I had a need to do a repair on some wooden trim in a kitchen. The new wood is the same type and grain as the piece that was removed, but the color is considerably different. The old wood was cleaned well, but it has a dark color such as would be expected considering the age and environment. How could I color or stain the new wooden piece to closely approximate the color of the older, weathered wood?
Wood – How to match the color of old wood with stain after a repair
stainingwood
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You took the wind out of my sails with that last paragraph. I was going to suggest using a nut/bolt.
As far as it causing problems when the tabletop is lowered, you can recess the bolt head. Yeah, you could make the cavity in which the bolt will stay on the underside of the tabletop, but maybe you'll drill too far or crack/scratch the tabletop if you chisel it out. It could end badly... which is why you should instead house the bolt head on the top-side of the cross member.
Brown = table top
Black = underlying cross member
The one on the left is what you were talking about. The one on the right is what you want to do.
Also, use a washer under the bolt head, etc.
Per the question, I used Minwax until it faded, but it was still quite obvious and visible (close to the last pic in the question post).
Then, taking a page from the "mayo and ashes" tip, I mixed 1-part mayonnaise (Hellman's) to 1-part baking soda (not baking powder; I used Arm & Hammer brand) as a cigarette ashes replacement. I rubbed the mixture along the grain directions using a paper towel and some pressure.
The stain faded, then vanished. The resulting wood is smooth, and considering the baking soda is abrasive, appears unscratched. After wiping off the mayo mix, my table may smell like a turkey sandwich, but it's beautiful again.
Now all I have to do is polish off all the Minwax buildup from my earlier cleaning attempts.
I would never have thought of going with the grain had I not spoken to the lady from Restore and Adore, and had the baking soda idea fell through, I would have gone with the "last resort" 4 0 steel wool with a lot of Minwax applied.
Pic of the repair:
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Best Answer
Most of the wood finish displays at your local home center will have samples. They will show what the finish looks like on various wood types. The issue with matching older trim is the colors change as the product ages and there are variations from batch to batch. I have had the best luck by bringing an original sample and matching it to the display for similar wood. If it is close but a little light you can try multiple coats to see if it will darken. You can also add a few drops of a darker or colored stain in small batches to alter it slightly. Try various mixes of finish on multiple scraps of the replacement wood keeping track of the formula of each sample.