All your friends are lying to you...

Join me as I butcher the pronunciation of Shou Sugi Ban, a traditional Japanese wood preservation technique. Or, if that doesn't sound cool enough, join me as I build a solid oak desk and then take a fricken flame thrower to it! Big thank you to Minwax for sponsoring this build as part of their celebration of Woodworking Month. When I'm building free furniture for my friends having sponsors for builds really helps me cover the production costs. This desk is for my buddy Robin who helped me out on my keyboard tray video. Along the way, I also explore concepts of friendship, and why it can be SO HARD to get honest feedback from your friends about your art.
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The Legs I used: rustydesign.ca...

[@ZacBuilds]

Hey everyone just found out that Minwax has given me at least one prize pack (maybe more) to give away over on my Instagram page! If you want some free Minwax products for your next build make sure you're following me on Instagram @ZacBuilds instagram.com/zacbuilds/

[@nosferatuzodd6427]

Good job. Wood finishing is an art form in and of itself. Buy yourself a copy of Bob Flexners "Understanding Wood Finishing" it's a great reference to have around. Also invest in a Domino XL for this type of work and a Lamello P2 Zeta for the cabinet jobs when you can you wont be sorry. Normal biscuits are better than nothing when it's all you have kicking around but the Domino XL or a horizontal morticer and home made tennons cant be beat. Also could do mortice and tennon bread board ends fixed together drawbore pins. Likely would have helped reduce some of the movement caused by the heat from the tourch lol. Either way good content keep doing what your doing brother.

[@NovocaineTV]

Meh... can still see those joint lines in the wood. Shoulda done epoxy in the gaps.

[@deven6518]

Was the wood treated? Treated wood doesn't char too well.

[@deven6518]

@@NovocaineTV I don't think it's the joint be lines you're seeing but rather the mismatch in the grain. The eyes focus on patterns, it's why we see shapes in clouds. If you're joining boards, try your best to match grain

[@andyh8239]

I like the flooring; what is it?

[@AndrewLaBreck]

Hardwoods are MUCH harder to get the burnt effect on than softer woods, which is why cedar is used traditionally! Pine works decently as well. It also allows the grain to be much more pronounced and you can do some really interesting stuff with soft woods like sanding in-between grains to get really exaggerated effects as it can create little valleys and lots of interesting texture.

[@truthnaut7829]

I was always under the impression that shou sugi ban was about making the grain pop out in the 1st place so not sure why he was using the technique to achieve a blackest black look. Also, in my experience Minwax black is more very dark brown and the best way to achieve what he was shooting for would have been to use India Ink to just stain it

[@AndrewLaBreck]

@@truthnaut7829 Yeah I get what you are saying. If you look at people doing what he was trying to achieve wit cedar you get this almost dragon scale effect that you can't really get on hardwoods. He didn't achieve that look which is why I agree something like a black stain probably would have done the same thing combined with a good sealer , could have avoided minor warping while getting the same effect.

[@michaelalfonso1070]

I learned that too on my first Sugi project, (pine hand cut dovetails with a Maple handle) that Maple didn’t burn, lol!

[@NobodyReport]

I'd also say burning before the glueup would probably help with the gap and warping

[@bennygerow]

Pin this 📌

[@yoleegirl]

Broke my heart when you stained over that beautiful shou sugi ban.

[@OutSideTheBoxox]

Me too

[@maryannkom299]

Exactly, shou Sufi ban isn’t to make something uniformly black!

[@kz.irudimen]

It was already completely charred, I think there was really no point in burning the wood if the client just wanted it pure black. The goal of burning it is to highlight the grain because it burns unevenly ...

[@Daniel08353]

@@kz.irudimen not really. Burning it charred black is a protectant from moisture, insects, and fire. Lightly burning it has no form of protection, and is mere aesthetics. It entirely depends on the desired results.

[@kz.irudimen]

@@Daniel08353 1. The wood does not need to be burned anywhere near that bad to be protected. 2. This is a desk, good to know that it is protected from insects and extreme weather. It was just the wrong technique for the application and desired results, probably to add popular buzzwords to the title as this is youtube

[@actionfighters]

I think that doing a Shou Sugi Ban style project is really cool, but its hard to get the real texture out of something that has a bunch of coats of finish on it. That's why a lot of the Shou Sugi Ban woodwork is used for exterior use like house paneling. Its still really cool though!

[@Vyes]

Wouldn’t a Shou Sugi style desk have a bunch of soot rub off if he didn’t add a finish? I saw another video that used a resin finish. I really like the look of heavily charred Shou Sugi but have no idea how to use it practically.

