Chemical process for the coloration of wood in a basic aqueous medium

A soft wooden member having a darkened appearance which emphasizes the natural grain of the wooden member;

• the wooden member comprising the product of the process of:
• (a) immersing a soft wooden member in a liquid treating composition having a pH greater than about 7 and comprising at least an aqueous mixture from 1 to 25 weight percent of solution of an alkaline earth metal base;
• the wooden member immersed in the treating composition at an elevated temperature of about 120.degree. to 200.degree. C., and an elevated pressure of about 1 to 200 p.s.i.g. to result in a color forming reaction which darkens the wooden member across substantially the entire cross-section thereof so as to emphasize the natural grain of the wooden member;
• and
• (b) removing from the wooden member a sufficient amount of an alkaline earth based layer which has formed on the wooden member to reveal the attractive, decorative appearance in the soft wooden member.

A method for the coloration of soft wood to emphasize the natural grain of the soft wood which comprises the steps of:

• (a) forming a treating composition containing about 1 to 20% by weight of calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide or mixtures thereof in water at a pH of greater than about 7;
• (b) immersing a soft wooden member in the treating composition of (a) at a ratio of about 2 to 20 liters of the solution per each kilogram of the soft wooden member at a temperature of greater than about 140.degree. C. up to about 200.degree. C. in an enclosed pressure vessel at a superatmospheric pressure less than about 200 p.s.i.g. to result in a color forming reaction which results in a darkening of the wooden member across substantially the cross-section thereof so as to emphasize the natural grain of the wooden member;
• and
• (c) removing from the wooden member a sufficient amount of an alkaline earth based layer which has formed on the wooden member to reveal the attractive, decorative appearance in the soft wooden member.

A soft wooden member having a darkened appearance which emphasizes the natural grain of the wooden member;

• the wooden member comprising the product of the method which comprises the steps of:
• (a) forming a treating composition containing about 1 to 20% by weight of calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide or mixtures thereof in water at a pH of greater than about 7;
• (b) immersing a soft wooden member in the treating composition of (a) at a ratio of about 2 to 20 liters of the solution per each kilogram of the soft wooden member at a temperature of greater than about 140.degree. C. up to about 200.degree. C. in an enclosed pressure vessel at a superatmospheric pressure less than about 200 p.s.i.g. to result in a color forming reaction which results in a darkening of the wooden member across substantially the cross-section thereof so as to emphasize the natural grain of the wooden member;
• and
• (c) removing from the wooden member a sufficient amount of an alkaline earth based layer which has formed on the wooden member to reveal the attractive, decorative appearance in the soft wooden member.