Ebonized Oak Table

Iron stained white oak
22 x 22 x 24 inches
2017

The dark color of this table is achieved by painting it with an iron oxide solution (steel wool dissolved in vinegar). The iron reacts with tannic acid in the white oak and it turns black or dark brown/grey depending on the potency of the solution and the tannic acid content of the wood. There are rather few processes in furniture making that are not entirely calculated; the unpredictability of this staining technique is what makes it visually interesting and exciting to employ.