[@tonyk132]

I agree with Creig. Would personally have liked to see 4 separate matching shou sugi ban timber legs and integrated storage like drawers. Metal legs look industrial. However, thanks for demonstrating the burning and staining process. It's a real eye opener revealing the lessons learnt.

[@eugenebakulin2484]

Honest feedback: I really enjoyed watching the process, glueing, cutting, sanding, burning, staining. It really adds a lot of value for the owner knowing how much effort it took. I don't know how it _feels_ but the final product _looks_ like a desk from IKEA. Kind of surprised b this outcome -- maybe too many coats making it too shiny?

[@tegan71969]

Yep, might as well just go buy IKEA if your own piece looks like it came from there. I would be badly annoyed if people, when referring to one of my custom furniture builds, asked me: "Is that IKEA?!?"

[@overphloh]

I totally enjoyed the video, thank you so much for that! Nevertheless I also think it doesn't have this handmade or special character to it. Maybe (hopefully) that's only on camera. My first thought was that the surface looks like black painted wood. I would love to see a black painted (or stained) peace of wood next to the table to see the difference.

[@AshtrayAnnie]

It's due to multiple reason. Real Yakasugi is only burnt wood. No oiling process. That the main reason it was done. To seal without oils. The videos I watch of this process on KZbin all the idiots do the same WRONG steps. Not to mention Oak is WAY different than Cedar.

[@Ben-fk9ey]

Yea definitely took away much of the rustic charm and personality the desk had.

[@brotesser1]

OK no sugarcoat: It looks Like you just painted a normal desk black.

[@51075BIGRIGG]

Yea technically he did, because he burns it then uses deep black penetrating stain. So I’m confused why use stain if the point was to burn it to achieve the look.

[@whitetailtherapy7908]

Yeah I mean I guess It probably has a little texture ..But like you said just looking at it just like a normal desk painted black lol

[@Gloryofthereef]

You get really nice effects if you stain a color to contrast the black, but clearly the client wanted black. Each project is built for the customer not for yourself. Though that’s not to say you should EVER build a turd on purpose if you value your time.

[@scottroy6195]

Agreed here. And put all those coats on it to make it smooth. I don't think shou sugi ban is a good idea for a desk.

[@VeitSchenk]

@@51075BIGRIGG lol, that's the first question that popped into my head: why bother with the burn, if it's all coated in a super-black, all-covering stain.

[@Danielism]

I love how you blended the aesthetic which is not exactly functional, but came up with a way to make it functional with great form. Huge win, congrats.

[@ZacBuilds]

Thanks Daniel! Much appreciated man

[@MichaelThompson-ne3ij]

I enjoyed the video and am planning a similar project. One technique I discovered years ago from a woodworking magazine was called ebonizing. Wood with a consistent natural pigment can be turned black with a subtle metal glitter by painting on a metal acid mixture. Red oak is usually very good while pine often doesn't change colour at all. You make the solution by steeping steel wool in white vinegar for 24 hours. Remove obvious steel wool and apply the clear mixture to the wood. It will turn black very quickly. Let dry for a day and coat with your favourite finish. I found that any light splotching from inconsistant pigment can be repaired with your same black Minwax .

[@hyundaiverna]

Next time, if you consider going into such type of endeavor again, you can try epoxy resin: it fills the cracks between boards, self leveling and hopefully will save time on applying coats and sanding

[@sambodutch5433]

wont work bro, epoxy leaks like a sieve through the entire table once the wood is burned, it'll come out the other side, i do this kind of stuff every day :)

[@fearthesunrise]

@@sambodutch5433 there is loads of videos of resin after burning so it can be done.

[@sambodutch5433]

@@fearthesunrise OK, fair enough.

[@kesselrunheroj8497]

@@sambodutch5433 best comment

[@61spindrift]

@@sambodutch5433 Why not seal the bottom and sides with a quick epoxy, let it dry and then do an epoxy "finish coat" on top? Either that or make a mold?

[@jeremiahbrown4344]

Just a helpful tip. Use a smaller torch, you'll get a more concentrated flame. Tecnique takes a little longer, but this allows you to focus on the wood and not overwork burning it. I have always had good luck getting a nice Shou Sugi Ban finish this way. Happy woodworking Ladies and Gents :)

[@FAB1150]

Honestly I really like the look, I can see why someone could prefer timber legs or unstained wood (the two main pieces of criticism here in the comments), but I dig the more industrial look and that color, with some but not too much grain showing. Love it

[@mechafan180]

That's freaking awesome, I'm totally building one of these desk, but I think I'll use some scrap pine I have. I've done shou sugi ban a few times but I always used resin as a finish. I never thought of using polyurethane. There's a pigment called true fire by black diamond pigments, it's a two tone that when applied to shou sugi ban using resin it looks amazing. It's like a galactic sparkle purple, or that's what I think its like.

