experiment with steel wool and vinegar

Enjoy our range of fun science experiments for kids that feature awesome hands-on projects and activities that help bring the exciting world of science to life.

Soak steel wool in vinegar and watch what happens as the iron in the steel begins to react with the oxygen around it. This fun science experiment for kids is great for learning about chemical reactions.

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Kennedy's Chemistry Corner

Welcome to my Chemistry Corner.... I am 8 years old and aspire to create medicines to cure people. What that is exactly I do not know but to get there I know I need to do science every day to be the best. My blog is about my daily science experients that I will be doing (supervised of course). You will hear about my mishaps and my triumphs as I embark on my journey. I hope you enjoy

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Steel wool and vinegar reaction.

Wow, this is so cool! I am a science teacher for high school students, and I found your website while doing research for my class. I'm so impressed that you are doing science every day when you are only 8. If you keep working hard like this, I believe you really could help make some amazing medicines!

Gadgets and Grain

Do-it-yourself projects and smarter living for the everyday homeowner

How To Oxidize (And Age) Wood In Minutes

It is so satisfying to take an idea, a pile of lumber and turn it into a one-of-a-kind creation like a dining table , entertainment console or workbench . But most of the time, you’ll want to add some character to your project – perhaps make it look like it has more miles on it than it really does – and one easy way to do that is to stain it with a homemade oxidation solution made of steel wool and vinegar.

This is a really popular method of aging wood in a matter of minutes, and I made a video about it back in 2016 . Since then, I received hundreds of questions about the recipe, spanning from queries about results using different wood species to troubleshooting shades that turned out different than what I showed in my video. Rather than continuing to reply to many questions with an “I don’t know”, I decided to give this video another attempt. Sit back as we dive headlong into “The Great Wood Oxidation Experiment”.

Keep scrolling to see the recipe for this oxidation solution, but if you want to get a bit of background, let’s start with asking the question…

What Is Oxidation And Why Does Wood Change Color As It Ages?

Oxidation is the natural process that wood undergoes as it ages. Over time, the exposure to oxygen and UV light from the sun cause a board to either lighten or darken – depending on the wood species. Repeated changes in moisture and exposure to elements like wind and rain can also accelerate the aging of wood. You probably see aged wood every day when you see an old cedar fence which may have an almost ebony tone to it.

And although the wood’s surface is punished in the process, an aged barn door or weathered beam has a certain appeal to it. Obtaining a “vintage” look in a project is something to which many DIYer’s aspire, but getting wood with an already rustic look can be difficult and expensive. To get around the hassle of finding the right wood, you could just create it with a simple homemade wood aging solution…

How Do You Make An Oxidation Solution With Steel Wool and Vinegar?

1. Portion the steel wool to achieve the desired tone while the vinegar heats to a boil. For this recipe, I normally use one half of an unrolled bundle of steel wool. If you want to achieve a different tone, the basic rule of thumb is to use less steel wool to get a lighter color and more steel wool to get a darker color.

2. Wash the steel wool with soap and water. This will remove any oils from the factory and help the vinegar to better penetrate the steel wool. Be sure to pat dry the steel wool with a paper towel.

3. Tear the steel wool into small pieces and place them in the empty mason jar.

4. While outdoors, pour the boiling vinegar over the steel wool until the mason jar is nearly full. Keep the lid off the mason jar while the vinegar reacts with the steel wool. This chemical reaction will produce hydrogen which needs to escape in an open-air space. Also make sure not to have an open flame near the solution while it is reacting. Let the solution sit for one hour.

5. Remove the steel wool from the cooled vinegar using protective gloves. Be sure to squeeze out any residual vinegar that is soaked up by the steel wool.

6. Brush on the oxidation solution to bare, unfinished wood with a disposable foam brush or rag. The oxidation process will begin immediately and it will be visually apparent in a matter of seconds. However, the full effect of the oxidation process will continue over several minutes, and it may take up to 30 minutes for the final color to appear.

7. Lightly sand the wood with 400-grit sandpaper to knock off any stain residue or dust nibs.

8. Apply a finish of your choice to seal and protect your stained project. Be aware that finished will affect the color or the stain, so read the section “How Does Finish Affect The Tone Of The Stain?” to determine which finish is appropriate for your project.

A common variation to this recipe is to apply a pre-stain with black tea or coffee to help add tannins to light wood such as pine. While testing these pre-stain methods, I also tested apple cider vinegar to see if it would produce a different result than white vinegar.

How Does This Oxidation Solution Compare To A Store-Bought Stain?

With results that can vary so widely from species to species and given the sometimes temperamental variables of this homemade aging solution, one would naturally ask “Why not just buy a stain that will produce the result you want?” – and that’s very reasonable question to ask. It’s also one I tested.

I tested three off-the-shelf stains from Varathane that would give a weathered look to new wood: a weathered gray wood stain , a weathered wood accelerator and an aged wood accelerator .

Weathered Gray Wood Stain

If you’re looking for a uniform, aged-gray tone with your project, this weather gray stain is a very straight-forward solution. Simply apply the stain to dry, bare wood with a rag, and wipe off after a few minutes. This stain gives wood an even gray tint to it while still allowing some character of the wood grain to show through. To me, the gray tone is a little more on the cooler side compared to the rather neutral tone shown on the outside of the can. This stain is a good choice if you want more uniform color across your wood. However, it might not be the ideal choice if you’re searching for a stain that preserves some of the quirky “defects” in your wood like intricate grain patterns or tonal striations.

Weathered Wood Accelerator

This weathered wood accelerator does a really good job of keeping the personality of wood while still delivering a predictable gray tone like the weathered gray stain. Unlike the gray stain, this accelerator acts very similarly to the steel wool-vinegar oxidation solution in that is performs a chemical reaction on the surface of the wood. When applied to the surface of the wood with a rag or foam brush, the grey tinting effect occurs gradually as the solution dries. Unlike the homemade aging solution, this weathered accelerator produces a consistent gray tone regardless of wood species. For that reason, if you’re dead set on achieving that authentic weather gray look, this is a great choice.

Aged Wood Accelerator

This aged wood accelerator carries the same principles of the weather wood accelerator in that it does a good job of preserving a natural wood look. The only difference with this solution is that it produces a rustic, brown-tone on wood. This product would be a great choice is you’re wanting to achieve a predictable rusty color on your project without the hassle and experimentation of the homemade oxidation solution.

For both the accelerator solutions, the final color will be achieved anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour, and it’s recommended to allow 2 hours for dry time. If you choose to use these accelerators, Varathane recommends that you should use a lacquer (not an oil-based or water-based polyurethane) to seal and protect the wood.

How Does Finish Affect The Tone Of The Stain?

Now let’s talk about finishing – the final factor that can (and most likely will) affect the final color of your newly aged wood. I test 5 different finishes:

• Water-based polyurethane ( Varathane Ultimate blend, satin finish )
• Oil-based polyurethane ( Varathane Ultimate blend, satin finish )
• Marine spar vanish ( Total Boat Gleam 2.0, satin finish )
• Tung oil ( Watco )
• Spray lacquer ( crystal clear, stain finish )

Using all the same variables such as wood type and stain method, I tested all five finishing methods:

Each finish produced a slightly different look. Here are my observations:

• Water-based poly has virtually no effect on the final wood color. While providing strong protection, water-based polyurethane does a good job maintaining the original aged color from the oxidation solution and stains. Some lighter wood may see a ever-so-slight warming of their color, but for the most part, this is a simple, affordable method for protecting your aged wood.
• Oil-based poly tends to produce a yellowing of the wood. On top of having a longer drying time than water-based poly, this method adds a warming tint to wood.
• Marine finish contributes to a slight warming of the wood’s color. Compared to the oil-based poly, this finish does not produce as drastic warming effect of the wood’s color, and it provides a superior protective finish that is more suited for outdoor applications.
• Tung oil has a heavy warming and yellowing effect on the wood’s tone. This is not an ideal choice to help maintain the original weathered tone of a stain or oxidation solution.
• Spray lacquer has virtually no effect to some woods while producing slight gray tone on other. This finish performs best on the weathered and aged wood accelerators, but it had a slight graying effect on woods using the other aging methods.

How Does This Oxidation Solution Look On Different Wood Types?

Even with the right solution or stain and finish, the last and perhaps even most important variable to consider is wood species. The type of wood used has a drastic effect on the final outcome – just look at the difference between pine and Douglas fir! Although I didn’t perform the same combination of experiments for the wood samples below, I think the references will help guide you to when determining which outcome you’ll likely achieve with a respective wood type. Let’s take a look…

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, go with whatever method makes the most sense to you depending on how much time and/or money you want to invest into that perfect vintage/aged look for your woodworking project. Just be sure to always test a variety of colors be settling on your final choice, so that means having enough scrap wood to devote to staining experimentation.

