Staining vs Fuming: Which Dark Wood Flooring Technique is Better?

Like all other interior styling, wood flooring preferences and popularity change with time.  At this moment, both very light and very dark wood flooring options are extremely popular.  For people seeking very light woods, there are various solutions, but people seeking dark, often virtually black flooring for example can find themselves up against a real battle when it comes to their budget.  Wood flooring that is naturally dark includes species such as walnut and ipe, both of which are described as “exotic” woods and come with the corresponding price tag, making it out of reach for many people.

If you’re seeking a dark wood flooring solution for your project and are finding that the naturally dark woods are too expensive, there are other options, including stained and fumed wood.  If you already have a wood floor and are looking to change its colour in situ, either on a DIY basis or by bringing in the professionals, there’s no doubt that staining is the best solution.

Staining wood can be a really effective way of achieving a dark wood floor.  That said, there is no getting away from the fact that staining wood can be a bit “hit or miss” when carried out on a DIY basis, so, to make sure you don’t regret your actions, it’s well worth testing the stain you’ve chosen on some hidden spot on your floor before tackling the whole area.  When carrying out your test, make sure you follow all the relevant steps for staining, otherwise you could end up with a false result.

If you’re planning to stain your floor to darken it on a DIY basis, you should ideally sand your whole floor, with a coarse paper and then with a fine paper to get a good result.  Thereafter you’ll need to follow the manufacturers instructions that come with your stain.  Achieving a really dark result in most cases will require at least 3 coats, with a good 12-hour drying period in between coats.  Once your floor is stained to your satisfaction, you can either choose to top the stain off with a varnish or add an oil finish.

Dating back to the turn of the 20^th century, fumed or smoked wood is wood that has been darkened using ammonia in an enclosed environment.  Most experts acknowledge that fuming a floor in situ is pretty much impossible, so, if you have a floor which is already in place, unless you’re prepared to lift and re-lay it, fuming is unlikely to be an option.

Fuming works by taking the wood and placing it either in a closed tank or a sealed tent or container and adding ammonia.  It is the effect of the ammonia in the air that causes the wood to darken.  Fuming wood in its natural state is a relatively quick process and within around 72 hours, a really dark result will be achieved.  The darkness is caused by the ammonia bringing the tannins in the wood to the surface, making the colour darken.

So, when it comes to dark wood flooring, if you’re looking for a DIY solution for a floor that’s already in place, there’s no doubt that staining is your best option.  However, if you’re prepared to lift and re-lay your floor, you could engage a professional to fume your wood.  That said, if you’re buying a new floor, either stained or fumed wood will give you a great result.