[@Furcapper]

I don't have a place to really try big DIY projects, but man do I want to try to build a desk for myself right now. Amazing stuff.

[@killkrazy9913]

I've done this process with softer woods. it is awesome when you burn enough to bring out the hard grain of the wood. Then you hit it with a plastic wire wheel to expose the soft grain and true wood color. The hard grain will hold the black after wire wheeling. And if its not enough texture or grain isnt dark enough burn again. After getting it to the texture and burn level you want hit it with Keda Dye. I personally love using Keda Dye and it also depends on the type of wood you are using. It enhances the reflectivity of the grain. I like the desk a lot. Though just looks like you painted it black. I do like how there is texture to it. In the lighting you can see ALOT of texture and it is eye catching.

[@williamwatsonjr.6332]

Nice job the desk. I've got an idea about how to fill the cracks or gaps. Now i haven't tried it yet but couldn't you take some of the chard black sawdust mixed with wood glue and if need be add little black die to fill in the gaps. I don't know just a thought. Any hoot, i'm gonna give it a try later and if it works or not ill get back with and let you know.

[@SusuReedJango]

With "project" if you follow proper pronunciation, you say it correctly. Unfortunately, most Americans don't understand proper pronunciation, and accept common pronunciation. We (Americans) are taught that if there's a vowel, consonant, vowel we emphasize the first vowel. But most don't follow through with that. I live in VA and inherited a Delaware accent so I had to figure out why people thought I talked "northern", that's why

[@NofaKingway]

Dude, fist up awesome build skills and I really appreciate your honesty on remembering to seek criticism. It is SO easy to get caught up in yourself, especially here where your friends and fans are giving the feedback. I don't like the desk myself but that doesn't mean it's bad, you've experimented with new materials, gained skill and of course the recipient will love it. I know people have said it but yeah, those legs just don't do it for me, I won't flog a dead horse as others have said it but I will add I didn't really like the mounting hardware. Those screws looked like they were gonna tear out with time and it really could have done with washers to get a good fit. This might be the video speaking, but on camera the finish looks waxy and thick, I feel like you could have used cheap wood, painted and coated to get the same results. Maybe in person it looks different but that's my 2c. Heck maybe skip the Shou Sugi Ban finish and go direct to minwax black? Overall it's been a journey and I know I'll be taking some ideas with me! Love the way you experimented with different things though.

[@wstein70]

I did a similar desk for my wife's home office. I used black India ink to dye it black instead of the shou shugi ban. I found that shou shugi ban weakens any glue joints by partially melting the glue. You could have also used a desk pad for the keyboard/mouse so you didn't have to apply so many top coats and you would have been able to keep the natural wood feel versus the plastic feel you get from so many coats of finish. So if your looking for that black out effect, try India Ink next time. Outside of that, good video and some good ideals and tips.

[@SilverShinepony]

The desk looks super nice, but I believe staining the steel legs black on the grinded spots would be so much better. Maybe even apply some metal wax on it because it feels more natural that clear coat, not to mention that scratches on it won't be as noticeable

[@ZacBuilds]

I'll have to give some metal wax a shot in the future! Never worked with it before

[@SilverShinepony]

@@ZacBuilds its pretty cool, works wonders on purposely rusted surfaces. I actually even used shoe wax once on my kitchen table and it worked surprisingly

[@christophersmith8014]

You did a good job getting a decent end result. It's hard to keep a flat surface when the cellulose is off gassing and burning so much faster than the lignin. The last time I had to make a floor pure black for a customer I tinted the clear finish coat with some of the black tinting dye from the paint store (I just asked for some and they gave me a couple ounces in a paper cup). It worked far better than the stain (and I had also stained it as dark as it could go) because it evenly covered the surface with a transparent sheet of color rather than needing to soak in.

[@Foxiology]

I actually think this desk would look BETTER if the legs had rusted! Imagine that beautiful rust colour with the black desk!

[@daniellegault4758]

For a three monitor system like mine, that would not do, plus you need to add a layer of some kind to support the desktop computer. It must not touch the ground. the best place to put it would be under the table midway for the wires to reach every item. You also need a printer table to allow for a laser printer that can be easily loaded with paper and ink ... Epoxy. Table twice as deep at least and probably twice as large. And why not some drawer for stationaries ... Here you have it. I would pay for such a new design! 👍

[@61spindrift]

too small for mine as well. I have 10.

[@faissalabsml4393]

This is one of the few channels I make sure not to miss any of their new videos, and I don't even work with wood.

