# Arts & Crafts oak - colour / finish



## condeesteso (15 Jan 2015)

Help required, thank you... I want to replicate original A&C as closely as reasonable, although I may compromise actual finish for durability (a table so top needs to be hard-wearing).
I've seen fumed mentioned somewhere, but to me that looks a bit donkey with a hint of grey. Here's examples of the look, though it's over 100 years old so that has an effect












If there is any knowledge of authentic period colouring and finish I'd be grateful.


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## marcros (15 Jan 2015)

Douglas

I think that piece is fumed- I have fumed a few items, but have found it to be a rich colour- more thoroughbred than donkey, but without too much red that many of the recreations seem to have. 

Below are a couple of links which may be of interest

http://lumberjocks.com/pintodeluxe/blog/35559

http://www.finewoodworking.com/how-to/a ... uming.aspx 

http://www.americanwoodworker.com/blogs ... ishes.aspx (not particularly relevant but worth a minute reading the bottom part)

Transtints are fantastic dyes, although not readily available. Well worth getting somebody to bring some back if in the USA. I really cant speak highly enough of them. If you email Homestead Finishing, Jeff Jowett emailed me back with advice on finishing something a particular way using their dyes.


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## Phil Pascoe (15 Jan 2015)

I read an article in P. Woodworking or the Woodworker some 25yrs ago by a guy whose grandfather faked (sorry, made repro  ) oak furniture and he hung the finished items in a pig sty for weeks, to let the ammonia from the urine colour it. In the case of more rustic, heavier furniture, he actually left it on the floor, so that the bottoms of the legs got much darker to replicate being kept on damp floors and so that the pigs used it as a scratching post and knocked some of the hard corners off. The author had seen some his grandfather's fakes in some of the best museum collections in the country.


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## condeesteso (15 Jan 2015)

Thanks all - yes I prefer the top pic, which does look a bit fumed, the bottom one is too red I feel, a bit inconsistent too. And the pig sty Phil, that's slow controllable fuming (if the pigs are controllable). I'd prefer fuming to dyes I think, some big bits on this so i'll need to knock up a tent.
I'll have a look at Transtints though.


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## condeesteso (23 Jan 2015)

Update, I tested a couple of options: fuming first. As always before, I get a great colour but it's in the grey/green area. Having used Pottasium Perm before on mahogany, and having some around I wondered what may happen... excellent and very controllable.

Top: pp plus v thin wipe of tung oil, lower bare fumed






Then with same oil wipe on fumed






I like both these options so will show client. The pp is very even and has natural depth (it penetrates a little so is quite convincing). I am aiming to avoid modern colours/stains - I find many of them very unconvincing, and it can all get very complex I think (mixing, layering etc etc).
I do recommend anyone having some pp around, v handy sometimes, easily available and cheap, and the mix concentration allows loads of control from a feint hint to quite dark.


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## Mr T (23 Jan 2015)

Have you considered Van Dyke? It's good for the old oak effect. Doesn't go as deep as chemical stains but better than a lot of modern dyes.

Chris


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## condeesteso (23 Jan 2015)

Hi Chris, I did try Van Dyck, but I need to mix a new batch a bit thicker - i think that is promising too - i must admit at the moment the pp is maybe a tads reddish. So I'll do some Van Dyck and compare them. Try and do comparitive pics again also.


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## marcros (23 Jan 2015)

if the fumed is a touch grey/green, could you tint the oil slightly red to offset it?


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## Sgian Dubh (23 Jan 2015)

marcros":39rfnhjy said:


> if the fumed is a touch grey/green, could you tint the oil slightly red to offset it?


It's well known in wood finishing circles that fuming gives a bit of a green cast to the colour. It disappears never to return as soon as the first coat of polish is applied. Slainte.


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## davin (31 Jan 2015)

Or van dyke then clear osmo. Just did that for some oak wardobes to match existing in a 1930s house and the colour match was near perefect. 
Van dyke crystals are silly person proof which is a selling point for me....


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## condeesteso (1 Feb 2015)

Yes, I'm happy using Van Dyck - I like the control it gives, and it's honest old stuff. I used Osmo top oil on some worktops a while ago, then on some worktables, very impressed with how easy, fast and really good looking tough finish with minimal build. I need to test the Van Dyck but it may split the difference between the greyer fumed and redder pp. I shall get pics anyway.


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## bamboo (2 Feb 2015)

I have use osmo even on dining tables it very good stuff hard wearing as well


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