How To Burn Your Raised Garden Bed So It Lasts Longer

[@gardengatesopen]

I've been Shou Sugi Ban-ing EVERYTHING!! It all started when I built an owl house, bcuz I want to attract owls. It's made from pallet wood, which is not cedar, but I didn't want to paint any toxins on it. The very best finish IS the Shou Sugi Ban method!! Not only is the Owl House toxin free, but it LOOKS AWESOME!! The dark color even helps it blend into the tree canopy where it is hung high up on a tree trunk. I also didn't want to buy any oil to finish it, so I just used what I had here at my house, which was coconut oil ! I just rubbed it on, then took the torch and melted the coconut oil into the wood. I mean, yes, IT'S A GENIUS MOVE!!! (If I do say so myself!!) Now we have a gorgeous Owl House- WHICH WAS FREE!!! It's waterproof, And- Ever since, any time there's bare wood around here - I'm all- SHOU SUGI BAN!!!! I mean, it works like a charm!!

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Hahaha I love this and I am right here with you

[@robertc5387]

The obvious question on everyone’s mind is… have any owls taken up residence?

[@gardengatesopen]

@robertc5387 I spent most of last Winter building it, (took my sweet time!) & so the house has only just recently gone up. There's a lot of owls in our area looking for new housing bcuz of all the developers razing the land around here. Prospects are looking good bcuz there IS a Screech Owl that's been hanging around checking it out!! But I won't know for sure until it brings a mate into it. So - 🤞 !

[@Alejandro_san]

This read like a Dr Bronners soap label. OK!

[@gardengatesopen]

@@Alejandro_san Pffffthhhhhhh!! 👅💦 👍

[@MyFocusVaries]

For folks mentioning the time this process takes, consider that wood treated this way lasts 80 to 100 YEARS without about further upkeep. That's a lot of future work saved. Imagine not replacing your fence etc EVER.

[@justineheinrichs2798]

That’s fascinating. I’ve seen people burn wood but I was never sure what the benefit was. Plus it’s beautiful.

[@Dirt-Fermer]

Makes it more difficult to ignite later on as well

[@WhatAboutZoidberg]

This is amazing, I've been doing this for a bit, since I also do woodworking and fell in love with the look. This seems like a no brainer and man its pretty. great idea. Also if you use Tung Oil, be sure to hang dry your applicator cloth, or dry it in the sun on the concrete. It can self combust if you just toss it in the trash, so be safe.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

It adds so much richness to the wood I really love it!

[@marktoldgardengnome4110]

The same method, burning the surface of wood, has been used, and still is on inground pole setting to prevent rot where ground contact is necessary. Poles that support buildings, pole barns, utility poles, etc. Great job and demonstration Jacque, they're beautiful.

[@tracybromage-spencer1882]

The results are stunning. Natural and in keeping with your aesthetic. I love it. ❤

[@Migysuperfly]

Amazing video great value. I'm a woodworker and I appreciated how you did your research on this topic and provided a detailed explanation of the process. I would love to see a detailed video on the process of installing the raised bed, as in, leveling the ground, assembly, any tips or tricks. I'm looking forward to seeing how the beds perform over the years.

[@NIH1966]

I really appreciate the effort that went into this and the result is gorgeous. The process does look pretty time consuming and very messy! Personally, I don't think I would use this method on my cedar beds - at least not right now when I also have a full time job and no more space to add new garden beds anyway. But in the future, I'm hoping to retire and move to a larger property where I can spend my time gardening, raising chickens, developing "wild" areas, and trying all kinds of new gardening strategies that aren't feasible for me right now on my very small suburban lot. It was really helpful to see you walk through each of the steps so clearly, so I will definitely save this for future reference.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Thanks for the kind words, it is indeed both messy and time consuming!

[@debbiedowers3927]

We did this with untreated yellow pine (couldn't part with the $$$ for cedar) and it looks so nice.

