Burned Oak
I have recently made several picture frames out of Burned Red Oak with interesting results. Not sure why I thought of trying this but it has provided dramatic results that others might want to try. I burn the surface of the wood with a plumbers torch. Next I rub the surface of the wood with a wire brush to remove all the extra charred surface material. This also serves to define the grain by scraping away the more porous sections of the wood that burn easier. I have finished the wood with either several coats of tung oil or a gloss poly. Give it a try...it is pretty cool.
Has anyone else tried this before?