Why you don't try to match or select color by just using a stain's "name"

[kmealy]

Here are 7 different stains by 3 different manufacturers (Minwax, Valspar, General Finishes) on the same wood. 

Can you imagine if I'd just selected one by name and missed the target?  

 

top: Provincial

middle row: Mahogany, "New Caramel", Dark Cherry

bottom row: Mahogany Gel, Mahogany, Medium Cherry

 

 

[Fred W. Hargis Jr]

I was following a thread on another forum where someone posted a pic of something and asked what color stain was it. He claimed his cabinet maker (he said this was on $100K of custom cabinets) couldn't get it right. I didn't bother mentioning that sometimes colors come out very different on a computer screen. Anyway, after being told it was an experimental process to get things to match his picture it runed out out he didn't have time to screw with it. So the next question was "what finish can I apply that's durable and easy to remove so I can get them installed and work on the color problem in 6 months?". There sure are some strange questions asked at times about finishing. My reply to him was that "durable" and "easy to remove" are almost contradictory when talking about finishes.

[Gunny]

3 minutes ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

I was following a thread on another forum where someone posted a pic of something and asked what color stain was it. He claimed his cabinet maker (he said this was on $100K of custom cabinets) couldn't get it right. I didn't bother mentioning that sometimes colors come out very different on a computer screen. Anyway, after being told it was an experimental process to get things to match his picture it runed out out he didn't have time to screw with it. So the next question was "what finish can I apply that's durable and easy to remove so I can get them installed and work on the color problem in 6 months?". There sure are some strange questions asked at times about finishing. My reply to him was that "durable" and "easy to remove" are almost contradictory when talking about finishes.

 

I remember that thread and the many replies.  Seems guy was in a rush. Only wanted instant fix in a can and done.  

[Fred W. Hargis Jr]

He was in a rush, like how quickly can I spend $100K and not get what  want.