[@TinMan445]

A very professional tutorial. You nailed it Jacque, so many people miss the ends and it’s the most absorbent spot

[@cptnd3851]

I did the same with 1000 sq ft of raised beds, it took days to burn and apply tung oil to everything but there's only very slight wear from UV on some parts of some beds after a year.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

It was pretty time intensive but at least you only have to do it oncen

[@GasOperatedDad]

I am using my boxes of charred cedar beds in their second year, and they still look great. By year two after many rains the original coffee brown char residue is mostly gone ( I didn't hose my wood off after wire brushing ). I also have no desire to add a stain or oil to the wood. However, whenever it does rain the wet look brings back the darker color with beautiful grain accent every time. If there is something I would do different the next time I build a Shou Sugi Ban box, I wouldn't bother to wire brush off the dark black carbon shell for what will be the interior side of the box. That extra layer of carbon on top of the now hardened wood cellulose would probably provide even more protection from moist soil contacting the interior of the bed walls. The exterior faces of the bed will definitely get wire brushed for aesthetics, as they mostly interface with air & sun.

[@rinarose9544]

Oh that color is decadent! I absolutely love how the shou sugi ban bed turned out!

[@gracehSF]

Great video, Jacques. I loved that you showed us step by step the differences in the wood and the options available.

[@debbybrady1246]

That wood is beautiful. Lots of work but worth it in the long run if you want longevity.

[@SplitComp]

Wow, I want to do this to my new floor boards!!

[@gregbishop4145]

This looks amazing! I've wanted more wood beds in my garden but FL is brutal on wood. I'm thinking I'll be doing this for some beds in the near future. Appreciate you.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Wow thank you! I hope this can buy you a few extra years out of the wood, the outdoor defense oil should help out a bit as well.

[@Snakeskii]

I made my garden beds out of juniper boards and then our house burned down. I pulled the boards from the beds before we sold the property because they were so expensive and relatively new, but there are sections that are very burnt. I wonder if I could do this with them to even out the color and make it look purposeful. I might give it a go when we are ready to make new beds out of them.

[@shamancarmichael5305]

This method looks so beautiful! The way it makes the natural variations in the wood's color so deep and rich. Looks great Jacques!

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@MeanOldLady]

We've done shou sugi ban on various projects, but we wanted something permanent for our raised beds, so we we made them out of concrete poured & tamped into molds with basalt fiber reinforcement. We dug french drain trenches for drainage as well as a cushion against frost heave in our heavy, clay soil. We built them 2' tall & slightly tapered at the top & made them 4" wide & 30' long - 4 beds total. It's 4 years later & there are no cracks due to temp changes (0 at lowest to 115 at highest) or heave, fortunately.

[@wkvaughn]

Jacque, you’ve done a great job explaining this Japanese method of wood preservation. Thanks. I must try it in our beautiful garden.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

It is really cool that you get a unique piece every time!

[@cherylharless281]

I prefer the sho shugi ban untreated, it's so pretty! (I'm usually the practical one, so I surprise myself!)

[@jacquesinthegarden]

I honestly do as well! The coffee color was perfect, next one I am going to try to leave uncoated for comparison.

[@laurieslifeessentials]

I think it came out beautiful! Definitely labor intensive though!

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Absolutely a project but I love the color without using a stain!

[@unknownname8328]

Fantastic. I'm 100% doing this, but with Hemlock wood. Can't wait to try this out and build beautiful garden beds.

[@scottprather5645]

Hemlock is one of the least rot resistant woods so probably not going to last very long

[@shannonnewman9202]

I’ve been so looking forward to this since seeing it on your IG while you working on it. Looks great! And intentional fire during a project: always fun. 😅

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Absolutely any amount of fire play is a good thing for me!

[@tinad6812]

It’s absolutely beautiful. I love it and now I want one or two or three. I will do the burning and sealing if I get them. Thank you. 😊

[@jacquesinthegarden]

I am for sure regretting not doing it to the other bed!

[@tinad6812]

@@jacquesinthegarden it would be a good control bed to see which one breaks down faster, but I foresee you doing it to that bed as well. They will both be beautiful show pieces in your garden. 😊

[@keltonfredrick]

One note, just rub the first set of mineral oil in with the ash on, wait a few hours, then wash with water and do the final pass with whatever sealant.

[@fawksee]

Can you do a video on burning weeds? 😂 Genuinely curious!

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Could spin that up!

[@zackthewazoobeaver]

Looks amazing! Thanks for showing your process - it’s actually a bit less involved than I expected!

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Honestly not too bad, just messy!

[@arnoldmmbb]

Looks awesome for sure and also should last a good time

[@mperez8924]

It looks stunning. Love it. Thanks for the wonderful tutorial.

[@ericpeterson9356]

I’ve always enjoyed roasted wood. Nice smell and look. Few gardeners do that.

