Fumed oak

Description

Oak wood with a darkened, simulated weathering appearance. Fumed oak is made by exposing the cut, sanded boards to ammonia vapors. The heartwood darkens more than the sapwood due to the presence of tannins. Fuming can increase the contrast between the light and dark areas in the oak. Fumed oak is used for millwork, furniture, and flooring. The process became popular in the early 20th century when Gustav Stickley introduced it in his Mission style furniture. White oak can darken to an almost black color while red oak may have a greenish cast.

Synonyms and Related Terms

weathered oak; pickled oak

Authority

• G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 556

• Dictionary of Building Preservation, Ward Bucher, ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York City, 1996

• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997

• Website address 1 Comment: Fumed Oak at http://www.codesmiths.com/shed/workshop/techniques/oakfuming/