What the oak???

[dh]

OK, so I got a little set back in laminating up the walls, so I decided to build a cabinet. This is the FIRST time I have ever done this type of wood working. I went to Lowes and picked up some decently straight red oak (they didn't have white oak) boards. I did some stain samples, and didn't like the oak stain I picked up, but I tried some Cherry I had laying around, and like the way it looks, so I'm going with it. Now, in the center of the frame, I have a solid pannle where the TV will mount, and behind it in the gally the microwave will sit, but, when I went back to lowes to get a little pre-cut piece of plywood, all they had was white oak. How differently will the red and white oak take stains? Since the cherry is red, will I be ok if I let it sit just a little longer? I'm not too worried about the pannle where the TV goes because it will all be in shadow, but I do not want to pay $40 for a full sheet of white oak Ply just to make two cabinet doors.

By the way, while I was there I asked where the Malamime was, the reply, "What is MALLY-MINE?"

[afreegreek]

OK, so I got a little set back in laminating up the walls, so I decided to build a cabinet. This is the FIRST time I have ever done this type of wood working. I went to Lowes and picked up some decently straight red oak (they didn't have white oak) boards. I did some stain samples, and didn't like the oak stain I picked up, but I tried some Cherry I had laying around, and like the way it looks, so I'm going with it. Now, in the center of the frame, I have a solid pannle where the TV will mount, and behind it in the gally the microwave will sit, but, when I went back to lowes to get a little pre-cut piece of plywood, all they had was white oak. How differently will the red and white oak take stains? Since the cherry is red, will I be ok if I let it sit just a little longer? I'm not too worried about the pannle where the TV goes because it will all be in shadow, but I do not want to pay $40 for a full sheet of white oak Ply just to make two cabinet doors.

By the way, while I was there I asked where the Malamime was, the reply, "What is MALLY-MINE?"

white oak and red oak are different colours so they won't look the same unless you're into tinting and shading to match. even a real good wood finisher would not get a real good match but so what?? just go for it. in the end it will still look fine..

to minimize the difference you can seal the wood with a thinned out coat of shellac, lacquer, or poly-urethane to seal the grain, then sand in straight lines with the grain BY HAND ( a sanding block and paper, not an electric hand held sander) with 150 or 180 grit and stain it after. the goal is to put a set of long straight scratches from one end to the other. once you apply the stain you wipe off the excess across the grain so you don't wipe the pigment out of the sanding scratches..

[S. Heisley]

Ask for Formica or counter tops. Then, they will understand. In Lowes, the counters and laminate sheets (Formica type) are usually one aisle over from the kitchen cabinets. There are also samples for special orders of Formica and Wilsonart laminates and other types of counter materials which can be found in the back of the cabinet section. Home Depot carries counter top samples in the cabinet section also.

[dh]

Malamime typically refers to a mdf core with white plastic laminate on both sides, like what you see inside a cabinet or drawer. Usually it is with the plywood as it comes in 4x8 sheets. Irronically, I can currently get a sheet of oak ply cheaper than a sheet of malamime.

[S. Heisley]

I've seen the long double laminated boards that you are talking about; but only at lumber shops that cater to the cabinet-making crowd. If you can use smaller pieces for your purpose, look in the shelving area of the big box stores.

[dh]

Actually, Lowes carries it down here.