[@ZacBuilds]

Thanks Faissal! I'm right there with you man, I watch tons of videos on KZbin about hobbies I don't actually do, sometimes it's fun just to watch the process!

[@faissalabsml4393]

@@ZacBuilds Exactly, I just finished the video and tbh, the desk turned out really well, I love the black finish.

[@zibzer]

Looks great. Good job! You asked for constructive feedback, and you did a great job so this is nit-picky, but one thing to think about is a lesser angle chamfer at the bottom. Or less chamfer altogether, or failing that a skirt around the underside because the top looks thin. You have that beautiful 8/4 red oak but the chamfer makes it look like a small 4/4 top bolted onto huge legs.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

Too many compliments and not enough criticism? Allow me to assist you! 😄 Keep in mind that I’m too lazy to attempt this build, so take it with a grain of salt. But anyway, here goes: Those pre-built legs are shit. They’re really ugly, as in low quality ugly. You didn’t give us a close up on the welds, but from a distance they look bad. The parts of the legs near the top that were ground looked gross, too. You should have cleaned up the legs. Use an angle grinder to clean the welds on the feet, then use your orbital sander to smooth/feather the shitty grinds near the top. If you choose, you can create patterns using a palm sander and scotch bright. As far as finishing the legs, if you want that industrial aesthetic, you’re going to want to apply a chemical patina, THEN clear coat it. This process alters the surface layer of the metal itself, and you can achieve a wide variety of looks depending on which scary chemicals you apply.

[@joelovestorah1403]

Pretty harsh but the legs were garbage. Ps. You can't blame it on well my friend ordered them because I'm not attaching a turd to my Mona lisa.

[@Kaodusanya]

I really wish people would stop using premade legs. Makes the entire build look generic.

[@davesnothere8859]

I made a desk base this way. I used white oak rust in vinegar first the burned it, waxed it with black shoe polish and paste wax a lot of work but spectacular.

[@trevorwalters7978]

I like the life experience advice, and of course you are quite right. The desk is functional and fits in a modern or classic environment. The odd divett , vein or gap gives it a rustic used charm that not every one likes. Its a good solid piece of work and i would mark you 8 out of ten .

[@ardemus]

That was a very attractive final result, and I think you did a good job finding a compromise between the time and materials it would take to figure out a pure technique, and faking the last few percent to get the look you wanted. That said, my gut says that you were on the right path by preheating the wood evenly, and patiently flipping the board, even if it wasn't charring at first. I'm confident that a large portion of the warping and cupping is from driving the moisture out of the wood, so heating both sides gradually toward a char seems like a good plan. I also expect that the more moisture you drive out of the wood the less temperature you'll need to start the char, and the deeper and blacker the resulting char will be. Part of me wants to experiment with the procedure on different woods to see, it might even make a good video.

[@allenherinckx4474]

As a recommendation. Inlay the legs. It adds to the intent and can transform it to piece of furniture, rather than a nice top with legs screwed to it. Blacktail does this and adds a detail that makes his pieces stand out.

[@vsemprivet]

Excuse me, what is "inlay the legs"?

[@alexfoxleigh9443]

I made a similar desktop to this but instead of charring the wood jet black, I just used the burning process to exaggerate the grain of the wood. Then I stained and finished it. The end result looks like the desktop was made 100 years ago and I love it. Sadly I didn't have any time to make legs so I just bought some from our local DIY store and they let the desk down bigtime but hey, that's a project for another day :)

[@lnxcodevideo]

I believe the Shou Sugi Ban wasn't ever intended to be super duper finish friendly. If you take into account the fact that is was used to treat wood for outside the house. So you started with an almost impossible task to begin with. That being said, I also think that applying all those finishes to it, and coloured CA and all of that, it's not really a Shou Sugi Ban desk, it's just a desk "coloured black" in a different technique and then basically painted over and finished, which by the way in my opinion hides the Shou Sugi Ban. I can't think of anything else except some construction beams or something like that used outside, that would've really shown the Shou Sugi Ban.

[@lauri.nordling]

"Yakisugi (焼杉, lit. 'to heat cypress with fire')" is a technique to char the wood to make it water proof, insect proof (and nearly fireproof). The desk in question is treated with yakisugi/shou sugi ban, and in addition just treated with stain and a finish. It's just like saying you car isn't painted, since there's lacquer on top!

[@JohnathanAulabaugh]

So I love this and plan to do a desk top similarly with a live edge. You may know this trick already but when working with hard woods you cans use bar soap on your screws to help them drive in without shearing heads. Hickory and mahogany are prime examples of head shearing without predril and soaping up your screws

[@ternura727]

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite woodworking channels, man. Keep at it!

