See pics in firstriders gallery of bed wood .It is ash w/ a light oak stain, then 3 coats of sealer w/ sanding between then 8 coats of Alphatic urethane (a two part finish with 16 hrs .of block sanding .I would suggest using the Alphatic urethane as it is all most bullet proof .UV & H2O resistant . The black in the oak boards is going to be a challenge to remove .May want to try to baddest stripper you can find .