Posted: 11/29/2024 12:03:52 AM EDT
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I have some mulberry that I made some stuff for my wife out of. My issue is mulberry like cherry and some other woods changes color as it ages. I think its from oxidation. Is this right or is it just from exposure to the UV rays? Anyways I have this stuff I made for the wife and its now the green color that freshly worked mulberry is. It came from well aged wood (3-5 years) that was the very nice chocolate brown color that mulberry gets as it ages. A picture for those that haven't used mulberry wood. The top pieces are freshly planed and sawn and the brown bottom piece is what it looks like before.  So my question is if I put a finish on this, oil finish, polyurethane or whatever will it still age to that chocolate brown color? |
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I'm not sure what your asking for but your on the right track. It's a combination of age and oxidation. Some weather better than others. There are some that look beautiful after some time on the shelf. Cocobolo, purple heart, Teak and curly Koa are some that stand out in my mind. |
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Its a combination of oxidation and UV or sunlight exposure. How much of either depends on the species of wood. Maybe finish too and how thoroughly sealed you furniture or thing is. I turned a couple small vases and bowls out of macadamia wood that I bought on ebay a long time ago. They were just incredible figure, lacey madulary rays I guess. But in a couple years, it was just a deep chocolate brown, and that vivid ray fleck pattern was completely gone. Im glad I didnt buy more, wasnt very cheap wood Cherry I think is more affectec by UV or light, than just oxidation. Thats easy to test. |
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Originally Posted By Skunkeye: Padauk is really sad that way. Beautiful orange color when freshly sawn...then basic brown for the life of the piece. Nothing gold can stay.  That's another one that drastically changes. I've got a bowl made of Padauk I turned a couple years ago that got a natural finish when done. It looks mostly dark brown today. I've got another chunk out in the shop I should turn and leave unfinished just to see what happens. |
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Not really anything you can do to stop it. Maybe, possibly slow it down a little with a UV resistant finish completely covering every surface such as spar varnish. But the problem is spar varnish is soft as it's meant to be used outdoors and allow some wood movement without the finish cracking. Seal the wood completely and keep it out of the sun, you may get another year or two out of it keeping its freshly milled color. |
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I guess some of you didn't catch what I was asking. I want the wood to age to a darker color. I'm concerned that if I put a finish on it it won't age to the darker color. All finishes or just certain ones better to allow the wood to darken. I have a thing I made for the wife out of Mulberry thats been sitting on a window ledge without any finish for several months waiting for it to darken before I finish it. |
Either we're all retards or your post was worded poorly.  Anyway, I've never worked with mulberry so I can't comment on darkening it. However, I have plenty of experience with cherry and it will definitely darken even after a finish is applied and it isn't in the sun. This happens rather quickly with cherry, but again, I can't comment on mulberry. |
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Originally Posted By Need4Guns: Cherry is one of the worst woods in terms of color change over the years. Even when it's finished. It's not a bad thing, you just have to plan your finish around that fact. Cherry is one you really have to stain and finish quickly or it changes color(turn a dark gray) after planing and sanding. I'm talking maybe a month. You cant even let the cherry boards sit out on a table before assembly or they start aging at any spot that is open to light and air. So if in a stack you will have weird outlines on the boards of what was covered vs what was open to light and air. |
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Here are cherry tables made 20 years apart!! I think cherry ages beautifully- there is no stain just several coats of polyurethane Attached File |
Life is full of choices -- You live with the consequences
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Originally Posted By Chinook3: Here are cherry tables made 20 years apart!! I think cherry ages beautifully- there is no stain just several coats of polyurethane https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/45417/IMG_2691_jpeg-3582361.JPG I whole heartedly agree with you. The aged Cherry is gorgeous. Overall I'd say aged/darkened wood is always nicer. Maybe I'll just coat the thingie I made for my wife from mulberry with Polyurethane and whatever happens happens. Its not like it took alot to make it. Thanks |
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From a guy who worked for a dozen years or so restoring colonial homes and barns in New England------ Chestnut was used for flooring and beams locally and it turns quite dark , pretty much no live chestnut left so I couldn't tell you how long it takes to darken or really what color it started as. Local Popular , called Tulip for shape of the leaves , also called "whitewood" as the heartwood of fresh cut wood is quite white with streaks of purple green and grey. Also used for flooring and beams , starts out only medium hard ,cuts and planes very easily . Flooring gets real tough with age , almost as tough as oak. In 6 to 10 years it turns a rich dark chocolate brown |