When undertaking a San Diego custom remodeling project, one of the more challenging aspects of the interior design could be matching new wood finishes to existing wood finishes. The San Diego community has undergone many large development periods of housing over the last century, and homes of all designs and styles range from the 1800’s to present day construction. Many of the homes predating the post-war housing boom have been mostly preserved historically, but remodeled or updated throughout as ownership and functionality changed. Often times in a San Diego custom remodel there are numerous areas of the house where the transition from old to new are present, and require unique wood finish approaches for a seamless transition.
The wood species availability of today varies greatly from when many of these older homes were constructed, and to maximize yields of certain species of wood, manufactures turn to different cutting and growth methods to keep up with demand. The issue with these modern methods of wood farming is there can be great variation of color between boards from the same tree, difference in wood grain structure due to rapid growth, and inability to evenly accept finishes. These variations may not be a huge concern where the materials being installed in the house are all newer and relatively consistent, however when the older wood from old growth forests is mixed with the newer growth lumber of today there is quite the noticeable difference.
Old growth lumber grew slowly in virgin forests for centuries, while most modern tree farms have a maturation of between 7-15 years. The main issue with staining and finishing modern wood is “grain reversal” where unlike the old growth lumber, the modern lumber absorbs the stain in reverse due to the growth methods mentioned earlier. Newer environmentally friendly formulas and obsolete products can sometime make matching existing wood finishes a daunting task.
There are a wide variety of wood finishes available, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, and experimenting with different methods is often the best way to find the closest match. Often the “all in one” products and canned wood stain/finishes from the big box stores yield lackluster results, usually not even comparable to the sample color advertised. Two methods we use to get closer finish matches between surfaces are a method called “glazing”, and manipulation of the surface color by using film forming finishes with a dye or tint to shade the wood to match an existing patina. The issue of grain reversal mentioned earlier will be especially prevalent when attempting to use a penetrating stain or finish, however sealing the wood with an oil or film finish allows us to manipulate the surface color by controlling exactly how much pigment remains in our finish.
Many polyurethanes and lacquers can be tinted with a special dye to match a uniform stain or finish surface, and they don’t penetrate into the wood causing blotching or uneven color. Shellac is another finish commonly found on old woodwork, and as it seals the surface it is also effective at providing a base to control coloration without the wood absorbing any of the pigment. The method of glazing works well on smaller areas due to the application method, and is mainly used to match wood patina with multiple tones of color. We often start the glazing process with a base color, of either wood dye or with a tinted film finish. After drying the surface is then sealed with a sealer, and glazed over with either a gel stain or similar product designed to dry on a previously finished surface. Follow up coats may be needed to achieve certain colors or depth, which is where the samples and experimentation on similar materials is crucial. After a satisfactory color is achieved, a wood finish can be applied to protect the colored surface.
The glazing process is much more involved and potentially difficult to correct errors so it is recommended to work in smaller areas, or to practice before beginning to apply on any finished work.
Using the materials and methods we previously mentioned we have successfully restored, and repaired numerous wood details in historical homes throughout San Diego during the custom remodel. With patience and experimentation, we have been able to create seamless repairs on surfaces, repair or replace damaged vintage or antique wood surfaces with newer materials and matching existing wood finishes on newer homes with custom woodworking.
Hickory Heart specializes in unique creations catered towards your vision and home aesthetic throughout San Diego County. With over 10 years of custom remodeling and building, we pride ourselves in bringing your home improvement projects to reality. Many modern designs and visions can require a non-traditional approach to construction; creative problem solving throughout building, and exceptional planning to achieve the desired finished appearance. With our experience we deliver the highest quality of work in a timely manner with a personalized attention to the details. Click here to view our project portfolio, or reach out to us today for a free estimate!
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