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Wood Finishes When you look at wood cabinet doors, what you see is not always the actual color of the wood. In fact, what you see is usually wood that has been stained or dyed before being finished. Your choice of wood will have the most impact on the cabinet's ultimate look, because the wood grain and natural characteristics will show through.When purchasing stock or semi-custom cabinets, the manufacturer will have a pre-selected range of woods and colors for you to choose from. You should know that not all color stains or finish treatments will be available for all woods. When choosing a wood for your cabinets, start with a wood that is a little lighter than what the final color will be. Color stains will render the actual color of the cabinet and bring out the natural beauty of the wood. You can always darken the color of lighter woods, but it's very difficult to make dark woods lighter. Stains / Dyes Traditionally, the difference between a dye and a stain is the size of the color particle that determines how the color integrates with the wood. Both are applied directly to natural wood that has been sanded.Stains Stains have very large, insoluble particles that do not penetrate the wood, but sit in the open spaces on the surface of the wood. Which is why some woods like hard maple, which has a very dense and tight cellular structure, do not take dark stains well. Others, such as soft maple, which is less dense and more open, can be stained as dark as desired.Stains may be sprayed, brushed or wiped onto the surface. The depth and final color are determined by the length of time the stain is allowed to remain on the surface, and how hard the stain is wiped off. Using a color stain on the wood may produce different color variances. Softer areas of the wood and end grain surfaces will accept more stain and often appear darker than other areas. This is a natural reaction when finishing wood products, and potential variances in color cannot be controlled. Dyes Dyes on the other hand, have soluble, molecular sized particles that actually penetrate the wood. Since the dye is actually in the wood, it is more transparent and does not mask the wood grain and texture like pigments that remain on the surface. Any wood can be dyed any color.Sealers/Finishes A stain is not a finish. The finish can be self-sealing, or the sealer can be different from the topcoat. The sealer locks in the colorants, seals the grain, starts the filling process, and provides a coating that can be sanded.Typically, a stain will be coated with a catalytic-conversion varnish to give it durability and the desired sheen. When it's baked on, the varnish catalyzes into a hard, protective finish. Clear finishes allow the markings and grain variations of the wood to show through. Tinted or opaque finishes change the color of the wood and can make two different woods appear to be the same. Glazes can be used as a topcoat over the finish, to create decorative effects, such as an antique look. Glazes Glazes are transparent or semi-transparent stains that are applied after the sealer coat. Glazes are often used to even out a light and dark area after the staining and sealing process, and actually enhance and improve the beauty of the wood and the base finish color.Colorants Colored stains, paint and glazes will look different on different types of wood. Be sure you see the color on your choice of wood before you order. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