[@brandymurphy6373]

😮 oh I love that method. I’m going to start building my raised beds this fall so I would love that look. For now I’m in ground gardening. Dreaming of the future 😂. ❤❤❤❤

[@jacquesinthegarden]

It is quite fun to do as well!

[@thall3827]

A friend of ours suggested we do this to our fence when we finally get it installed,,,, but that looks way too intensive for all the fencing we'll have to be putting up. But it sure would be amazing. It does look quite good. How pretty the "stain" is without actually using stain.

[@MyFocusVaries]

Imagine though that it lasts 80 to 100 YEARS without further treatment. Wow.

[@noramaegomez197]

Wow, it looks beautiful Jaques!

[@bluewolf4915]

Just ordered some of that oil. Going to try a small project this way.

[@PhilTerrano]

great explanation, you really hit all the important points. I have 500 sq ft cedar raised beds all done with this method. Only thing I would add is that it's actually called Yakisugi, "shou sugi ban" is a mistranslation!

[@marktoldgardengnome4110]

2 different terms, from 2 different countries in 3 different languages that achieve and mean the same thing but are spelled and pronounced differently. Preservation method of a wooden box to make it last, minimize decomposition. I really don't care what you call it, at $250 bux apiece, you can bet the ranch on it's going to get some sort help/maintenance. I mean no disrespect Phil. Good luck in your garden.

[@PhilTerrano]

@@marktoldgardengnome4110 not sure what you mean, but Shou Sugi Ban is not a term in any language. The actual Japanese word is Yakisugi.

[@ZoneKei]

Looks good Jacques! I can't help but think that brick wall behind the planter is free growing real-estate.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

I need to figure out how to use that wall to my advantage

[@donhorak9417]

After squirrels/ rabbits(idk) ate my tomatoes last night, I just set my whole garden on fire. Now, everything is an even tone of black. jk

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Highly effective strategy!

[@theheardhomestead]

😂

[@gordonp6469]

😆😆😆😆

[@stephenluna7932]

thanks for this video, I've been wondering about this method

[@sheliaheverin8822]

Love the burnt look.

[@rasserfrasser]

This has totally become a fad and I love it. Very nice execution, you're a natural! Love the tips about the tung oil. I wouldn't have thought to go that extra step. To speed up sanding there's a sanding attachment that you can connect to a drill to speed up that process, as that is a lot of work if you plan on expanding.

[@SplitComp]

I like this already, and it's just starting!!

[@michelleshiroma7278]

Very nice job. Turned out beautiful!

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Thank you!

[@alliswell6002]

This method looks so beautiful!

[@jacquesinthegarden]

It really pulls out the natural beauty in the wood!

[@KK-FL]

That looks super cool. As long as someone else does the work 😅😅 Soooo business idea: sell burnt ones too! For more, of course.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Haha, I can see why it is hard to purchase pre made

[@Gonzalo_M]

Woww! It’s so beautiful! 🤗 how can I learn to build an uprised bed as yours? I love the model and how easy it was assembled! Thank you! 😊

[@Julia________]

Although tung oil isnt entirely UV stable, it's sufficient for outdoor use. It's traditionally used on boat exteriors after all. However, like any outdoor wood finish, it will eventually wear off if not reapplied.

[@joellynshort3949]

Love that look!

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Very very happy with how it came out!

[@jordanxfile]

This is amazing 😊One thinks if it would be good to wait until the tung oil cures completely, before putting soil into it 🤔I might have missed sth. in the video, sorry in that case.

[@lawrenberghanson4401]

The raised bed looks amazing!!! 😍😍 Is linseed oil a good alternative to tong oil? You should burn your wood carvings, too! Are you still carving?

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Linseed oil as far as I can tell is also good but doesn't last as long outside and has a shiny finish which is up to your preference. I am still carving but not as much sadly, I need to get more good wood!

[@staceymoniz]

I love this look!!!!

[@summerbeemeadow]

Have you considered using the Flood brand "UV Clear" product to bring out and preserve the wood finish color & protect against sunlight?

[@desertflower9557]

Very nice, chic! I love it.

[@kristinpagan2361]

Looks amazing!

[@donnaokane502]

Wow! Thats beautiful!

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@stephaniepratt6499]

So beautiful 🌿🌱

[@summerbeemeadow]

Excellent!

[@cherylmartin9994]

Wow! Love it! 🤩🤩🤩

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@kelleyforeman]

This looks fantastic!

