choice for my hard maple cabinets.

Keith Thomas

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73
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florida
I have gotten it narrowed down. actually pretty much chosen. I have 2 samples. the one on the left is just 2 coats of toner made with lacquer and a trans tint. the one on the right was died with the same transient (in water) and then sprayed with 1 coat of the same toner. they are very similar in color as they should be having used the same dye. the one on the left is a smoother more even finish but the one on the right looks more .... I don't know how to put it. wood like maybe. has more character. or something to that nature. just wondering what opinion others may have.
 

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I think it's really a fifty/fifty for me. I like the grain pop on the left, but agree that there is more ?depth? or micro-figure? (also having trouble describing it hah) on the right.

Personally I might go with the left, but it would depend on what the boss like more really :).. Ok I asked her and she said "it depends on the color tone of the rest of the area - floor/counters, if you're in a more "warm" pallet use the one on the left, otherwise probably the one on the right".
 
Looks like the left wins. 2 a possible 1 . We weren't 100% certain as to which one but were leaning left. AND after I thought of how much more work doing the dye would be as it involves a whole extra step of staining by hand plus grain raising and extra sanding it seems more reasonable. As Ryan said I to think the right one has a little more depth and something ... but its not worth all the extra work. Just using the toner is not only easier but much safer as to getting the color even.
 
Another vote for the left one. The rougher surface on the right one is because the water you used with the dye caused the fibers in the wood to stand up (called "raising the grain"). The slightly rougher surface will be harder to keep clean in a kitchen. Using denatured alcohol instead of water will lessen that grain raising.
 
late but a opinion just the same.. left all day long and if yu decide to dye and top coat use dna not water for the transtint,, to me the right side will never match the look on the left.. i have toned a lot of lacquer and sealcoat to get colors i wanted on many projects.
 
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