Darkening finish on store-bought cabinet door

[danders70]

I have a kitchen cabinet with 2 doors, one obviously darker than the other. Is there a way to darken the light oak finish on the lighter door, without removing the factory finish? I have read about applying a tinted polyurethene or a gel stain over the original finish. Has anyone successfully tried this? Also, a long time ago I worked at a furniture store where I saw the touch-up guy completely darken an oak pedestal with some kind of toner spray. If anybody has any info on any of these or other ideas, I would appreciate it.

[Nate Perkins]

[e-mail] wrote in news:1106074634.828280.42840 @f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

Yep, it's called glazing or toning. I've done the glazing thing, using a homemade glaze of boiled linseed oil with artist's oil paint color.

Both techniques are covered in most of the basic finishing books ... by Flexner, Jewitt, etc.

[JPS]

Would you recommend any products off the shelf?

[danders70]

[Nate Perkins]

"JPS" wrote in news:1106240479.718236.44950 @c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

I've only done it a few times, using artists oil pigments and boiled linseed. Worked okay for me but the drying time was long. I was using it in conjunction with shellac (more or less universally compatible).

There are several commercially available glaze finishes at

Behlens, McCloskey, etc. Also some FAQs and instructions for applying. They pretty much all have to be mixed with some kind of color medium like japan colors etc.

Glazing is intended to create a color layer that is buried between other finish layers. So it's really intended for use with finishes that build (lacquer, shellac, etc -- not oils or most oil/varnish blends). Most of the commercial mixes seem to be compatible with most oil or water based finishes.

Check it on a scrap or inconspicuous area before committing of course ;-)

[Larry Jaques]

On 20 Jan 2005 20:04:24 -0800, the inscrutable [e-mail] spake:

About the only one you're likely to find on the shelves is Minwax PolyShades. I haven't used it, nor am I ever likely to do so, but it might work for you guys.

- Yea, though I walk through the valley of Minwax, I shall stain no Cherry.

[Nate Perkins]

Larry Jaques wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Whatever you do, be sure what you choose is compatible with the underlying sealer coat (e.g., you don't want it to attack the sealer coat).

Jeff Jewitt's newer book, "Finishing," contains a pretty good writeup in chapter 8. As JOAT would say, it's cheap to borrow at the library.