[@FrozEnbyWolf150]

Would this method work for bamboo stakes? I've found that bamboo only lasts a couple years outdoors before it starts to crack lengthwise from weathering.

[@Neenerella333]

Does the burning do anything to prevent warping and twisting? I have all these lovely cedar raised beds and cage structures. Though they have been coated with a food safe varnish and retain their color, they are twisting and shrinking in places. The lattice for the grape vine doesn't fit its space anymore. Thoughts?

[@MichaelJosephJr934]

I believe so. But not 100 percent certain.

[@gardengatesopen]

In my experience, whenever I've burnt wood slats that were already built into panels, the spaces between the wood became bigger. So for your dilemma, I'm going to guess that any twisting that has occurred will become a bit more pronounced as you burn it. Did you only varnish one side of the wood? That might be why it's warping... Twisting can occur from uneven drying of wood. If only one side is varnished, that treated side will not swell, but any other surfaces open to humidity will absorb moisture. So if warping has already started, there's no changing it. But if you end up burning the unvarnished sides, that could possibly help it from warping more. Here's another problem- I don't actually think burning the varnish is a good idea! I'm pretty sure that's going to create toxic fumes. So if your structure has some unvarnished sides, yes, you could burn those sides. You'll need to take it all apart and then burn it. Or Simply varnish the bare sides that were never treated before. At least that might stop it from getting worse.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Hmm that is odd to hear, my understanding is that the burning actually will reduce warping significantly. It hardens the wood and pulls out any leftover moisture. I can't say for sure if it will solve it but it should help quite a bit

[@misstweetypie1]

I don’t think this will pull much moisture out of the wood, because the torch passes so quickly that no water will evaporate from inside the wood. Like gardengatesopen said, burning the varnish isn’t a good idea, although if you did it on a windy day it wouldn’t be too bad. It could also negatively affect the varnished side (especially if it’s lattice, it’s so thin that the heat would pass through somewhat quickly). So if you do go through with this idea, I would definitely do a test patch. I don’t think it will help with the twisting, though. It’s hard to get twisting out once it’s there, it is likely that the boards were cut poorly and the twisting is a result of that, and showed more as they dried out and aged. Shou Sugi ban will not remediate this. (As well, if your boards are outside and you live in a place that isn’t Florida, then your boards are likely as dry as they will ever be.)

[@gardengatesopen]

Hey y'all! 👋 Every time I come in here and read a new comment, I'm ready to go outside and BURN SOME WOOD AGAIN!!! SHOU SUGI BAAAAAN!!!!

[@suekuly4723]

This looks amazing!

[@WellOkaythen.]

Can you do this with other kinds of woods for raised beds?

[@vsznry]

This is awesome.

[@kitchenGardenofficalchannel027]

Very nice job Turned out beautifull 😘❤😘👍👍👍🤝 9:57

[@ZenCoryCat]

OMG- Love it!!

[@paullee5984]

Hi, I've just bought 2 ceder raised bed planters. For the first, I used waterproof varnish before I assembled the bed. I have the second un-assembled. Just saw this video and I won't be able to burn the cedar as I live in an apartment with some outdoor space but no place where i can have an open flame. I suppose my best alternative is to use tung oil rather than the waterproof varnish. But is it really necessary? Because of my outdoor situation, it was and will be difficult to treat the 2nd bed, but will try if it gives me more life. BTW, I bought the new beds because I had 2 old ones (years old) that collapsed. I don't know if it's worth the effort if I'll just have to buy new ones again in3-4 years. Any opinion/advice in direction I should take? Thanks, Paul

[@jacquesinthegarden]

It is actually hard to say in my opinion. While it will extend the lifespan of your wood the interior will also be breaking down and you won't be able to re apply there anyway. The outside should last longer and also retain its color longer if that matters to you. In the end if you want a wood bed to last you have to do maintenance and reapply sealants every few years. So I would choose on if you care about color retention and if you wanted to try and squeeze a few more years out of your beds.

[@paullee5984]

@@jacquesinthegarden Thanks. I'm thinking it will break down in 3-4 years anyway. If i had a yard, i would make the effort to extend the life of the cedar. I really loved the look of the wood after you burned it and wiped it down. You have to think that it's pretty crazy to carry yards of dirt into a Manhattan apartment, then take it out of the planter to to re-condition the wood. I wish i had your yard to do what you did!! Thanks!

