Matching new wood to old

[2Needlenoses]

Hi Don! I posted under a different thread before finding you here. My husband and I found a dry sink that will be perfect to use for our kitchen island. Upon stripping it, we found that it is poplar, which we love. We had to replace two drawer fronts with NEW poplar from the local hardware store. We are now ready to put some type of clear finish on the piece, but first we need to match the new wood to the old. Please help.

Thanks!

[Don]

Hey, Needle and welcome to the forum. Well, your problem is simply going to fall under the heading of "Is there an artist in the house?"

Your existing wood undoubtedly shows the patina of age, oxidation, use, various cleaning/polishing compounds, old finish(es) and the like. Once you stripped it you probably "melded" those elements together to create something that looks somewhere between old and new, am I right? As they like to say, "You simply can't get there from here."

Anything you do is simply going to be a compromise, more than likely you will always be able to tell the difference, but with that being said there are things you can do.

First off, consider camouflage, can the fronts be painted or stained a contrasting color that would still compliment the piece. Black, satin black, an accent color that you are using in the kitchen or other places. An accent color with a gold leaf banding for example. Something to think about, sometimes we get too caught up in, "it has to match."

Second, is there wood somewhere else on the piece that would have been a better choice to use for the fronts? Is there a shelf, back or bottom that could be sacrificed and replaced, the old wood being replaced with new and the old used for the fronts?

Third, you simply have to experiment on some scrap wood. One of the best things you could have done, and it may be too late now, was to have the the pieces ready when you were stripping the original and use that "emulsion" for "stain", the logic being that the finishes and tone of the original would help bring the new in line. That would have been an experiment though, sometimes it simply does not work. Oxidation and ultraviolet exposure is something you can replicate in a short time. Get some small cans of something like Minwax stains and mix and match until you get something that is close by experimenting on the new scraps. This is the only thing that I can tell you for the short answer. This will take a good eye and some patience. Don't be afraid to make some dents and dings in the new stuff, be sure to give it the same "character" the the original does, that goes a long way as well.

Give us a picture of the situation, maybe others will have ideas as well.

All the best, Don

[2Needlenoses]

test picture. Can you see it? I'm new to this. :confused:

c:

[2Needlenoses]

Okay, I see that the picture showed up. Thanks for your reply to my request. You can clearly see the two new drawers in this picture. We still have the doors and all the old hardware and intend to use it/them. We are getting an oiled soapstone top for the drysink. I think we're going to really like it when it's finished. Sorry it took me so long to get back to check on my answer, but we have been redoing the whole kitchen!! YIKES!! I will experiment with some stains, antiquing gel, etc.

Thanks again!

[Don]

Hey, Needle. Thanks for the picture. Does not look like you are too far off. My previous suggestions should still get you in the ballpark. I doubt that it will stand out too much if you are going to try and match the existing knotty pine cabinets.

Good luck and show us some during and after pictures.

dawjr

[2Needlenoses]

Well, our knotty pine cabinets no longer look like knotty pine. It has been a L-O-N-G process, but we have painted them white! We had lived with the darkness far too long. Finally got rid of that horrible floor too! We are planning to keep the drysink natural, because we like poplar and it might be used as something else in another room someday. I will send a picture when we get it completed, but don't hold your breath. It will be months! We never seem to finish one project before starting another.