The Japanese craft of Yakisugi is—due to a botched translation—mistakenly called Shou Sugi Ban in the West. This technique has been used for centuries in Japan and is growing in popularity around the world—here’s what to know.
Shou Sugi Ban, also known as Yakisugi, is a decorative and architectural wood-burning technique that has been used for centuries in Japan. This traditional Japanese wood preservation method involves voluntarily charring wood to create a textural surface that is beautiful to look at—and that offers practical advantages when executed correctly. It can be used as a treatment on outdoor architectural elements such as siding, as well as indoors on walls and furniture. The aesthetic qualities of Shou Sugi Ban have inspired a revived interest in the wood-charring technique in recent years, which has become a prominent trend in architecture and interior design around the world.
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The Origins of Shou Sugi Ban (Yakisugi)
Shou Sugi Ban (or Yakisugi, as it is known in Japan) means “burned cedar.” It is an ingenious 18th-century Japanese wood burning technique that creates an intriguing charred appearance that highlights natural wood veining, creates textural interest, and varies in appearance according to how much fire is applied and which type of wood is used. (Japanese Cypress is considered the gold standard for purists, although other wood types can be used to varying degrees of success.) While it might seem counterintuitive, the act of charring wood doesn’t make it structurally weaker, but magically has the opposite effect. Burning the surface of the wood under controlled conditions fortifies and protects the wood against future damage, making it an excellent preservation technique.
The use of Shou Sugi Ban in traditional Japanese architecture predates the practice of using chemicals to protect wood siding. Achieving Shou Sugi Ban involves a process that includes carefully selecting virgin wood that is cut into planks, dried in the sun or open air, burned on the surface to create a thin layer of char, then brushed and sealed with oil. ..
