The techniques in these instructions will take you through the steps to create a realistic faux mahogany finish on unfinished softwood or a painted surface - anything from illustration board to painted metal. Cuban and Honduras mahogany is often used for high quality furniture, and the wood is also used for scale miniature furniture as it has a fine grain which suits several scales without adjustment.
It helps to have a reference piece of mahogany to match. If you are trying to match commercial frames or faux mahogany finishes on modern full scale or miniature furniture, you may need to modify the process. Most modern faux mahogany finishes from Asia are a much brighter red than true mahogany, and often show little graining. If you need to match these finishes, adjust the final glaze coats to the color of your furniture.