Let me know if you have any questions, and I would be happy to get back to you. Also, if you have any projects that you done using these staining methods, feel free to email me at jeremy [at] gadgetsandgrain [dot] com and I would love to post them here for others to see.

Now, like I said in the video, I need to figure out what to do with all these scrap wood squares from this experiment. Shoot me a line if you have any ideas!

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Published by gadgetsandgrain

I make videos about my little DIY projects. View all posts by gadgetsandgrain

19 thoughts on “ How To Oxidize (And Age) Wood In Minutes ”

• Pingback: Oxidize! Getting A Vintage Wood Look – Gadgets and Grain

Great look at a wide variety of woods, techniques and very clearly presented!

Thanks, Erc. Appreciate you stopping by!

Love! Love! Love this! Thanks so much!

Question: If I want to do an image transfer (I saw your YouTube video using ink jet printer on wax paper), do I have to worry about the clarity of the image if I do the transfer on TOP of the stain (considering black tea layered with steel wool/vinegar on top of pine wood for a gray, patina, barn wood look)? The image is solid with blue, cream and red coloring.

Can you advise?

Hey Cassandra. Thanks for the comment. You do have to take all of that into account. If your gray is really dark, then your transfer image will darken significantly as well – that transfer method basically combines with the color of your wood and stain. Test it with a scrap price and see how you like it. Maybe use less steel wool to get a finish that doesn’t darken your graphic as much. Hope that helps. Just curious, what are you making?

Thanks for your swift reply! I’m gonna stain a natural wood crate, line it with burlap and fill it with gifts for a friend’s 50th birthday. I wanted to transfer an image onto the crate to personalize it a bit.

Hi, great video!! I am concerned about the reaction to hardware, nails and screws on a piece of treated piece. I’m worried that they will rust and leach out onto the furniture . Thank you

Thank you for taking the time to pull all of these techniques together. After seeing nice but $$$ tables and other furniture on Pinterest, I’m building the confidence to start making my own. Without having readily available distressed wood this video and comments provides much of what I need. This video and comments are now bookmarked in my browser.

Thanks for the kind words Greg.

Hi, i would like to use the oxidation process on a guitar build, and would like to use a tru oil finish, but i see you note tung oil “is not an ideal choice.” Can u please advise why this is? Will it fade over time? Have a reaction with the oil?

Hi Mikey. For me, the tung oil yellowed the look of the wood stain – so the results were not what I was aiming for. What wood are you going to use for your guitar? I would recommend testing the stain and tung oil on some scrap to see if you like the look.

Thanks for the quick reply. Thats what i thought, but as shown in your great article, i think the tung oil example you did is what i am looking for. I like the result. The body and neck are maple. Have completed tests similar to yours and i think the results are exactly what im looking to do. Im also planning on shellacking one coat prior to using the tru oil. Any other advice is totally appreciated!

Sounds good – no other advice from me other than to make sure your amp goes to 11 😉. Shoot me over a picture when you’re done. I’m looking to re-stain my mahogany body guitar down the road.

Lol, perfect. Will do, when completed, this is going to be a playable art piece thats for sure! Thanks again!

Like Liked by 1 person

Excellent article and video! Much appreciated!

Really nice job. I did not know all those différents techniques. Thks very much from France.

Merci pour les mots gentils!

This was a real treasure to find, thank you for taking the time and tedious effort to line out all the options!

Appreciate that, Peter! Thanks for dropping by.

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Four Easy Science Experiments with Vinegar

These science experiments rely on the power of vinegar, a common household substance, to cause the chemical reactions..

Giving your children hands-on experience with science will not only jet start their motivation but will also help them remember the scientific concepts of their academic lessons.

When science projects require expensive ingredients or special orders from a catalog, mom's own motivation goes down -- way down. That's why I love vinegar experiments. You probably nave a bottle of vinegar in your cabinet right now. Any kind will do, but to be frugal you will probably want to use an inexpensive white vinegar rather than a fancy basalmic vinegar.

Here are four different science experiments that involve humble vinegar as a major ingredient.

