How to colour match different plywood with stain or varnish?

tig

My partner and I are refurbishing a Millard York caravan with an exposed plywood interior. We purchased an initial piece of 12mm C/D ply to build the dinettes which seems to have rose undertones to it. We then selected a merbau benchtop which we thought matched nicely with the rosey dinettes. Unfortunately the next time we bought 12mm C/D ply it was completely different! Now the rest of our cabinetry has yellowy undertones. I think the original piece we bought must have been a one off! 

Is there anything we could apply (stain or varnish) that might make the new plywood look very subtly rosier? It would need to be very light. We mistakenly applied some old Cabot's satin varnish but it has yellowed the wood further so will need to sand that back off.

thank you for your advice!

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @tig. It's sensational to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about plywood.

It sounds like you've encountered a common issue when working with plywood—different batches can have varying tones, even when they’re technically the same grade. The initial piece of plywood you purchased likely had a more hardwood-based laminate, which could explain the rose undertones. It’s possible that it was a cover sheet used for packaging purposes, which is sometimes different from the standard C/D grade ply beneath it.

To match the tone of the original plywood with the new, yellower batch, there are a few steps you can take. Staining will likely be your best bet, as it will allow you to control the final colour. Since you're aiming for a very subtle rosy tone, I’d recommend testing a few stains before committing to a full application. A product like Cabot's 250ml Tint Base Water-Based Stain and Varnish could work well. It’s a versatile product, and you can ask the team in-store to help you mix colours that might replicate those rose tones you liked from the original plywood. A meranti stain could be a good starting point, as meranti often has that reddish, rose-like undertone.

Before applying any new stain or varnish, you’ll need to sand off the old Cabot’s satin varnish that yellowed the wood, as you mentioned. This will ensure a fresh, clean surface that will take the new stain properly. After sanding, clean the surface well to remove any dust before applying the stain. Start with a test patch on a hidden area to check how the new stain interacts with the plywood and how subtle the final colour is.

Once you’ve found the right shade, apply the stain lightly, as you’re aiming for a subtle effect. You can always build up layers, but it’s much harder to lighten the colour once it’s too dark. 

It may take a few tries to get it just right, but with a little patience, you should be able to achieve a more cohesive look that matches the Merbau benchtop and your original design. 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell