Features and color characteristics
The color of oak wood is light straw, light brown or yellow as the tree matures, it becomes darker. Different processing methods make it possible to obtain a rich palette of warm and cold shades with varying degrees of saturation. There are species with natural dark, almost black wood. Oak can always be recognized by its well-drawn characteristic pattern.
Colors and shades of oak
The range of shades is surprisingly wide. There are many options in the palette. From bleached wood, light - gray, golden, beige to dark brown - wenge and absolutely black. Thanks to the possibilities of modern methods of wood processing, it is possible to create even more varied shades and textures.
Bleached or bleached oak
Natural white wood is found only in young members of the species. But such trees are not used in production, and over time, their wood darkens. And even from real White Oak it is impossible to make a product on the market called "White Oak". The wood of this tree is somewhat darker. Where does the huge assortment of products come from in ash white, pearl, snow white, vanilla, cream, silver white or ivory?
In order for the material to get an elegant white shade, it needs to undergo a bleaching procedure with various chemical solutions. After processing, the wood is impregnated with oil, and varnish is applied on top. This technology makes it possible to obtain the so-called "bleached oak". Various methods of bleaching using different types of oak make it possible to obtain such shades as milk, milky, bleached oak, Atlanta oak, etc.
Golden oak
Natural oak wood has a light straw color. This color is closest to golden hue. If you lightly tint the wood or cover it with a special varnish, you can get a thick or light shade of gold.
Also, golden notes are present in the color of the oak called Rustic. This type of treatment allows the surface of the wood to age. The natural relief of the surface is increased artificially, and the protruding scallops are painted in a darker color. In the natural environment, a similar effect is obtained from prolonged exposure to the sun, water and wind. The combination of honey and caramel shades with the color of burnt sugar looks very impressive, although it does not always give a golden color.
There are also shades of gold in the sedan oak, which is obtained through special processing.
Dark oak
The dark color of oak can be natural or artificial.
Under natural conditions, a dark rich color of wood is characteristic of special oak species. For example, for a variety called "Cognac", which grows in European countries, not excluding the British Isles.
Wood can darken from prolonged exposure to water. The oak, which has lain in the water for more than one century, is considered the most valuable and is called "stained".
Today, a similar effect can be obtained using ordinary stain or thermal treatment, which, among other things, increases such characteristics of wood as:
- strength;
- hardness;
- durability;
- appearance.
Black oak
One of the most valuable types of black oak is stained wood, which has been submerged for about 1000 years. The material "aged" in this way changes its properties and turns into a durable super-strong product, close in strength and hardness to iron.
The fake staining process also produces blacks and smoky hues. That is why parquet floors and laminate in black and gray tones are so popular, which can bring notes of age-old luxury and stylish touches of technological modernity to the interior.
Black wood is also found in nature. For example, the Wenge oak, found in the jungles of West Africa, has a dark chocolate color that looks almost black due to its darker veins.
In the video presented, you can get acquainted with the variety of materials with shades of oak.
Living room decoration
Sonoma oak in the interior of the house
Sonoma oak furniture in the living room
The central point of the living room is often the wall. This type of furniture can be made of chipboard in the color of sonoma oak. The set is always located along the long wall of the room: here the owners try to accommodate all the necessary things. The wall is the first thing that a person sees when entering a room
Therefore, it is important that its design consists of several shades. If only light wood is used, then the furniture will become one with the space.
There are several solutions to this problem:
- finish the living room using contrast: it can be gray, olive, lilac or light green - then the cabinet will stand out favorably against the background;
- use additional accents: if the wall is made in light sonoma oak color, then the sofa will be beige or sand;
- apply additional details: to slightly dilute the design of the living room, you can use brown laminate or linoleum, if there is a staircase, then also make it dark (in the case when such options are not suitable, it is enough to purchase a small center rug).
The wall is made in a combination of 2 colors: sonoma oak and wenge - an excellent combination for the living room A small coffee table in a light shade with dark brown glass will be an excellent addition to a cozy decor.
Wall oak sonoma
Combined furniture oak sonoma
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There are 2 types of means - water and non-water (oil and alcohol) stain.
Water-based stain is offered by manufacturers in a ready-to-use state or as a powder (dry mix). This type of composition is used most often, since it has a very diverse range of colors. The color of the powder stain can be easily adjusted, it directly depends on the amount of loose substance, that is, the more there is, the richer and brighter the result will be.
The water-based composition has the advantage of no unpleasant odor, thanks to which the stain can be used indoors. The disadvantages of this type include the ability of the product to lift the fibers during the surface treatment. Due to this, the moisture resistance of the tree is reduced. The time required for the stain to dry completely varies within 10-14 hours, which can also be attributed to the disadvantages of the variety of the composition.
The technology of working with water-based stains requires first wetting the wooden surface, then sanding. The composition is filtered before use. Only after completing such preparatory work can the tree be painted. It is not advisable to use this product on resinous woods.
Oily formulations include dyes dissolved in drying oil or oils. You can work with this type of impregnation with any tool. The tool does not raise the fibers of the raw material and does not allow it to be saturated with excess moisture. Using a similar composition, you can get any color and shade, additionally using dyes. They are available in powder form, white spirit is used for dilution.
According to experts, oil stain is the simplest and most convenient to use. Oil-based impregnation is very popular among decorators and decorators due to the ability to achieve the desired color.
The pluses of oil stain should include its environmental friendliness, since the most common basis for it is linseed oil. It takes about 2 hours for the surface to dry completely. The composition does not stain.
Alcohol-based stain is a dissolved aniline dye. The impregnation is available ready-made or in powder form. The main task of the composition is to protect wood from the damaging effects of moisture and ultraviolet radiation.
The main advantage of alcohol stain is its ability to be instantly absorbed into wood fibers. The composition dries on the surface after 30-40 minutes.
The disadvantages include the fact that it will not work to manually apply the composition to the tree, since the alcohol will evaporate very quickly, which can lead to stains. For work, it is better to use a spray gun.
Along with the above types of wood stains, fundamentally new products began to appear in the assortment of building supermarkets. Modern technologies have allowed manufacturers to offer the consumer a water-based acrylic impregnation, as well as a wax composition. New tools were developed to eliminate the main disadvantages of existing formulations.
Old wooden coatings are restored with wax stain, it perfectly paints color inconsistencies. In addition to the above characteristics, the positive qualities of modern formulations include their excellent moisture-protective properties. However, such products are very vulnerable to mechanical damage, so they should be varnished. Acrylic and wax liquids are available in a wide variety of colors. They emphasize the structure of the wood well.
The disadvantages of acrylic stains include their high cost, as well as the possible formation of spots on the surface when two or more layers are applied.
The main disadvantage of wax compositions is that they are not able to penetrate deeply into wood. The agent only forms a protective layer on top of the material. Such a composition should not be used before treating wood with two-component varnishes or polyurethane.