Making Science Hands-on Through Experiments

Vinegar is a safe chemical for science exploration.

1. Vinegar and Baking Soda Volcano

A classic science experiment that never grows old.

This experiment is so fun that my daughter used to request I buy extra baking soda and vinegar at the grocery store just for her playtime.

Step 1: Prepare Your "Volcano"

The volcano is optional , but some children like to form a cone from playdough or a glass jar covered in playdough. If you don't want the volcano effect, just select any container. A taller glass vessel really shows off the reaction well.

If you are inside , prepare your surface for a lot of bubbly mess. Use a tray or work in the bathtub or sink. A great option is to work outside so that the mess can be hosed away.

Step 2:  Add Baking Soda

Put baking soda into your dry container. Part of the experiment can be testing different quantities to see how the reaction changes. Let your children have free reign to "waste" some ingredients for the sake of science. Baking soda is ridiculuosly cheap.

Optional -- Add a few drops of food coloring.

Step 3:  Pour in Vinegar

Get ready for some excitement! Pour on the vinegar and watch it bubble, fizz, and foam.

Why it Works

Baking Soda is sodium bicarbonate . Vinegar is acetic acid . When the two are mixed, carbonic acid is formed. That immediately decomposes into water and carbon dioxide. Thus, the bubbly reaction you see is carbon dioxide escaping.

Setting Up a Vinegar Experiment

Taking it outside is smart, vinegar and baking soda rocket.

Add your baking soda and vinegar to this Baking Soda Rocket Kit . You assemble the rocket before mixing the reactive ingredients that propel the rocket up to 100 feet into the sky!

Experiment with different ratios of baking soda and vinegar to see what creates the biggest push.

2. Blow Up a Balloon with Vinegar Power

Harness the reaction in a visible way.

Once your children understand the reaction between baking soda and vinegar, it's fun to adapt the experiment to blow things up !

First you can inflate a balloon with the reaction. 

1.  Use a funnel to add baking soda to a balloon.

2.  Add vinegar to a plastic drink bottle.

3.  Then attach the mouth of the balloon to the mouth of a plastic drink bottle. This part is tricky because you don't want the baking soda to touch the vinegar until the balloon is securely on the mouth of the bottle . So either crimp off the baking soda with a twist tie or just pinch it with your fingers.

4. Holding the balloon securely on, allow the baking soda to fall into the bottle and mix with the vinegar. Watch how the reaction inflates the balloon.

Then you can do a variation of this experiment with a ziplock bag.

1.  Take a double layer of paper towel and mound baking soda in the center. Fold it up in a neat package, with the paper towel protecting the baking soda. You will need to delay the reaction long enough for your to add the vinegar, so wrap it well.

2. Place your baking soda packet into a zip top bag and zip almost closed.

3. Pour vinegar into the bag and quickly seal it. (It might be helpful to use a funnel for this step.)

4. Agitate the bag if the reaction seems slow.

5. Watch the bag inflate and finally explode !

The reasons are the same as in #1 experiment. But the balloon or bag allows you to capture the gas that is emitted during the reaction.

More Science Ideas

3. Oxidize Steel Wool with Vinegar

Generate heat as rust forms.

For this experiment, you need a glass jar, steel wool, and vinegar. A thermometer is useful, especially if you are doing this experiment with older children.

Steps in the Experiment

1. Soak the steel wool in vinegar for three minutes.

2. While the steel wool is soaking, measure the temperature of the inside of your jar. Place the thermometer into the jar and attach the lid. Take a reading and remove the thermometer.

3. Drain the vinegar from the steel wool and wrap it around the thermometer. Put it into the jar and attach the lid.

4. After five minues, look at the temperature on the thermometer. It should be a much higher reading that before. Or if you are not using a thermometer, simply hold the jar in your hands to sense the rising temperature.

The vinegar speeds up the process of oxidation or rust. Oxidation is an exothermic reaction. That means that it produces heat. So as the steel wool rusts, it emits heat which the thermometer (or your hands) can feel.

Use Plain Steel Wool

Not soap encrusted sos pads.

Steel Wool and Rust

Examining an Egg That Soaked in Vinegar

4. remove calcium from a bone or eggshell, turn bones rubbery and soft.

This experiment takes some days to accomplish, but it is worth the wait.

