Replies

1. 
   hammer1 | Apr 18, 2009 05:40am | #1

   If you use plain sliced plywood, rather than rotary cut, there will be little difference between that and solid lumber. Stains and dyes don't really penetrate very deeply, the word penetrate hardy applies unless you are talking microscopically. As long as you have the same cut in the lumber, results should look the same or very close. You should carefully hand sand plywood to remove millscale, oxidation and surface contaminants as you do on the lumber.

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Apr 18, 2009 02:33pm | #2

   Sanding plywood should be done VERY sparingly, only with your final sanding grit, and only by hand.  Veneer these days has gotten very thin. 

   Beyond using the plain sawn plywood, part of the problem with staining ply is that grain directions are not consistent. Even plain sliced veneer has a loose and a tight side, and sometimes they are not consistently "out", making them take stain differently.  (This will always be the case with book matched veneer.) 

   Using a water borne dye for color accentuates these problems less than pigmented stains.  It would be what I would use if I had to pull together differing shades of cherry, but I would keep the dye as weak as possible.  Cherry looks best natural, and that way reveals fewer problems such as blotching.   

   Remember to make tests on scrap to make sure that your finishing schedule, from beginning to end, works the way you want it to BEFORE putting anything on the actual project.  This is particularly true when there are challenges, such as matching ply and solid lumber.   

    

2. 
   MikeHennessy | Apr 20, 2009 02:33pm | #3

   Like Hammer said -- get plain sliced ply as opposed to rotary cut so the grain matches better. I recently built some built-ins with ply/hardwood. Finished with one coat of clear Watco and a bunch of coats of garnet shellac. Turned out very nice. Here's an in-progress pic -- couldn't find any of the final project on this PC, but could post some later if you want.

   View Image

   Mike Hennessy
   Pittsburgh, PA

   
1. 
   Dondwl | Apr 20, 2009 04:01pm | #4

   Thanks to all. I am just finishing up a blanket/hope chest for granddaughter made of cherry but no plywood in it. The big project with both the hardwood and plywood will be my next project. Please do show your finished project as I always enjoy looking at others work.