Oscura™ Blackened Steel

BLACKENED PATINA ON STEEL
FOR INTERIOR APPLICATIONS

Oscura is a rich, blackened steel patina designed for interior applications. Its activated steel surfaces create a unique, mottled aesthetic that varies with each sheet, offering a distinctive artistic ambiance. Sealed with a protective clear coat, Oscura resists rust and scratches caused by the interior environment, ensuring durability and elegance. This proprietary finish is ideal for feature walls, lobbies, accents, and other architectural elements.

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Each Oscura sheet is one of a kind, with high variability in color patterning from sheet to sheet.

Crafted with proprietary processes, Oscura is not only a striking material but also an environmentally conscious choice. Produced in our EPA-compliant facility, its creation minimizes waste through sustainable practices. Oscura’s rich black and gray hues, achieved through specialized heating and sealing techniques, provide warmth and texture that complement diverse design palettes. Oscura is a long-lasting, stunning addition to any interior space.

Oscura 3D Visualization

Use the visualizer to explore Oscura in a 3D environment. Rotate the object to see how the Surface will appear from different vantage points with a fixed light source.

Interior

Oscura Products

Oscura Blackened Steel is available with the following Zahner products and services.

Standard Products

Oscura Sheet Material

Order flat sheets of Oscura Blackened Steel direct from Zahner. Click the button below to see available sizes, thicknesses, and other product details as well as options for submitting a quote request.

Flat Sheet Options

Standard Products

Moda Modular Wall Panel System

Moda combines Zahner’s metal craftsmanship with the convenience of modular design, making it ideal for transforming interior and exterior spaces with its clean lines and Zahner’s signature metal finishes.

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Versatile Systems

Flat Seam System

Flat Seam offers a uniquely flexible and affordable metal facade system utilizing interlocking panels that is compatible with most Zahner Materials.

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Versatile Systems

Flat Lap System

The aesthetic appearance of shingle or shake with the benefits of metal, Flat Lap is an easy to install, cost-effective shingle solution available in all Zahner Materials.

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Custom mullion and transom frame developed for ShopFloor technologies.

PHOTO © A. ZAHNER COMPANY.

Custom Solutions

Collaborate & Innovate

Whether it’s intricate facades or complex metal artworks, we welcome your most ambitious designs and construction projects. Push the boundaries of what’s possible, turn architectural dreams into tangible success, and create something truly special.

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Documentation

Specs & Info Details

Title	File Type	Link
Oscura™ Blackened Steel Specs & Usage	pdf	Download
Surfaces Instructions – Storage & Handling	pdf	Download
Surfaces Product Datasheet	pdf	Download
Surfaces Rhino Material File – Oscura	zip	Download
Surfaces Specification	docx	Download
Surfaces Warranty	pdf	Download
Zahner Product Warranty	pdf	Download


Recommended Application	Interior only
Base Metal (alloy)	1008A carbon steel
Standard Thicknesses	20 ga 18 ga 16 ga 14 ga 12 ga 11 ga
Approx. Decimal (mm)	0.036″ (0.91) 0.048″ (1.21) 0.060″ (1.52) 0.075” (1.90) 0.105“ (2.66) 0.120” (3.04)
Approx. Weight (lbs/ft2)	1.50 2.00 2.50 3.13 4.38 5.00
COTE (in/in/°F)	7.0 x 10-6
Standard Sizes	4′ x 8’ 4’ x 10’ 4’ x 12’ 5′ x 8’ 5′ x 10’ 5′ x 12’

Specs & Info

Title	File Type	Link
Oscura™ Blackened Steel Specs & Usage	pdf	Download
Surfaces Instructions – Storage & Handling	pdf	Download
Surfaces Product Datasheet	pdf	Download
Surfaces Rhino Material File – Oscura	zip	Download
Surfaces Specification	docx	Download
Surfaces Warranty	pdf	Download
Zahner Product Warranty	pdf	Download

Details

Recommended Application: Interior only
Base Metal (alloy): 1008A carbon steel
Standard Thicknesses: 20 ga, 18 ga, 16 ga, 14 ga, 12 ga, 11 ga
Approx. Decimal (mm): 0.036″ (0.91), 0.048″ (1.21), 0.060″ (1.52), 0.075” (1.90), 0.105“ (2.66), 0.120” (3.04)
Approx. Weight (lbs/ft2): 1.50, 2.00, 2.50, 3.13, 4.38, 5.00
COTE (in/in/°F): 7.0 x 10-6
Standard Sizes: 4′ x 8’, 4’ x 10’, 4’ x 12’, 5′ x 8’, 5’ x 10’, 5’ x 12’

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Oscura Blackened Steel Manufacturing, Properties, and Applications

Oscura is more than just a beautiful material. It’s a responsible choice, made using environmentally friendly manufacturing practices in our award-winning, EPA-compliant facility. We take pride in capturing and recycling all residual bath minerals and compounds to mitigate our environmental impact.

The versatility of Oscura is unmatched. The dark blues of the steel, combined with the heavier carbon alloys of cast iron, create a tapestry of black and gray hues that can complement a wide range of materials and colors. From dark brown to black, the color of Oscura can vary depending on the intensity of the oxide on the surface of the steel. While the oxides produced by our proprietary alkali method are beautiful, they are also delicate and prone to abrasion. That’s why we recommend and regularly reapply appropriate protective coatings to ensure its long-lasting beauty.

Patination of Oscura Blackened Steel

The iron alloys are not commonly used in the uncoated state. Left to nature’s devices, these alloys will develop a rust oxide which will eventually corrode in entirety. The natural color of the iron alloys, when cleaned of scale and mill oil, is a dark blue-gray.

The steels have a dark blue-gray color, while the heavier carbon alloys of cast iron are almost black. Cast iron has a dark carbon-gray surface, which will weather to black. The wrought iron forms are dark blue-gray in tone. Heating blackens the surface, and subsequent shaping drives the dark tones into the surface. Wrought iron is almost always coated with a thick paint to inhibit corrosion.

Oscura Blackened Steel can be blackened or given colors ranging from dark brown to black. One such method to achieve these tones is by dipping it in a heated chemical bath. This process can develop a deep black oxide over the surface of the steel. Oxides produced by this alkali method are weak and prone to abrasion if not protected with waxes or oils. Protection against corrosion is enhanced slightly, but the base metal characteristics may cause a blackened finish on steel to fail if not continuously maintained in an indoor environment.