
Ammonia fumed white oak. Winkys workshop 3002 views. Im surprised it took seven days to complete the fuming process. The fumed oak i have seen has ranged from very dark to a beautiful chestnut colour. Since household ammonia is fairly weak at only 5 to 10 ammonia contributing editor chris gochnour uses a commercial aqueous ammonia also known as aqua ammonia or ammonium hydroxide that is a potent 25 ammonia mixed with water to fume his white oak projects.
The fumes are actually ammonia fumes derived from a strong solution of ammonia. White oak is the preferred wood type because ammonia reacts best with the white grains in the wood. Quartersawn white oak in particular works nice because ammonia fuming brings out the figure and ray flecks. When ammonium hydroxide is left uncovered the ammonia gas escapes and is available to react with the tannin in white oak to darken the wood.
Traditional cooper george smithwick. It consists of exposing the wood to fumes from a strong aqueous solution of ammonium hydroxide which reacts with the tannins in the wood. White oak is the wood of choice for ammonia fuming because this wood has a particularly high tannin content. Unlike most finishing techniques ammonia fumes react chemically with tannins in the wood causing it to permanently change color.
In this video woodworker and fine woodworking associate art director kelly dunton demonstrates how to stain a white oak table by exposing it to ammonia fumes. Contrary to popular belief though smoke is not used at any point in the smoking process. Maybe different batches or species of oak have different tannic acid content and time also may have had an effect. Household ammonia is a much weaker solution of ammonia and water.
Fumed oak is also called smoked oakother species may also be fumed but. The ammonia isnt applied directly to the wood. Ammonia fuming is a wood finishing process that darkens wood and brings out the grain pattern. The ammonia fumes react with the tannins in the wood and darkens the wood.
The process works best on white oak because of the high tannin content of this wood. Fumed oak is also known as smoked oak.