Oak wood may darken slightly over time, taking on more amber tones. This happens due to exposure to oxygen and UV light, making it a largely unavoidable process. When it comes to oak furniture, most people wont even realize the change is happening, as the color change is fairly subt.
Oak. The light brown to darker tones of White Oak undergoes a medium degree of colour change with slight ambering over time.
Oak flooring is naturally light in colour with golden, honey tones. Although oak will mellow and darken a little over time, it takes hundreds of years to develop the rich dark patina of aged oak.
Oak flooring lightens but perhaps not in the way you'd expect it to. It is one of the most desirable light processes of all the wood floor options. Many oak wood floors turn richer and take on a more golden appearance.
In short, yes, hardwood floors do darken over time. This process is inevitable, but thankfully there are steps to take to slow it down. You may have already noticed the different shades of your floors when moving furniture or area rugs. In most cases, sunlight is the reason behind it all.
The popular opinion indicates that oil-based polyurethane, Watco, Tung oil, and other oil-based varnishes contribute to the yellowing of white oak. Exposure to sunlight also speeds up the process in many cases. However, there are minor differences in specific brands regarding how they cause discolouration in woods.
Oak floors which are exposed to natural light will slowly fade. In most cases, you probably won't even notice the change in your floor's colour as it will happen so gradually, but it can be noticeable when you move a piece of furniture which has been blocking the sun for a long time.
Oak wood may darken slightly over time, taking on more amber tones. This happens due to exposure to oxygen and UV light, making it a largely unavoidable process. When it comes to oak furniture, most people wont even realize the change is happening, as the color change is fairly subt.
Under the right conditions, their fall foliage can be a reddish-brown color that is especially rich on young trees. Their leaves are between 4 and 9 inches long with seven to nine lobes.
There are two types of oak, white and red - white being, unsurprisingly, lighter and less warm-toned than red oak. How does oak age? Cindy says, "White oak will turn golden, whereas red oak has a more red tone in the beginning and over time becomes richer and warmer."
It is not a sign of rot and is purely a natural change in colour. The change is a reaction between the UV rays of the sun reacting with a naturally present acid in the oak called 'Tannin Acid'. This reaction causes the oak to turn silver grey.
If you want to keep your oak structure looking new, using Osmo UV-Protection Oil will protect against colour change. Applying two coats of clear oil will penetrate and protect the wood and delay the natural greying process up to 12 x more.
A modern twist on your traditional oak, Aged Oak is an updated version of your parents' standard. This color adds warmth to the space without skipping out on style. Warmer than most grays, Aged Oak pulls more brown than black. Use it on floors, doors, wood work, and accent pieces.
Like cherry, maple will darken over time, though far less dramatically. Maple starts off very light and bright, with a few pink and grey tones. Over time, it will age to a warm golden honey color. Other light brown woods, like ash and white oak will slightly darken to a beige or amber color.
Oak will also change colour because it will have started the seasoning process – this is where the oak starts to dry out. Eventually, your green oak could then be classed as seasoned oak. It is possible to guess how old a beam is from the colour, after about 10 years it is black.
Last week we concluded that treatment of oak is not entirely necessary unless it is kiln dried. You can if you wish to protect it from mold, algae, fungal attack and UV damage, but for the most part you leave it as it arrives fresh sawn.
By far the best finishes for high quality wood furniture are either Danish oil or beeswax. They bring out the stunning beauty of wooden furniture grains and leave wood satisfying to the touch.
Why does oak go black? Oak timber naturally contains Tannins. These are a natural chemical that provide the protective waterproof quality oak is famed for. Being acidic, they can react with iron and water to produce chemicals that stain the wood.
An untreated Oak beam, which is classed as 'durable', for example, will last 15-25 years depending on environmental conditions. The following scale of durability was outlined by TRADA, the Timber Research And Development Association.
In short, the aging of wood, unlike that of cheese, does not make it better. Nor does it improve its strength. It is still possible that old wood joists may in fact be significantly stronger than they were on the day they were installed, because wood does gain strength as it dries.
For example many tropical, exotic woods used in flooring, like Brazilian Cherry or Tigerwood, react to UV exposure very fast and they turn a much darker shade. On the other hand domestic woods, like Red Oak, Maple and Hickory, generally bleach out and become lighter, and at a much slower rate.