Rubber Bones

Use any leftover bones from your meal. A chicken leg is perfect, but other bones will work too. Remove all meat, gristle, and skin.  Completely cover the bone in vinegar in a glass jar. Attach the lid and set aside.

Check the bone after three days, five days, and seven days. It should progressively become more pliable so that you can bend it in half without breaking it.

Disappearing Eggshell

You can use either a fresh egg or a hard boiled egg for this experiment. In fact, you can simply use eggshells themselves and bypass the entire egg. 

1.  Immerse the egg totally in vinegar and let it sit.

2.  After one day, check the egg. Look for bubbles on the shell. Those are carbon dioxide bubble that the reaction creates. Feel the eggshell to see that it is changing.

3.  After three days, check the egg again. By seven days, the eggshell should be completely dissolved. 

Bones and eggshells are hard because of the calcium content in them. Vinegar is an acid (acetic acid) which dissolves calcium. After soaking in the vinegar, the calcium from the bone is dissolved away so that all that is left is the soft tissue which is pliable like rubber.

Eggshells are 94% calcium carbonate, so after the vinegar dissolves the calcium, there is little left except the thin membrane that protects the egg. 

Words of Wisdom from the Bible

Proverbs 25:20, whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, and like vinegar on soda ., keeping a science notebook, with your experiment results.

Lab Report Printables Free printables for recording your experiments. Put these into a science notebook.

Science Experiment Log Booklet A single fold booklet that makes it easy for elementary aged children to record their observations in a science experiment.

Chemistry Notebooking Page Lined paper with a chemistry theme. Great for science notebooking.

Learning Science With Vinegar

These four experiments foster a fascination for science that can expand as children mature. Be mindful to allow your children time for science exploration just as you are deliberate to take them to the library for books and to the zoo for field trips.

I love this kind of stuff! Great article!

I did these when I was young and wound up going into science.

Ah yes. We done most of these. Vinegar is a homeschooler's best friend! I love the way you explain WHY it works.

Vinegar experiments are fun! We did some of these too.

We've done a few of these. Vinegar is great fun!

Great ways to make science fun. Who wouldn't love to make a volcano! I learnt something cool too as I didn't know that the process of oxidation produces heat. Clearly my science teachers didn't make it half as interesting as you do.

Excellent. My son is fascinated by science but hasn't started school yet. He will love the rubber bones experiment - that's perfect for him.

Very cool science experiments. The one about the chicken bone is kind of icky. Leave it to you to come up with such fun for your child to learn.

Great article! These sound like experiments my grandkids would love. Thanks for the explanations too (I am science challenged).

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Steel Wool and Vinegar Wood Aging/Ebonizing/Weathering (A Controlled Experiment)

Introduction: Steel Wool and Vinegar Wood Aging/Ebonizing/Weathering (A Controlled Experiment)

Step 1: Different Vinegar Mixes

Step 2: After a Couple Days.....

Steel Wool and Vinegar Lab

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Vinegar and Steel Wool Question

• Thread starter Scienceklutz
• Start date Mar 16, 2017
• Mar 16, 2017
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It might be Fe 3 O 4 , known as magnetite or lodestone. But I've never heard of it being made that way. Edit: it probably does contain Fe 3 O 4, but I doubt if it's very pure. On the other hand it's probably fairly safe to experiment with.  

Related to Vinegar and Steel Wool Question

What is the "vinegar and steel wool question".

The "Vinegar and Steel Wool Question" is a scientific experiment that involves placing steel wool in vinegar to create a chemical reaction.

What materials are needed for the "Vinegar and Steel Wool Question" experiment?

The materials needed for this experiment include steel wool, white vinegar, a glass jar, and a spoon or tongs for handling the steel wool.

What is the purpose of the "Vinegar and Steel Wool Question" experiment?

The purpose of this experiment is to observe and understand the chemical reaction that occurs when steel wool is placed in vinegar.

What happens when steel wool is placed in vinegar?

When steel wool is placed in vinegar, a chemical reaction occurs that produces hydrogen gas and iron acetate. The steel wool will also start to dissolve, leaving behind a brownish solution.

What are the potential dangers of the "Vinegar and Steel Wool Question" experiment?

The main danger of this experiment is the production of hydrogen gas, which is flammable. It is important to conduct this experiment in a well-ventilated area and avoid any sources of ignition. Also, the steel wool may cause irritation if it comes in contact with skin, so gloves should be worn when handling it.

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