Prairie Spindle Chairs

The chairs have been fumed.

“Fuming” is a traditional finishing technique used in Mission and Arts and Crafts style furniture. Ammonia is sealed in a fuming chamber where the concentrated fumes react with the tannin in the wood. The results can range from a rich brown to almost black, depending on the length of exposure. The longer the furniture is in the chamber, the darker it gets.

The ammonia (ammonium hydroxide) was purchased from Contact Supply Inc.