Hello Bob Morgan,
I have followed your videos but this is the first time that I am writing to you.
We have a very nice custom closet made of Melamine boards. The color of the Veneer of these boards is "Sunrise" or "Honey Apple". I have tried locally but can't match the exact color. I need to make more shelves in the closet (wife wants it)
How do you suggest that I go about ordering something from you website that will get me close enough to the desired color?
Thanks,
Arv
Wow! Arv, You have given me a hard question to answer. Thank you for your email. I'll give you my thoughts on this, but just be aware that matching colors and grains can be daunting.
The commercial furniture manufacturers have their methods and formulas of stains and finishes that tend to turn out a whole line of furniture that is very similar from one piece to the next. That's how they can offer a wide variety of furniture (in your case shelving) that goes well together across the spectrum of their various products.
Now ---- that's a quick description of what the furniture manufacturers do . ------- If you want to try to match the color, grain, and tone of an existing piece, it isn't easy. You will need to do some experimenting.
The thing is, you can experiment with your stains, get the color you want, and then when you apply a finish, the finish will add a new element into the appearance of your workpiece...........Guess what? ..........This might change the color and tone enough that you need to try again.
This is all summed up very simply: You will need to mix some stains, experiment with the colors, and when you think you have found the color that you want, you will need to put a finish on the piece to see how the final appearance turns out. This can be a challenging and tedious process.
What species do you need to choose? ----- This is another "best guess" choice. You have to use some common sense. You can go with a light wood, such as Maple, and try to stain it to your target color. Then again, if you can find a species that is already close to the color that you want, you could go with it and apply just enough stain to amend the color to your satisfaction.
But what about the grain?? The grains of different species can vary considerably. If you are looking to match the color and the grain, you will have to make some savvy choices (common sense choices) that -- hopefully -- will lead down the pathway to your desired appearance. Of course, the more you demand in the way of color and grain, the harder it will be to get the final appearance of what you want.
Oh! ---= Don't forget -- The colors and grains of a species can (often do) vary from log to log. Mother nature is in charge. You may look at a photo or image of a species and decide that this is what you are looking for. You make your purchase, and then you find out that what you purchased varies in grain and color from the photo.
Arv, it just boils down to one simple fact: You can get close to what you are looking for in color and grain, but the long and short of it is, there are no guarantees, and it will take patience, common sense, mixing the stains, testing, and patience. How do I know? I've been there and one that.
One final note of advice: I have invariably found that the color of a stain that is shown on a sample swatch or on the label of the can of stain, is lighter on the swatch or label than what you get when you apply the stain. I don't know why this is, but it just seems to always be that way, in my experience.
Regards,
Bob Morgan, pres.