Can you apply the Bona NaturalSeal and then apply a couple coats of something like the Renner?

Can you add some white to the Renner System? I looked at the bona product and it states it contains a small amount of white pigment? Thanks for the responses. I wish people would just post the actual products they use as there are a lot of great examples but no "recipes". White oak seems to be kind of tricky.

Don't disagree with you at all. We have just received a couple samples however and they haven't had the same look as some of the inspiration picture. Our cabinet maker will be finishing them, not us.

I am trying to figure out the same for my rift oak cabinets. So much to consider and my cabinet maker doesn't seem to be able to recreate what I am looking for. How to protect the wood enough for kitchen cabinet use but 1. Not change the raw color much, 2. Stand up to the effects of UV on the oak over time, 3. Prevent the tannin pull so common with white oak. Is that really that difficult? If ending up with the typical honey oak is my only choice, then I'd rather just get painted maple/mdf...which isn't what I want!

Hey Merrilyn, looks like we are in the same boat. I am actually in the process of having a quart sample of the Milesi Natural Effect 2k finish sent my way. It sounds like this does a really good job at what we are both after. I will report back once I have the application on a sample board. This looks to be pretty natural with a very matte finish. If others have experience with this product would love them to chime in. Thanks

We were going after the Studio McGee house look attached. Pretty sure they bleached their cabinets but who knows at this point. I am on info overload. Thanks!

Yes, thst’s bleached and toned oak with a matte finish. A VERY trchnichally difgicukt finish yonachieve. Double cost any standard stained finish.

While I am not happy that we are all having this issue - I am somewhat relived to see that I am actulally not losing my mind that this look should be achievable in some fashion 😆

Ryan - where did you purchase your Milesi?

@User do you know what process for bleaching? Also what do you mean by toned oak?

Appreciate the feedback.

@Abigail Barber Burgum you can just go to their website to find the nearest dealer to you. That's what I ended up doing.

@Ryan Danielson, I just told my cabinet maker to go ahead and order my cabinet doors in the rift oak so I've only got a couple of weeks to get this figured out. Do you know if the Milesi you ordered includes sealer to stop tannin bleed and a UV filter? Otherwise time will turn the white oak yellow regardless of how it looks when freshly finished.

I know one of the Milesi products in the natural effects side does contain a UV filter. I will have to follow up. And, to be fair to the above poster. Some of us don’t have either the budget or access to a multitude of cabinet makers so trying to work with them on getting the desired finish. Rift sawn white oak like we are referencing is not common at all in our location. So in my mind better to research and ask questions than not. Thanks

@User...I am lucky (at least where I live) to have a cabinet maker who #1 will fit me into their schedule and #2 is willing to learn a method to satisfy my requests. I have seen plenty of samples of his work. He is a small shop and me and one other of his clients are the first to ask him for a "raw look" rift sawn white oak door. My cabinets are custom sizes and I was going to go with Barker cabinets (had my order all ready to send), but someone here on houzz recommended I check out this local guy first, and I am so glad I did! Same price as Barker, but more choices for color (I'm doing white uppers/rift oak lowers) and lots of help with my kitchen design. I'm actually impressed he is putting up with me and my ideas - lol.

We are having the same dilemma with our cabinets. Rift white oak lowers and white uppers. It seems like we are the first to ask for the white oak with all the cabinet makers in our area. Met with our selected cabinet company last week and played with stain mixed with white paint on rift oak samples. I think we found a good match. Just a little darker then the natural rift oak. He will then send the sample to a Sherwin Williams Product Finishes Store and they will match the sample. I am hoping this Sherwin Williams product won't yellow over time. He is also meeting with Sherwin Williams this weekend at a trade show in Vegas and will see if there are any better options to achieve the Studio McGee look on rift white oak we are all looking for.

@Ryan Danielson what did you end up going with?

Following

Ryan Danielson and Angela Watkins did either of you find a solution to achieve the natural white oak finish you were looking for?

We are looking for the same - any update on what you ended up using?

I have had the same inspiration kitchen photo for months. It has been a nightmare trying to find this look in my area. I would rather find a cabinet line that carries white oak in this stain than go with a cabinet maker. DH wants to just go with light maple cabinets and I am tempted. Please convince me not to settle with maple.

@Elaine Gauthier Art Did you find any solution or larger cabinet maker that has the white oak? I am in the same predicament and not wanting to settle for maple! Someone else on here suggested Durasupreme

Thank you for asking. Unfortunately, we have put our kitchen reno on hold. We were advised to wait until the economy rebounds. But, my husband and I are closer in agreement. We have decided to go with a mix of white and light wood for the cabinets. I have found some great inspirational pictures. I still love the white oak but maybe with less wood cabinets maple will be ok. I checked Durasupreme and they have white oak but not in the shade we like. Also, Durasupreme got less than good reviews online. Plato has the white oak shade we like - nude cream - but the estimate came in really high. I still hope to get my dream kitchen.

Another thread I found talks about Rubio mono coat. You can get a natural matte finish in medium- light tones with the colors mist, natural, white 5%, white, and cotton white. I just got samples and have found mixing the white with mist gives almost an exact color for unfinished white oak. We will be going with something close to that.

@Jessica Lirag what did you end up with? can you share any pix? I’m struggling with the same issue thanks!

if anyone else has found a reasonable solution, could you pls share what you did and a few pix? thanks, All!

Oil wax floor finishes are poor choices for cabnet finishes. They are not even good choices for low care floors. They have little to no chemical resistance. (Just read the dog drool threads.) They will not withstand the normal kitchen detergent cleanings that need to occurr to remove grease or pancake batter. Milesi or Renner, etc etc. is the only way to go.

It’s no different than my quartz countertop and backsplash that also should not have acidic or harsh chemicals, and I’m sure most professional contractors wouldn’t recommended against quartz behind a stove. And rubio makes a treatment for acid stains. I bought a cleaner made for the finish (similar to m quartz) and touch up is easy if needed. My contractor said that I will probably need to use the renew oil every few year which I am fine with. I am aware that it will require maintenance but most things do so I’m fine with it. Each to their own.

Yeah those cabinets look good, so how are you getting along with them now jessica lirag?