About eight years ago, I was helping a customer try to “naturally” ebonize an oak floor. In the process I discovered a wonderful brown “bark” color with a natural, aged look. Unfortunately reproducing it was impossible. From time to time in testing, the brown color would appear, but there was no determining how to recreate it. Over several years of studying old wood staining techniques and many trial and error tests using several different types of toxic and nontoxic chemical products, and natural products, not only was the wonderful brown hue reproduced, but other interesting colors became a possibility.
Interestingly, my background is neither in manufacturing or chemistry. In fact, by training I am a nurse, but for years have owned a small company that sells antique and specialty wood products, which has offered exposure to many varied and creative projects related to natural and wonderfully recyclable wood. A Masters in nursing required some extensive research, which may have set the foundation for all the research and discovery of this colorant product.