Ammonia Properties

¶ Ammonia. A colorless, pungent, suffocating gas. We commonly think of ammonia as a liquid, but then we are thinking of aqua, or aqueous, ammonia which is water charged with ammonia gas. On exposure to the air the gas evaporates from the water. Ammonia is a volatile alkali and when used as a stain should be fresh for each job. The volatile nature of ammonia is an advantage in one way,nothing remains on the surface treated with it (except the color) to injure subsequent coats of finishing material. Ammonia is used in the strong solution (26 degree), not the household article,.for producing brown colors, chiefly on oak and mahogany. It is used alone and as a second coat wash over acid-treated surfaces. It is brushed on for fumed oak effects, but makes a far more uniform color when used in an airtight room filled with the wood to be colored, the regular fuming process used largely by the furniture factories. Very strong ammonia has the disadvantage of being rather disagreeable to handle because its pungent fumes affect the eyes and nose.

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