Brand New Maple Cabinets...Stain?
 

I am new to woodworking/cabinetry but am doing pretty well. I have built speaker boxes for years and have great tools but actually doing custom cabinets is much different.

My question is I have just re-done my entire kitchen with Maple hardwood fronts and Import Maple Plywood sides/shelves. I want to stain the cabinets dark like the (Minwax Bombay Mohagany Color).

My questions are is what do I need to know and what do I need to do to achieve this?

Any input appreciated!

thanks

If the wood is prefinished, or finished, you can't stain them. And veneers are usually too thin to strip and sand down fot staining. Minwax makes a product called Polyshades, poly with stain mixed in. I have never had satisfactory results from it, but you could try it on some scrap pieces. It tends to pool and the pooled areas are darker.

You might want to re-post this in the painting section of this web site for a better response...........................not that just bills response was bad. Just the fact the you will get more responses.

thanks ill try that

Maple is a wood that needs to be conditioned prior to putting the stain on or it will blotch up. I used Minwax,"Merlot" water stain on my maple cabinets. Water stain I found to be a little harder to work with then the oil stains. Once I used a Fuji sprayer on them, it was so much easier then a rag or brush.
Ron

I had built my cabinets for a pantry and recently built a bookshelf/storage unit for under stairs. It was made from maple veneer plywood and trimmed in solid oak. I simply brushed on Minwax (Cherry), 1 coat. let dry. then 2-3 coats of Minwax Polyurethane (sanding lightly between coats).. if i wanted it darker, I would have applied a second coat of stain. everyone that has seen these have been very impressed.

I think the suggestion of trying on a piece of scrap/cut-off will show you what you will get.

good luck

rod

Stain contains solid pigments and dense woods like maple don't take it easily or consistently.

I'd really suggest a dye as opposed to a stain. Dye can be put into alcohol and applied...The alcohol evaporates and the liquid-based color is left. You can also use water but I'd go with alcohol. It works awesome, is cheap and easy, and it will look a heck of a lot better than stain. TransTint is the dye I usually use.

Practice on scraps of both maple ply and solid maple as the absorbtion rate will vary.
Ron

Well, this will probably curl a few eye brows, and would certainly require some practice and planning in order to maintain consistancy through a complete set of cabinets, but as long as you are experimenting, and want to go dark, with maple I would also try a torch. It can create a very unique look.

The phrase would be, "singe a few eyebrows".
Ron

Soooo... maybe that's what happened to the ol' boy I used to watch do this!