[@palmerinsull2455]

For those wanting to use tung oil (or other polymerizing oils), please be careful about leaving the rags coated in tung oil around, it can catch on fire quite easily (the hardening process releases a load of heat), you can look up how to properly store/dispose of the rags.

[@debbiebolman2705]

Thank you for mentioning tung oil rags spontaneously combusting. Hate to see people losing their home from fire

[@jacquesinthegarden]

What a terrible way to mess up, would feel awful.

[@debbiebolman2705]

@@jacquesinthegarden I used to teach high school woodshop. My top priority was safety

[@rebeccavalicoff1581]

It's perfect!

[@lisaf568]

GORGEOUS!!!!!!

[@jonbloodworth474]

Was really hoping you'd get the naming of the technique correct before watching but alas... Lol shou is a misreading of the word Yaki. The actual term is Yaki sugi ban. I am not a Japanese speaker but did find this info a while ago when it got popular. Japanese people would not understand what you mean if you said shou sugi ban to them. Also, specifically refers to cedar, so when people use pine, not either one of the term, just burnt pine. Anyways, nice Yaki sugi ban garden bed!

[@nicholasdemarest4254]

Cedar beds are a waste of money in Pennsylvania it's to damp. I built one and it lasted 3 years. The birdies bed are the way to go unless you don't mind pressure treated lumber.

[@GingeDSI]

Does this help prevent slug infestation?

[@GasOperatedDad]

No. Slugs will climb right up over charred wood, or uncharred wood bed walls equally.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

I don't think so, only thing I have heard of is copper but it doesn't last forever

[@GingeDSI]

@@jacquesinthegarden Hmm, might have to line all my raised beds with brambles then 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@stuhenry4562]

I am so doing this to my garden beds on the upgrade.

[@MizuMing]

What about linseed oil?

[@MichaelJosephJr934]

That's all I use. But Pure not Boiled. I find it to be the safest. However the old oily rags will combust when your done so put them in a can with a lid. It's very common.

[@MizuMing]

@@MichaelJosephJr934 I mean, I'm not going to have this issue. I'm making a stone brick bed. I was just curious why he wasn't considering linseed here.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

When I looked into it I found more support for tung oil over linseed but it seemed pretty split! Should be fine either wys

[@regnbuetorsk]

Yakisugi. Shou sugi ban is a name that comes from a wrong translation

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Interesting, I did see that name as well and I didn't feel like I knew enough to choose one over the other

[@stephenyeatts116]

Where did you get your hat?

[@jacquesinthegarden]

I buy it a local hardware store, the maker is "Turner Hats"

[@kylelouer4323]

Step one before stain, put tarp down.

[@donhorak9417]

Is that ship-lap?

[@jacquesinthegarden]

It does have that sort of look but it is just some contouring to add texture to the bed!

[@MichaelJosephJr934]

Might want to mention some oils left on rags spontaneously combust. I know Linseed oil for sure. Not sure about yours. OH yes. Sorry I saw you did. Thank You!

[@WillWootenArtStudio]

He totally mentions it @ 7:05

[@gardengatesopen]

He DID mention that. He made that very clear in the video.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

I did mention it!

[@MichaelJosephJr934]

Yep I saw and corrected my post. I live near powerlines.

[@gardengatesopen]

@@MichaelJosephJr934 Nice. 👍

[@bradcarby3765]

Can you make me a bed frame? Thanks.

[@BritInvLvr]

Lots of tiki carvers do the same thing.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Of interesting, I can see that

[@cynthiablanton9106]

Almost sounds like click bait 😢

[@samueljaramillo4221]

Your not burning, your scorching the wood.

[@JRHaley]

Go ahead and look up what scorch means. The word burn is in the definition. Scorch is just more specific. He did burn the wood.

[@samueljaramillo4221]

@@JRHaley I know what scorch means. No he scorched the surface. He did not burn it. Get lost.

[@JRHaley]

@@samueljaramillo4221 Looks like it had flames coming off of it, and it charred and changed colors. Definitely meets the criteria for burning. Is there some other definition for burning out there that im missing?

[@samueljaramillo4221]

@@JRHaley don’t you understand. I said get lost

[@JRHaley]

@@samueljaramillo4221 Ok. But I don’t want to get lost, just like you don’t want to admit that you’re wrong. You came here to the comments to correct the guy in the video, and your correction was inaccurate. If you had said “you’re scorching the wood” you’d be correct. But you had to throw in “you’re not burning it.” And that’s just not true.