[@ZacBuilds]

Thanks man! Comments like this definitely keep me motivated to keep creating!

[@GOATprod2020]

The one thing I would add to the desk is some sort of cable management cradle and passthrough to the table legs would make the setup waaaaaaay much cleaner look.

[@navajoninja8956]

I really like the look of the desk. Its attention grabbing and looks very industrial which I like. But for what I do and my work flow I think this desk it too small. That being said the look is still on point.

[@livelaterad]

Hey not sure if you know but save the sawdust from your projects always in case of defects or mess ups. You can add wood glue to the dust and apply it to imperfections.. or to the separation of the table to fill it in let it dry sand it and it will be ready for stain or paint.. etc

[@diegovaldes8411]

would've look killer with a clear epoxy pour! but given his reaction i think your friend would rather have the wood texture than the clean look of the epoxy.

[@ZacBuilds]

I'd love to another one with epoxy, but we had discussed from the start we really wanted to preserve the texture above all else. It really does have any awesome feel to it as is. You can feel the natural grain as well as the crackles that come from charring.

[@diegovaldes8411]

@@ZacBuilds i totally understand, i have a desk that i left the wood texture in and finished with poly too and i gotta say, despite the stain and poly finish on top, it's very lovely to feel the wood texture while using it!

[@ZacBuilds]

@@diegovaldes8411 I spend a lot of time just feeling the grain of my desk absent mindly while I worked and think too

[@derrickharris7306]

No rust on legs, modern is beautiful and I love the shou sugi ban look. Used it on an outdoor walk way and it has last for years. Plus...no maintenance. LOL.

[@mychael6659]

The piece looks fantastic, but I would say it's more SSB "inspired" as opposed to a SSB piece. It needs to be charred pretty deeply to be considered SSB. I did learn some things watching this video, you did a great job collectively.

[@bradmoshenko7733]

You solved the glue expension like I was expected, colored glue, but I didnt know they sold colored. I was working on something with ebony splines and I ended up keeping a few little baggies of the ebony saw dust. In my case it was because one of my parts had a few small voids in the grain and the black would fit with the piece. Haven't actually dont it yet, no space to work at, but it should work.

[@alduinc]

It looks great. Just wanted to know, does burning the desk really make a huge difference considering you still used a black finish? What would the difference be if i just use the minwax without doing the shou sugi ban?

[@johngardiner8847]

Nothing.. the burning was a waste

[@thomasdaigle1416]

Love the desk. Only thing I would have done differently if it was me building the desk was to use cedar and inlaid the mounting bracket. The cedar would have given a better burn affect and inlaying the mounting bracket on the legs would help the desk top not warp from temperature changes. And lastly I would have put some low profile leveling feet on it to make sure it can be leveled regardless of location.

[@bradymcphail9690]

Hey man, I’ve become a real fan! I’m new to your channel, and I like how you gave a background story on the history of the style.

[@oldsoul5263]

Patina by vinegar is something I'm fond of.... black on black .... swwweeeeet!

[@BlakePizzey]

Why did it take so long to find your channel. I love the way your approaching telling the story. Great filming and editing! An inspiration for my videos.

[@ZacBuilds]

Haha I don't know, but I'm glad you found it now. Cheer man, appreciate the kind words!

[@fishma2]

I wish I had that desk. Only thing that would make it more complete is a treat on the bottom backside for cable management

[@TheAnimystro]

The desk top is really nice, 10/10, but I think you should have painted the legs, the grinded areas really show through and it's not great. Seen a few of your vids now, just subscribed :)

[@ZacBuilds]

I hear you, and I offered to paint them for Robin but he loved the unfinished look and frankly I kind of do too. It's a style, but obviously not one thats for everyone.

[@abhinabpadhi]

Dang !!!! That's probably the best looking table that I've seen .. like ever !

[@james.914]

My friends are too honest if they tell me they like something I make I know it must be good. They’ve only liked a few things.

