Not sure how to reproduce this finish.

[jmdeacon]

Long time lurker on this forum.  I've aquired quite the Festool collection and it has made a big difference in the quaility of my work.  All the finishing I have done so far is with minwax stains and polyurethane and one project with an oil finish.

I would like to refinish my 25 year old kitchen cabinets.  I believe they are made from red oak.  I really like the current finish and would like to attempt to replicate the look.  I think this might be "whitewashed" but when I look at youtube videos about whitewashing red oak, the finishes appear whiter and more bleached out that what I am seeing in my house.  I have attached some pictures of what mine look like now.  I would appreciate some advice on what to do to reproduce this.

Thanks,

John

 

[chrisrosenb]

That is a pickled finish. I was taught to wipe a light color paint on & then wipe it right back off. The paint stays in the pores of the & any grooves. Then clear coat the wood. Search for pickled finish on youtube & google. 

 

[tjbnwi]

Cerused/limed finish.

Tom

 

[tiralie]

Cerused/limed finish.

Yes, cerused or limed finish. The term "cerused" is widely used and can be a created by a chemical reaction with the oak using Lye or with pigmented paint. Woca makes a pre colour white wood lye for cerusing or liming oak. You can also create this effect with thinned white pigmented paint over stained and sealed red or white oak.

Tim

 

[jmdeacon]

Yes, I can see that cerused is what was done.  I will look up how to do it and try it out on some scrap pieces to see if I am doing it right.  Looks like I can sand the flat surfaces and not worry about the white down in the grooves since that will just fill in the same.

Thanks,

John