Cherry Sapwood

[Peter Jacobson]

Has anyone else had an issue with cherry sapwood turning a deep orange color? It's not that its bad, but just not as pretty as white sapwood between the warm red of the heartwood and the brown of the bark on a natural edge bowl. More importantly, does anyone know how to prevent the orange from returning after I sand it back to white? Thanks.

 

[Kevin Weir]

Never encountered that before. Do you have a pic?

 

[Michael Anderson]

I’ve had that issue before with green Black Cherry. Sort of like Bradford Pear (and many other woods), the sapwood seems to oxidize dramatically. That said, once fully dry, I’ve always been able to sand it back to white-ish (or at least the normal sapwood color) without it returning to orange (beyond the normal browning that occurs during aging).

 

[robo hippy]

It seems that a lot of fruit woods with white sap wood, will do this. Just because I suppose. The problem is that when you sand it out, some of the orange goes away easily, and some doesn't. I learned not to worry about it. After a year or so, all the white will turn orange anyway.

robo hippy

 

[Randy Anderson]

I've had it happen before, same as Michael mentions and same as on Bradford Pear though not usually as bad. Doesn't always happen but when it does it can be a bear to sand back to the original tone. Once you break through to the lighter toned wood it will make the rest look even worse. Turns into an all or nothing process. I don't know why sometimes it does, sometimes not and not all over. Haven't found a link to some sort of difference like time of year cut, etc, If I think it's going to be a problem then I soak the pieces in a 50/50 mix of water and liquid dish soap prior to putting up to dry. Makes the sanding process of getting the oxidation layer off a lot easier.

 

[Kirk Amidon]

Yes, I've had many cherry bowls "Rust" during the drying process. That coloration is easily removed during second turning, or via sanding. It has not come back on any bowls which have been finished. The vexing thing is that not all cherry does this, and so far I've not been able to ascertain why some does and some does not.

 

[Brian Gustin]

Same thing can happen with black walnut - heartwood color bleeds into sapwood, seemingly... (Why walnut is often steamed to get a more even color for less sapwood waste) Also happens with Apple wood, though it can depend on which tree it comes from - as it can with black cherry - some the sapwood stayed white all by itself, even after months of drying
(I almost wonder now that I think of it if that sapwood bleed can be related to the wood's moisture content - if a half log was dried bark on first, kinda wonder if sapwood would stay white? )

 

[David Gilbert]

I have some cherry in my shop right now that has the orange sapwood problem. I've sanded and finished several bowls with my tung oil/polyurethane/naptha finish and the orange is still there. I don't love it but not sure that there is much to do about it. I turn green to finish and this tree came down only four weeks ago so it is pretty fresh.

 

[hockenbery]

it but not sure that there is much to do about it

I have been known to restore white sapwood using the 2 part Klean strip wood bleach.

A couple of tricks for keeping whitish sapwood
Turn the wood soon after harvesting before the sapwood color deteriorates
Compresses air will blow much of the heartwood moisture off the sapwood before the staining sets.

 

[Brent@TurnRobust]

Also make sure your sanding direction carries the sapwood dust into the heart wood, and not the other way around.