[@TallGuyDIY]

I appreciate the simplicity of the design yet the complexity of the methods to achieve it

[@Kcustom216]

BISCUITS DO NOT add strength! I ate them for a month and my bench press decreased 😫

[@ZacBuilds]

😂😂

[@blueridgedsia]

you can rub it down in coconut oil first this will balance out the burn in areas where wood is more dense. Traditionally this is performed on a bed of coals. it would work better to lay it on concrete and scoop on hot coals with a metal feed shovel and then move the coals around with an iron rake

[@GetSquarewTomJolley]

This is the first video I’ve seen from you. The title “your friends lied to you” convinced me to click on it. Your comment “idiots on KZbin” made me laugh out loud and immediately SUBSCRIBE! 🤣🤣🤣🤣👍

[@h0bb3]

Japanese woodworker for 30 years - "I'm now not a beginner at shou sugi ban"- western youtube woodworker - "I flipped the table over and now got a really good feel for the process" it's a really interesting difference in perspectives going on here IMHO :D Cool table btw :)

[@A.Mere.Creator]

The link to your Instagram in the description leads to a dead end, just a heads up :)

[@ZacBuilds]

Oh crap, better fix that! Thanks for the heads up

[@nathanpehrson3930]

Can I comment on biscuits? My understanding is that the primary purpose of biscuits is to add strength to otherwise weak joints (they actually swell when glue is applied for an even stronger joint). The reason people say biscuits are only for alignment is because you don’t need the added strength of a biscuit when gluing long grain to long grain (I hope I’m remembering my terms right). So it does add strength to the joint, it’s just unnecessary strength making the primary use alignment.

[@ZacBuilds]

Oh I 100% agree with you. But many people say "biscuits don't add any strength" which I think is a misinterpretation of the fact and it gets parroted a lot online. So I wanted to try and clear things up, but maybe I should've been more specific.

[@areebahmad2667]

The table is awesome but the legs could be improved, the legs finish is very uneven from the factory u could have sanded the legs first and then finished it with clear coat. I think it would look nicer. + u do say project weird. 🤣

[@ZacBuilds]

This was actually a discussion that Robin and I had, but he really dug the rough industrial vibe of the unfinished legs and that's why we left them as is with just a clear coat to prevent any corrosion

[@rikmorel4870]

great desk - great technique tips. As for the design, I think a simple box underneath with an optional fold down door, maybe 3 inches or so for papers, pencils etc. I typically like a more substantial top than just a slab.

[@FireCrowsWorkshop]

Since black is one of my favourite colours, I love the desk! But not only the rich colour, if we can say that about black, I love how you can see the grain! Unfortunately the legs are butt ugly. Could it be that by pre-finished they meant there was a thin film of protective oil on it? They definitely weren't blued. But if there was oil on it, then you'd have really bad time applying any kind of finish to them, unless you wiped them very well with some kind of solvent first. I'm waiting to see your improved metal building skills, don't be afraid to experiment with different shapes!

[@Erowens98]

A proper glue joint is already stronger than the surrounding wood if you're using decent glue. So adding more surface area will not further increase its strength. That would only work with a glue that is not as strong as the surrounding wood. A biscuit could conceivably add strength, if it was made out of an equally strong wood and the grain was aligned properly. But a biscuit of compressed fibers, if anything, is just gonna reduce the overall strength very slightly because part of the joint is a fiber biscuit instead of hardwood.

[@Buck1954]

I'm not a huge fan of black surfaces on furniture, however that desk turned out very nice. I came here to see what problems you had with glue joints that get blackened. I'm doing an outdoor project with charring and I'd feel better if some surfaces were glued with an exterior binder, though I may just bolt the entire thing together and walk away. I thought about plugging the bolt holes and charring that, but think that may not work well. Thanks for the education.

[@hand_of_g0d262]

What's cool if they have like a set up with the led lights or "gaming set up" you could use. Wood die on it and it turns out really cool dad build dad channel shows it too. And honest opinion that side table at the end. Ock up is magnificent!

[@ZacBuilds]

Neat idea! I'll keep that in mind for the future

[@joemomma931]

Love the desk it I do believe your supposed to scrub the wood down with some kind of wire brush to take some of that char off and get down to wood for some texture and contrast.

[@sylvaind.6786]

Biscuits in long-grain to long-grain joint add as much strength as a water drop increases the sea level.

[@ZacBuilds]

I assume it would probably be exactly proportional to the increase in surface area.

[@little_records]

I'd have liked the table flipped around, so the bevel is facing down, that's just personal preference. But, from another perspective, I love ALL the effort having gone into it, all that effort gives that personal touch :)

[@ZacBuilds]

Thanks! I'm a bit confused though, because the bevel is facing down on the final desk. I just cut it upside down.

[@eckress8692]

I really wished I had seen this video before I took the torch to my vanity top. That is truly some beautiful work. Two thumbs up. Looking forward to seeing more of your art. Thank you for sharing and the videos.

[@next4887]

I did not read many of the comments so sorry if it has already been mentioned. Why not run a small prewired bar between the back legs with a couple of openings then run those wires through the legs to reduce the visual noise. I think the desk looks great!! Would I want it in my home, probably not. Not our style

[@guitarplayer4life17]

Willing to have this in my home when I move in a few months. I will definitely be building one for myself. Thanks for sharing!

