DIYbanter - View Single Post

: wrote:

: . It seems to me that the new wood should more
closely
: match the existing wood RIGHT FROM DAY ONE. Am I off base
here?
: Should I pay him the balance for his work, or should I demand
that he
: replace the new lighter wood with something closer in color?
Thanks!

And in a few months you'll bitch that it is too dark. Wood darkens with
exposure to UV. Some will change in days, others take longer. Cherry is one
of the fastest to react. While the surface changes first you do get some
penetration, especially over the number of years the house has been there.

If you don't believe me, go to any woodworking shop and ask to see a board
planed. You'll be amazed at the color difference when you take off the top
1/16th or so. Beside, the floor guy did not make the wood, it comes from
trees. The most common way he can change the color is to stain it. When he
does that, the color will never be the same years from now if the rest of
the floor is unstained. .

You can also darken oak with ammonia fumes to achieve the mission oak or
Stickly style. Other woods react greatly to sodium hydroxide (lye) and can
be ages in minutes.