I knew if the tone would remain more brown than the old finish was.

We had a brazillian cherry floor refinished using a water based finish and it also looked more brown when first done. It has definitely taken on the more amber/red tones, but not quite as dark as it had originally been.
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PRO
Al Fortunato Furnituremaker
11 years ago
No matter what anybody says, a spot sanded down to "new wood" and refinished will never match the original finish, (well maybe when none of us are around to see it.). Both the finish and wood have developed a patina over the years. If the new spot is stained to match the existing, it will be darker in the future. Especially if the original finish was a oil based finish and the new one is water based. At a minimum, if an old finish is being left on in places, the same type of finish should be used where new is applied.

If it was my kitchen (and it sort of is, since I did this to my cherry kitchen a few years ago), I would strip it, sand, stain (if desired), and finish, that way everything will match.

BTW, Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba) is not cherry, not even in the same family (genius or species) as American Cherry. It's a made up name for sales.