[@lukeanderson8994]

Great desk. Since you pointed out feedback, this is more about preference or alternatives, so here goes: I probably would have skipped the black stain which may take away from some of the interesting iridescent sheen burnt wood has. Additionally, to help with flatness since it is a desk and all, you could have also gone more aggressive on the burning and then used a thin layer of epoxy, shellac or the like for perfect flatness.

[@JesseHerreraMusic]

I like that you took a traditional 'outdoor technique ' and applied it to this project. Super unique and experimental, and it taught me a lot about blackening/texturing a hardwood surface. I think it has a deeper, more textured look than just painting. There's still some intrigue to the wood that you wouldn't get if you just painted it.

[@tn8584]

Love the history bit about wood burning. Great desk. Cheers fro NZ

[@ZacBuilds]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@reneetrevino5403]

I like the out come, I also what to start doing this for chairs and TV stand. Would you burn one plank at time next time? Or wait longer for the glue to set? Have you ever used this process on a already created piece of furniture? In other words upscaling furniture? After sanding and removing paint or finishing do you think it will burn unevenly? Sorry about all the questions. Not lol

[@ValleysOfNeptune2150]

It looks really small. Love the look and the angles you did to the edges. Legs are straight and good might try those legs on a future desk build

[@ryglass33]

I made a similar desk a while back with an ebony stain and matt clear coat. I really like the chamfer you added, but I think the charring was a total miss. Maybe it was just hard to see through the video, but as other people are saying, it just looks painted. Side note- I know you didn’t do the legs, but they look rough. This is the first video I’ve seen of yours, but I’m impressed with the quality and will check out some more!

[@angryzombie8088]

No Sugarcoat: The beauty of Yakisugi to me personally is that they accentuate the wood grain that creates contrast in term of texture & colours. Some people would use different grit of sandpaper or brush for that contrast. With an all black table like that I wont bother doing Yakisugi at all. Just black stain, PU & sanding in between coats. I like the design & the level of care given building it.

[@sawdustadikt979]

Minwax makes a matte black poly that has a stunning finish on open grain stuff like red oak and ash. It really highlights the grain texture. Especially if you thin it down just right. Something to try on a test piece sometime.

[@SwitchAndLever]

I know this project is long since done, but one big tip if you're ever going to do shou sugi ban again is not to wait for it to cool down to do the finishing. Those scouring (or Scotch Brite) pads you use at the end to bring the sheen down, use them with your finish in the beginning. If you apply finish, and scour with those at the same time you both knock loose the loose soot and you fill in those small gaps and small surface imperfections with a mixture of finish and soot. It would probably have helped avoid needing to use CA glue to fill in the gaps between the boards for instance. Then when that's done you can always add more finish once it cools down, but working with it while it's still warm helps the first finish (or in your case stain) to penetrate more into the wood and to lock in the soot better 🙂

[@66meikou]

Nice job mate. Shou Sugi Ban is only meant for exterior surfaces though. As you were using oak, you could have saved your self a lot of time by ebonising the wood. Ebonising make use of the chemical reaction between the tannins in the wood and the solution applied. Oak is high in tannins so all your saw dust etc go into the solution you use. With enough tannin and a bit of iron wool your wood would go jet black without messing up the surface texture. This would have also avoided the glue line issue.

[@nicolasduguay4]

Honnest feedback: I love the finish, I want to make a Shou Sugi Ban, you inspired me!! I don't like the fact that you used many pieces glued together for this techique, but I am impressed of how you turned that out with the colored glue!! Also, This is more of a table than a working station because the heights of the keyboard and mousepad are not adjustable. I am working on a computer all day long and by experience, this can cause some serious ergonomic issues. Thank you for the inspiration!

[@unionse7en]

clear coating steel: do it where humidity is low. heat the steal with a heat gun or electric space heater NOT a flame (a product of combustion is water vapor). can build a tent with a drop cloth place steel object inside and place space heater at entrance with an exit at the other end. Just before painting go over it with a heat gun. Humidity meters are ultra inexpensive. then clear coat and pray. hopefully you don't trap water under the coating.

[@bamabry]

I don't comment on many videos, but I always try to on yours because they really are great! I've wanted to try the burned wood for a while because I love dark wood and grain patterns. This one seems to have turned out great! Of course, part of the problem for us is that a big part of the burned wood is texture and we can't feel that. I would be interested to see you do a side-by-side comparison with two small pieces. One done just like you did here, one just stained black. I think it'd be cool to see how different it is with all that extra work. Great job, man!

