Stain matching alder to cherry

Darren Wright

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Springfield, Missouri
I've stopped by the wood store several times over the last few months looking to see if they have any cherry in stock. Asked the guy there and he said they never get any request for it, so wouldn't order it. I did find they had some Alder that was close in color to cherry. I don't think it darkens as much a Cherry does over time. I've done a few test pieces, with and without stain and narrowed down to two processes that give me very close matches.

My vanity is unstained cherry that was sealed and coated with poly, no stain. The one on the left was shellac'd, sanded lightly, then stained, the one on the right was simply stained. The one on the left currently matches the unstained cherry the best (when in sunlight and under incandescents). But the one on the right is only slightly darker and may match better over time.

2013-07-01 20.50.53.jpg

Would my thinking to go darker now be a better choice?

The vanity does sit under a skylight, so will get lots of sun over the next few years.
 
Alder will not darken much as it ages. In the long term, you will not have a match, unless you are clairvoyant. I'd be real reluctant to put them side by side.

It is hard to believe that you cannot get cherry where you are. It's not like you live in the hicks. :rofl:
 
You could always home brew up some cherry molding on your router table...

That's what I did for my entertainment center.
 
Liberty hardwoods (I think thats right ) or Paxtons would have it they may only be wholesale but they could tell you some of there customers in the area that would resale to you. You have 2 Very large suppliers in your area. They deliver down here twice a week so I know they have it.
 
Cool, Thanks Carol & Jay! The alder is going up temporarily since I have it and a deadline to have it done this week. I'll find some in the next few weeks so that I can get the colors to age about the same though.
 
I haven't started it as I was going to cut the pieces to size first, but have poly drying in the shop, so not stirring up any dust until this weekend (thursday). I plan to just use the miniwax cherry directly and let it sit for a bit, which had a good match on the test piece.
 
All it takes to buy from a wholesale lumber yard is to act like a wholesale customer... Don't walk in and ask to pick the boards, but say "I want 50 board feet of FAS 4/4 Cherry - is there a big price break if I up the order to 100 bf?

One of my favorite mail order wood sources is Wall Lumber. www.walllumber.com (notice 3 L in a row). Steve Wall has been selling "mail order" for decades - and I have never heard a complaint. Right now they are having a sale on 100 board foot bundles of 4/4 cherry rough cut for $395 plus freight. Last time I ordered 100 bf it cost about $100 shipping to Texas, when I ordered 300 bf shipping was about $220. Big savings if you pick it up at the local truck terminal (they will call when it arrives, and you can get it 18-24 hours per day in the next couple days. They will take it to the parking lot by fork lift, and you can break the bundle and take your time loading it.)

I wouldn't bet on the Alder being satisfactory next to cherry in the long run.
 
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Thanks Charlie, I mostly need to get something up for next weekend when my wife has her quarterly meeting with her group here at the house. I'll probably replace it after that when I find some cherry moulding. I've got about 30 linear feet of the alder, so will probably be working on some picture frame projects with the left overs. ;)
 
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