Finishing Cherry Wood Veneer

[Johnnz]

Hi all,

I have recently finished building some floorstanding loudspeakers out of MDF, and have veneered them with American Cherry Wood (0.5mm) using a product called Heatlock and a clothes iron. I would have documented the build here in the Hifi Section of the forum, but was already keeping a thread up to date in the website where the original design (for the Crossover and driver combo) was posted.

Here's the link to my build:
HTGuide Forum - Ambitious cabinet design for Nat P!
(takes you straight to the last page with the latest photos)

Anyway, I just want to run past my planned method for finishing them to make sure that no one knows any reason why it would not work well.

Using a air spray gun I plan to give a coat of sanding sealer, and then perhaps 3 or 4 coats of lacquer.

At the moment the cherry wood is rather pale and pinkish but I understand that it should become more orange/warmer hue given time.

Thanks for any advice

[Mr Brush]

Very nice job - love the design

Can't help you on the finishing, but all the cherry furniture I have has been done with a thin coat of lacquer. Definitely better to use a "coating" finish than something penetrating like oil, as cherry can tend to go a bit blotchy.

I can tell you that over the first 3-6 months the cherry will go a honey brown colour, no matter what finish you use; nothing like the fresh cut colour in your photos. Very important to make sure the speakers get even exposure to light during this time, and don't rest anything on them anywhere.

Another problem (mainly with solid cherry) is that a lot of boards have some sapwood in them, but this doesn't really show up until the heartwood starts to darken with exposure to light. The sapwood ends up a much lighter colour, and many makers go to some lengths to even the colour up using tints/stain. Hopefully you won't have this problem with veneer.

[Johnnz]

Thanks for the tips there; very helpful. I have just given them a coat of sanding sealer and after giving a light sand with 280 grit will follow up with two coats of lacquer.

The sealer I sprayed on dried so fast I am a bit concerned that with my beginner spray skills I haven't given a very even coat and am wondering how that could affect the top coats. I still have a bit left over so may give another coat of the sealer first in the spots I have doubts in.