[@ZacBuilds]

Thank you Braden, I've definitely noticed your consistent support and deeply appreciate it. That's a good idea for a test, and something I'll probably do. I think the straight stained oak would lack a lot of the texture, but from 10-15' away it might be hard to tell the difference.

[@bamabry]

@@ZacBuilds Thank you! I fell in love with your stuff on Imgur and am super happy that you decided to start a YT channel. I've never worked with red oak, but would definitely love to see it!

[@MUDNROCKS]

Honest feedback, it looks good, I like the exposed grain in the top, should have bead blasted the legs before clear coating them, should have riv - nutted the legs and fitted adjustable feet, modesty panel on the back side that matches the top would also double as a leg brace, cable notch was a good idea.

[@jonny555ive]

Honestly, that looks really good. I myself have a love for black furniture and I would be very happy to have this in my house. Fantastic work Buddy 👍👍

[@charlesreina551]

Nice work young man I’m starting my first piece now Thanks for the colored ca glue to lip Great video thanks Charlie

[@ZacBuilds]

Thanks for watching and the kind words Charlie, much appreciated man! Good luck on your build

[@wilnosseck3229]

I believe what a lot of people mean by "biscuits don't add strength to a joint" is confused with "biscuits don't add as much strength as dowels". Which, I tend to agree with. You get almost equal surface area for your glue, but more rigid structure. Either way, great watch. I am new to your channel and will continue to chime with thoughts. Keep it up.

Hello my friend, Congratulations on the project and the smart way of working that hides great experiences. See you. Big greetings.

[@MurphyWoodwork]

Great video!! I use minwax Stain for my builds, good prices and consistent results.

[@bjvp182]

Aside from what I saw already on people commenting on the redundancy of the Shou Sugi Ban process to then black stain it, I thought of why not thread insert below for bold on and off desk legs for easier removal for transport/storage/longevity.

[@ecclesnz1221]

Thank you for taking the time to make and share this video. I learned a lot. If you were to do it again would you consider burning each board first, avoiding the joining edges, and then cleaning up, biscuiting those edges and then joining? It would solve the crack problem. Anyway, thanks again from a new subscriber.

[@CheffBryan]

The two problems you had was not waiting until winter to do this outside, where the wood starts cold and quickly cools, and the other is not going until you have the alligator scale look. You're driving all the VOCs out, so hitting it up in stages is absolutely necessary. This should have taken two days to do, and the gaps formed are best taken care of with an epoxy pour.

[@Old_Man_Pete]

I agree with Robyn/Robin, it's a beautiful looking desk.

[@danieledwards7178]

I have wanted to for about 10 years now ,,, make a Counter Top using a (kind of) Shou-Sogi-Ban technique... But to actually burn it so there are Large Voids missing from the burning and that the wood turns to the look of charcoal.... Then use a Durable Table Top Resin .

[@jaredmyers3227]

I agree about the biscuits, they do add some strength and nice clamps! Wish I had that when I built my butcher block island.

[@lintophilip4066]

Loved every bit of the video and really enjoy watching your content, and maybe for feedback I'd route a channel for the head of the stand to fit into making it look clean and intentional, sinking the head of the legs into the desk.

[@ZacBuilds]

Thanks Linto, and that's a great idea, i'll keep that in mind for the next build!

[@jimnz17]

bro, its epic. honestly. Ive been planning a new desk for myself. im a copying yours, its mint. i even have some painted matt black legs in the garage

[@arinayuuu]

the correct name is YAKISUGI (焼杉 in japanese) 焼く: "yaku" means to burn 杉: "sugi" is cedar "sho" is the onyomi pronunciation of the same character, the original Hànzì pronunciation of the character when introduced in Japan. "sho" may be used in other japanese words, but not in this case. 板 "ita" is board, "ban" is the onyomi pronunciation. 杉板 (sugi-ita) means "cedar board​". but the technique name is YAKISUGI.

[@shadowawaits1]

I have started doing some Shou Sugi ban at home for my gardening boxes and outside platforms! I never even thought about making some interior stuff!! The project looks soo nice, would had loved to see some way or addon you could had put to 'hide the computer cords or put an inside power station. GOOD JOB I am happy I found your channel!! =D

[@erins.5420]

Stop caring about what anonymous people think!! You’re a great personality with great content! The only opinions or criticisms that should matter are the ones you know what their face looks like and individually have a direct impact on your life. Loved the desk!

[@ZacBuilds]

Great advice and thank you for kind words!

[@bakerfmly]

This just solidified my desire to make a desk like this. now to get a blow torch...

[@ZacBuilds]

You're gonna have a great time! I think I linked the I used in the video description, it was cheap on Amazon and got the job done