Smoked Oak Flooring: characteristics, benefits and inspiration

In this blog, Jodie Wight, our Interior Project Liaison Technician, delves into the characteristics and benefits of smoked oak flooring. This traditional technique, used on select boards in our European Oak Flooring range, enhances the wood’s natural beauty by deepening its colour and highlighting its attractive grain patterns. Over to Jodie to explain more about the process and it’s benefits.

What is smoked oak flooring? The process explained

Smoking, also referred to as fuming, is a traditional wood finishing process that involves exposing the wood to ammonium hydroxide within a sealed environment for a specific length of time. The ammonium hydroxide reacts with the tannins in the wood to bring out the grain definition and enhance the colour. Oak, in particular, has high tannin levels compared to other wood species, which is why it responds so well to the smoking process.

The tannic acid levels differ across the boards which gives the smoked floors the varied appearance. It is not possible to control or predict the tannic acid concentration in each piece of oak and therefore distinct colour variation between boards and between whole floors should be expected. Careful attention to detail during installation is crucial to achieving an even distribution of colours throughout the space.

The longer the wood is exposed to the ammonia, the deeper the colour will become. The majority of our boards are single-smoked, meaning they have been smoked for one day., however to add the richness and depth to our deepest colours, our Cinder and Smoked Ebony finishes are double smoked for two days.

In the image below, you can see two of our floors finishes: Natural (left) and Malt (right). Although both boards are finished with the same colour of hardwax oil, the Malt board has been smoked, giving it a deeper tone and more pronounced colour variation from board to board.

Which of our floors are smoked?

We have nine smoked finishes within our European Oak Flooring range:

• Smoked Ebony
• Dune
• Oat
• Heather
• Driftwood
• Caramel
• Malt
• Fumed Bronze
• Cask
• Cinder

To check if a floor is smoked, click on ‘Specification’ under ‘Virtual Samples’ on the European Oak page. If you’re ordering samples of these finishes, please remember that due to natural variations in tone, some boards may appear significantly darker or lighter than the sample you receive. It can be helpful to visit our flooring showroom in Newtonmore to see our displays in person, you can book a visit using this link. Alternatively we have a range of photographed projects which show how the flooring will look in a larger area.

Smoked Oak Flooring: project inspiration

Below are some examples of projects where Smoked Oak floors have been selected. As you’ll see in the images, the boards’ varied colours create a beautiful dimension that works well in both contemporary and traditional spaces.

Smoked oak flooring is a versatile choice that combines natural beauty with enhanced depth and character. Whether you’re aiming for a contemporary or traditional look, the rich tones and unique variations of smoked oak can elevate any interior space.

We’re here to help you explore the options, provide samples of smoked oak flooring, and guide you in choosing the perfect finish for your space. Contact our flooring sales team or book a visit to our showroom today.