Oak veneered mdf - colour matching to exsisting furniture???

[raygs]

I have made some furniture units using oak veneered mdf (really nice grain) which I wish to colour match to an exsisting dark oak table and dresser. I've tried various stains and varnishes but so far unable to get the depth of colour I need without loss of grain detail. Any suggestions?

 

[Bespoke]

Hi

It would help if you could post photos of what you want to match to. If you can’t let me have the photos and I will host them for you. Contact can be made through my website.

 

[Bespoke]

Hi Team

Ray sent the photos and this is a copy of the email I sent him.

Hi Ray

I guess the original furniture was produced from Red Oak not white oak this is down to cost and red oak being very much cheaper than white oak plus the fact that it was going to be stained dark so no point in the manufacture using white oak, as well as the normal Joe not knowing the difference. Red oak as a light to dark red appearance plus it grain is a lot more course than white oak and courser the grain the more stain it will take up. Red oak was and still is used by the kitchen manufactures for there dark oak kitchens.

So you will not get white oak looking like red oak due to the coarseness of the grain they are total two different animals but still part of the oak family its like having a black sheep of the family.

Sorry if this as come a bit of a shock but I cant wrap it up and put a pick bow on it I have to tell it the way it is other wish I would be giving you misleading information. The best thing I can recommend is two things as you have already tried umpteen times to get the project looking right and the timber as that much stain impregnated in it is to start again but using red oak veneered board. And when you have a couple of off cuts about A4 size send them to me and I will have a play.

Don’t use oil based varnish it will turn yellow / honey and that will give you a totally different colour. ( check out my other postings and you will see I have a soap box I stand on regarding varnish )

I hope this is of some help.

Finally I hope you don’t mind but I will publish this on the forum just to help others would you mind