How Much Will Cherry Kitchen Cabinets Darken?

Cherry Wood Description

• When cut and turned into lumber, cherry wood ranges in color based on which part of the tree trunk from which the lumber is cut. The outer wood of the tree trunk produces sapwood in light to medium shades, with the wood becoming darker as it reaches the center where, at its heart, the wood is a dark shade of red. Two grades of cherry wood are used: common stock and premium. The former is moderately priced, has the most color variations and frequently has knots in the lumber. The latter type is knot free, more consistent in color and significantly more expensive.

Darkening Process

• Cherry wood is extremely sensitive to both natural and unnatural light, which appreciably darken the wood over time. When planning your kitchen decor, you should use cherry wood samples from the furniture store that have been exposed to natural light for a minimum of six months to get the most accurate color for your cabinets final finish. Also consider that if you add new cabinets to the room a few months after the initial installation, they will be noticeably lighter in color than the original ones. After all the cabinets have been installed, those near windows or glass-paned doors will darken more than those lining the interior walls of the kitchen.

Treatment Options

• If the thought of your cabinets changing colors over time makes you uneasy, you can stain them with a dark color that will remain stable, or let the wood darken naturally and develop depth in the color of the wood grain. Applying special wood conditioners to cherry before staining will help the stain uniformly penetrate the wood and keep color variations to a minimum. Stained cabinets hold up better with a top coat of polyurethane sealant or varnish to protect the surfaces and make them easier to maintain.

Complementary Decor

• Regardless of how you choose to treat and finish cherry wood cabinets, they will be dark in color. Installing recessed ceiling lamps that shine light into dark corners brightens the room as do light-colored appliances and countertops. White ceilings and walls painted in pastel colors highlight the rich tones of the wood and open up the room.