The Different Styles of Shou Sugi Ban

Shou Sugi Ban is an ancient wood preservation technique practiced in Japan since the 18th century. It also goes by Yakisugi, which is a Japanese term: Yaki means “to heat with fire,” and sugi refers to cedar. This traditional procedure involves charring wood surfaces with a controlled flame to increase the wood’s durability. Sounds unbelievable, right? During the charring process, the soft outer layer burns off, leaving behind a resilient layer that is void of moisture. This layer is also resistant to vermin and rot, making the wood significantly more durable.

Styles Shou Sugi Ban

Benefits of Using Shou Sugi Ban in Your Home

The Japanese adopted the Yakisugi technique to protect their timber structures from rot and continuous attacks by the natural elements. We are going to delve into some of the numerous benefits they gained from the burnt wood finish.

  • Resistance to moisture

Charred timber is very resilient to moisture. How? During the charring process, the softer cells dissipate, leaving behind a carbon layer that shields the timber boards when exposed to moisture. This excellent characteristic directly translates into a long-lasting material that is resilient in even the harshest winters and humid climates.

  • Resistance to bacteria and pests

Charred wood surfaces are generally unappealing to insects and other pests. This is due to the carbon layer protecting the timber boards and removing sugars from the timber’s cells that the pests would otherwise feed on.

  • Improving fire resistance

The resulting burnt surfaces have a hard and robust layer, making them highly resistant to fire. It would take a scorching flame and a long exposure time for such timber to burn, giving you ample time to put out the fire and save your valuables.

  • Overall aesthetics

Shou Sugi Ban boards come in a range of colors, from vibrant jet black shades to grey and anything else in between. All these natural shades depend on the timber variety you choose for your project, the strength of the flame, and the intensity with which you use to brush off the char. If you are going for a more natural yet polished look, you will need not stain or paint your boards. Just imagine the tremendous savings you will make!

Beauty Through Dynamic Texture

Stylish house with burnt wood

You can also achieve dynamic styles of Shou Sugi Ban on your timber surfaces, i.e., cracked or scaled. How? By varying the intensity of the flame, how you stack the boards during the charring process, and most of the timber’s grain and variety. Softwood species like cedar, pine, and spruce will give you a light burnt wood texture. Do not be surprised to find the timber grain from one species differing from another similar species. This is a surprising trick by Mother Nature that will help you further in creating beautiful complementing patterns in your home. Nonetheless, if you’re looking to create an impressive colored design to match your scheme, you can always stain or dye your boards.

Your Ultimate Décor Solution

Whether you’re looking for cladding, fencing, decking, flooring, siding, or you have some other ideas, Degmeda has you covered. Our catalog offers a wide variety of products, such as Accoya, pine, larch, spruce, and cedar, so you’re guaranteed to find the perfect solution for your project. We also ship worldwide and offer wood charring services to interested clients. For more information on our products and services, visit our website today.