*
I would like to finish off some maple cabinets with a light stain and I’m having a tough time getting a uniform finish. The problem is that the end grain always darkens up. I’ve tried stain conditioners and gel stain without much luck. How the heck do the cabinet manufacturers get a perfectly uniform color? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks, Steve
Replies
*
Maple is at best, a difficult wood to stain. You can try to experiment with different cuts of shellac on the end grain, to even out the absorption of the stain. Another method is to use a glue size. I have used diluted hide glue, and it works very well, other people say they use white or yellow glue, but I don’t have the nerve to try that. The real trick is to get whatever you use to go where you want it and not where you don’t. I end up using small brushes to carefully apply the sealer.
*It sounds like you are using a pigmented stain. Try using a dye instead. It should color the end grain the same as the rest of the wood.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled