FTF #41 Burnt Wood Siding Technique, How To

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Although this wood burning technique has been used for centuries, very few people have ever heard of it or the many benefits it can add to your woodworking projects.
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[@austinliu1043]

There are a few slight inaccuracies in the description given in this video. Charring makes the wood sun resistant only if you leave the char on the wood. If you wire-brush it off to see the darkened, toasted wood under it, you loose a good deal of the sun resistance and insect / rot / decomposition resistance of the wood. Char and charcoal are naturally UV resistant because it absorbs UV without decomposing. The char itself is what protects the wood; the brushed wood looks nice but is only a fraction as long-lived as the boards which have the char left on it. The insect and rot resistance also comes from the char; the pores of the wood aren't sealed by this process, as you stated. If the pores were sealed, the finish you applied wouldn't soak in. Traditionally they used tung oil or some other oil based finish such as linseed or spike oil, and the charred boards still would last 80+ years; this is not because the oil finish itself can last that long, but because the oil soaks in, but any sun damage is limited to the very outer surface, since the charcoal absorbs UV and protects the finish that soaks into the pores from sun damage while the finish prevents water infiltration to the wood inside, which is un-charred. Charcoal cannot decompose any further, and is not of any nutritional value to insects or fungi, so they will leave wood that has a charred surface undigested. (They can make a habitat out of char, but they will not eat or decompose it. If you've ever heard of biochar, which is charcoal used as a soil amendment, that's what's going on with biochar. Biochar, unlike compost, does not decompose further and will not revert to carbon dioxide through decomposition. Unless it is burned, it is permanent.)

[@rogeliobautista709]

Thank you Mr. Austin Liu for your very informative comment. I wish I could learn more from you regarding wood.

[@gandalfstormcloud7514]

Wow. All other videos on shouri sugi ban (sorry I forgot the spelling) always show the wood being brushed! Thank you! Tse tse!

[@westlakey1379]

Can you do this with any type of wood?

[@listennowbreath]

Marten Dekker under field conditions; compete decomposition of Biochar would take 4000 years !

[@listennowbreath]

Me Lui, is there a particular wood that you consider the best for housing ?

[@markodjukic7666]

I do like the way your sons make guest appearances in the videos. Well done for including them. The patio video was the sweetest one.

[@briangarrow448]

I have a 3 drawer chest that has been finished this way. It looks great on furniture also. And I am required to say that, it was a gift from my mother. Thanks Mom!!☺

[@tat2dlukydevl]

I learned this technique from my Dad about 40+ years ago.. I done miles of it,and it always looks amazing..Nice job!! peAce

[@therealdonchelios]

I saw a traditional japanese woodworking video where they heat a flat metal iron and press that along the face of the wood. That way you just get the colour without the charcoal and dont have to do a lot after in terms of finishing.

[@dennisboisen]

check out Norwegian wooden churches they used the same technique but finish it off with wood tar. unlike an oil wood tar will replenishing the resin content in the wood. a wood oil will actually pull out the natural resins from the wood. the burning does seal but with the wood tar you won't need to do anything for the next 10 years

[@dennisboisen]

@Guy in Colorado, Greetings! I wouldn't know any brands in North America. Wood tar (pine tar) is made from Pine, beech, or ash i believe. Its made much like you would make coal in the old days and is a by product from that process.

[@harrisonpurcell3809]

Sensei, I've used this technique before on interior wainscoting. We blow torched it to the burn level you used (lighter burn time leaves more raised edge grain); steel wool by hand just to knock off flakes, and then wiped it down with a clean rag. After that we used Danish oil to seal. It leaves it much darker, which it looks like you weren't going for, but left me feeling confident the wood had been sealed against any future water/burn damage. Just another way! Grasshopper out

[@mrlafayette1964]

the cup will win against a nail/screw every time,and could cause a board to crack.I do fences and it's been my experience...but that technique is just sick, really like it..takes the red out of the cedar but that's not going to last forever anyway.I especially like that it seals the wood.I was given some heart pine from a tobacco barn that's about 70 yrs old,might try it out when I do my shed.Enjoy the channel.

[@maodonimega]

I love watching your videos...always amazed at your precision, skill and love of all things wooden. Thanks for sharing this wonderful technique. For good board and batten nailing technique - Wide boards bark side out, the edges cup outwards to the exterior, battens bark side in, edges cup inwards, pressing against the wide boards and making a tight seal. Nail wide planks down the centre only. Nail battens, also in the centre, to the underlying substrate, not through the wide boards. This allows movement through the seasons as the wood contracts and expands, and helps to prevent splitting. The more char you leave on, the better the wood is protected form UV, fire, rot and insect damage. Thanks due to Mr Chickadee, who gives a fuller explanation on his Yakisugi/Shou sugi ban video.

[@robertlarsonwoodford]

Always appreciate your content brother. I used this technique on the siding of my house and decided not to mess with brushing off the char. The wind is slowly eroding the alligator skin so i figure i can apply an oil or stain of some sort down the line. FYI: This technique has not discouraged the mud daubers from making nests here and there...

[@overthrill6413]

I used this technique today on a fresh made axe shaft for a restoration I'm working on. Gave the shaft an old look and smooth to the tuch, matching the antique axe :) I have used fire in the past to give the wood caracter, but the wirebrush-part was very smart.

[@Markus314159]

Please Please, can you do a how to on this type of siding installation and possibly a time lapse of your install

[@SkyValleyStuff]

i have this type of siding on my tinyohuse videos.. check em out

[@itchyego]

Shou Sugi Ban is the japanese term for this method of preserving wood. If you watch a few videos on this technique - I'm sure you did - they leave the alligator crackling on and clear coat the whole board and side with these. I thought that removing the charcoal would remove also about 80% or more of the protection that this method provides.

[@TheSamuraiCarpenter]

That may be but ultimately I don't want my barn to look like a piece of burnt firewood.

[@alejandrorivera546]

The Samurai Carpenter what if i paint the wood? i mean, i am not really into that clear finished but into the protection it provides, you know all tha fongus and weather protection. am i still getting same protection when painting it???

[@davidmicheletti6292]

Burning wood converts the sugars within the fibers in such away that insects cannot eat or digest the wood. Farmers used to burn fence posts to make them last a long time when exposed to the ground. It was very common to to burn the ground contact wood plate on foundation to keep insects away.

[@veronica5896]

Can't wait for the finish tour of the whole barn =) Thanks for sharing =)

[@nicojuarez8599]

Awesome look, I was hesitating about the finish but later on I decided to cover my front wall of the house with that wood and technique. Thanks, sensei!

[@jordanclarke3968]

I used to work for Caleb! he is a good guy. Best roofer I ever worked for

[@ModernBuilds]

That came out really nice! I've done shou Sugi ban in the past, but I've never gone at it very aggressively with the wire brush. I'm gonna have to give this a try!

[@RobinCoomans]

It is a great look for sure! I use it all the time on frames for paintings.

[@lochinvarroome]

Seen this done before by some friends in Fernie several years ago. They didn't toast the cedar as much as you did which allowed them get away without any wire brush work. The colour ended up somewhere in between the two that you produced.

[@antonoat]

07.40 your van has just gone up in flames! lol

[@alexvandalen2135]

this is exactly what I needed for my tiny house. thank you!

[@Plataani]

I used to treat carved wood figures and statues, reliefs and all sorts of things with blowtorch. So I'm very used to this technique. Usually indoor-products I put basic lacquer on it and thats all. In time the darkness of the wood fades away anyway, in terms of 5-10 years. But outdoor products I charred/burnt/however you describe this finish, was a whole lot different. And my suggestion is that even you might not like the dark colour, please put some finish there. Few nameplates I did, the burnt wood without any surface finish went gray in just after one summer. The sun was just too much for it. Even with quality outdoorfinish on top, it just wont stay more than two summers if exposed to sunlight and elements. And yes, I also always brushed the excess off. I don't know what kind of finishes you have there across the atlantic, but I'm quite confident to say that use some finish over it. It will fade in time anyways, sooner or later.

[@bneumayer86]

Great video as always! It seems to me that this torching method takes a lot of time for all the boards. I don't know if this works, but maybe if you take the boards and set up a forgelike contraption with your forge-burners you could push them trough and carbonise them this way. To test it you could use your forge with smaller boards. I don't know if this method works or saves time with all the setup but you never know.

[@bneumayer86]

for the wirebrush you could also devise a planerlike holdingtabel with a moveabel fence where you push the boards over in a more controlled manner.

[@invisaral]

Best intro ever

[@Craakyerhead]

I've actually used this exact method to make a dining room table for my brother in law, granted I didn't know what it was called. But I used Scotchbrite pads, and just rubbed it down by hand. But it's super messy no matter how you do it. Best to wear a respirator. I then used grey stain over that, and a satin clear coat. Then trimmed it with 1" steel flat bar. It turned out beautiful.

[@cgflightmech01]

Craakyerhead sounds great! Making plans for my farmhouse table! Can u link up some pictures ?

[@DragonSlayerCentral]

You just gave me a great idea for a desk im working on. Thanks!

[@robertcornelius3514]

7:24 Van actually catches fire and blows up.

[@canadon]

I have done this for years with mirror frames and art pieces but i had never looked too far into alternatives to the huge PITA that is the sanding... that sander though!

[@ChristianAakjærOlesen]

i did this a year ago - after a month the whole thing was beginning to rot. I did not use cedar, so I'm excited to see how it works out for you :)

[@ChristianAakjærOlesen]

I used linseed oil and the wood I used was some kind of very hard pine or maybe ceder (reclaimed from a horse stable)

[@greyg142]

I used this technique on an outdoor table i made last month with red cedar and oak. First coat of poly made the cedar iridescent!!

[@greyg142]

But i used a stiff bristle brush to scrape the char off. Not a sander.

[@zyourself71]

I'd love to see you get the siding done on that barn. I think that burn technique looks killer and besides, a master carpenter needs a sexy barn to compliment his work!

[@sarahgordon7059]

I am very curious to know how it held up, and also if the dark finish absorbs much heat or causes the house to be warm in the summer. We are interested in doing this for our off grid timberframe. Thank you!

[@ttttdsdcv]

I used this technique for wooden pavers, 2 years ago. No rot!

[@SailOnFlyBy]

Still holding up?

[@MsCaterific]

💛 I just found your channel today. I love the work you do.

[@JHA854]

Looks amazing. I wish I had done my dining table that way instead of dark stain.

[@rafal5389]

Hi there, can we get an update on how it looks after few years? did it go grey at all?

[@matthewwells215]

stoked on the video of the finished barn

[@JonZDisability]

Looks great both shades. My choice would be the darker look for inside and the lighter for outside like you have it.

[@IroaEdit]

I havent ever seen this before, awesome technique !

[@KarlBunker]

That is going to be totally gorgeous as siding.

[@HugTheBear55]

very cool. cant wait to see the finished product!

[@austenhead5303]

Shou sugi ban is not a thing anywhere in Asia. Yakisugi is the thing that the Western invention shou sugi ban is referencing. That particular tradition is specific to one Japanese cypress, though. That said, charring wood for preservation has traditionally been done in many places around the world, and for ages. Pretty sure you're supposed to leave the char on, though. Otherwise you're just making it pretty. It's the char that protects the wood.

[@KingChong3]

Hey samurai. I'm an Aussie who lived in Canada. I don't think you can but have a look for Feast Watson for oils and varnishes they have some great stuff.

[@ahti29]

john neeman-birth of a wooden house.look it up!

[@MrJanZko]

ahti29 yeah. Thats amazing.

[@cmeyer2115]

ahti29 just got goosebumps thinking about that video again. True craftsmanship! To me, that's a $500,000 dollar house

[@MrJanZko]

word!! gotta love our samurai too tho!

[@papaduck2443]

Well, how is it holding up? Still good after 7 years?

[@artconnolly9519]

we did a few projects with this same method here in NY and it looks amazing. Only thing we had to do extra was spray the pune with bug spray to keep the carpenter bees at bay.

[@borthewolf3376]

Love to see the finished siding.

[@MrJanZko]

This is something ive been wonderring, so right to the money. Thanks man, all the best

[@PerthPete1]

I have seen this used most recently on the Life Inside a Box channel where Derek and Hannah used it for the siding of there mobile tiny home. They did not seem to burn the wood as aggressively and they burnt both sides

[@sithinstructor7303]

Can't wait top see it all on the building!

[@tonybologna123]

nice short video on John Neeman tools on this subject :)

[@20cameron1]

The best exterior wood protection to brush or spray on is Outlast log oil. Stains will not hold up well to the weather conditions, nor will it protect against termites or rot.

[@phil538]

burnt my cheap larch, light brush and linseed oil. super contrast and 3D grain. looks fantastic.

[@chrisbrown1459]

You might torch a few,then put them on saw horses. you can stand and start at one end and pull brush sander all the way to the end of the board. That way you dont get stop marks.

[@qelectron3012]

Chris Brown uhh he did that basically...

[@EspenLodden]

Nice video as always and interesting technique. Have you researched how brushing the wood afterwards affects the longevity of the wood? I thought it was the char being anti bacterial and able to repel water that made burnt wood last longer. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@timhyatt9185]

they look nice....the ones I've worked on, we scrubbed them by hand with a fiber brush, so you're taking off more than we did...figure it's one of those aesthetic issues, where you can stop a little sooner and keep them darker....

[@nickdavenport6489]

I'm curious if removing so much of the char negates some of the benefits of this method (weatherproofing, anti-rot, bugs, etc.)?

[@Turk380]

yes

[@garettgallacher3443]

To pursue this trade. Comment back on advice on how to get in to carpentry w no experience or connections. Thanks!

[@toobad9946]

In the video you stated that it would take a few years to determine how this treatment would affect greying. How about an update on the subject including anything new you may have learned during your travels? I'm considering this as weatherproofing for a rather elaborate picnic table and I don't want to risk destroying the table. Thanks for all of the great videos!

[@microplastique]

You could've turned the blow torch off while talking and brushing the wood ! Also does he live in Canada ?

[@microplastique]

Idk why I used ''you'' then ''he'' 😂

[@phil1692]

Yeah not only from Canada but from around Quebec! But no french accent in his English tho!

[@TheSamuraiCarpenter]

I live in Victoria B.C. Which is as far from Quebec as you can get.

[@phil1692]

For real? then why the French writing on the bucket?

[@JHA854]

phil1692 everything in Canada is written in French too.

[@vladsadventures5002]

Great technique, Can you post a picture of the barn once its finished please?

[@johnbrinton3873]

I am wondering if soap and water with a stiff floor broom with a rinse to remove excessive charring would be a better way to help retain it's benefits?

[@petertumminaro4528]

I've seen the torching of the out side of the wood on Perone bee hives in South America to make the surface weather proof.

[@shanegrangrad8559]

I would have left it black not sanded . Looked great

[@donrad]

Charred wood has survived in archaeological sites for over 2 million years. The archaeologists use it to decipher what our ancestors were doing way back then. Two million years form now they will know what you were doing :) ∞

[@RetoAebischer]

That's amazing! I think we gonna try this on our balcony flooring...

[@jpay37]

Dang dude, you're like Macklemore's twin brother. Great video, thanks for sharing!

[@TR4zest]

An alternative technique is to hang the boards the opposite side out and centre nail them. The cupping is then held against the sheathing. Can't hide the nails with battens this way, though, but the wood looks better.

[@chrispfeffer1106]

I am curious about your choice of siding style. You are using bat and board which surprises me. Being that you are in BC, a fairly wet marine climate, I would have thought you would use a horizontal overlapping siding style so the rain sheds from one row to the next and to reduce the number of exposed joints in bat and board. Just curious as it is likely that I am not considering something you are aware of. I love the burnt technique, raised grain looks beautiful, kinda like searing a steak or caramelizing the onions for the steak.

[@ioanismanner9862]

You are so lucky man, your van could have been blown away because of the torch besides it.

[@frederickamartinez]

I'm curious. I was thinking of making some series of box like a wood paver and put them in the ground to be used as steps. could that be done as long as I preserve the wood using the technique. I live in Arizona and we have termites. with this prevent the termites from getting at the wood

[@adamshiva488]

Omg another carpenter that’s down to keep the ear protection on. Yeah!!

[@user-fl1jv9cv7z]

been checking byour vids for a while now. just subscribed like a BOSS

[@kneecappahkappa5535]

Maybe it's just my OCD kicking in, but it triggered me that he had the torch going the whole time he did the intro.

[@soulphish48]

Did you burn both sides of the wood. Our just the one exposed side?

[@jamesmorgan358]

Hey Samurai, me and my wife just moved to Victoria and I'm renovating the bathroom in our house. You recommended a good roofer in your video and I'm wondering if you know a good tiler? Thanks for all the videos also. Very inspiring.

[@farcry5299]

Doesn't red cedar continue to shed its layers? I've always noticed this when its come time for maintenance...great looking timber but she needs constant attention over the years...

[@StansE250]

OK Sensei ... what are your thoughts on Shou Sugi Ban's effectiveness at preventing or reducing CUPPING of poplar boards ? Or Any experienced viewer ...

[@Deestainglass01]

did you burn both sides of the board or just the side that going to show.

[@Xfolium1]

Very nice and your kids are adorable.

[@lancemillward1912]

I like it sealed. I remember seeing this in japan on a 500 year old soy sauce factory. They had attached the cladding over an earth building with hooks that could be pulled out to make the cladding all fall off in case of fire.

[@HovingtonInstruments]

I wonder how the three board bundle technic to burn your boards would work with a green and wet wood.. you might be saving a lot of time and propane!! Plus it would make an awesome video!!!

[@Davisauraus]

Could you run the boards through a planer then use a lacquer instead of oil? Or would the planer take too much of the burnt finish off?

[@evanvandenberg2260]

I think the sander might be a bit too aggresive, negating some of the weatherproofing effects, though I have to admit I do love the look it produces vs hand brushing. Also my inner safety susan couldn't help but yell "wear a mask" when you were wirebrushing the board. A great video nontheless.

[@jordanthomson3031]

Pretty cool.. Lots of options after burning and wire brushing.. Question.. Did burning the lumber actually highlight the grain 100% or is it just me??

[@tonyciarleglio8651]

What brand of electric wire brush were you using, that would save tons of time.

[@EvilSl0th]

i have always loved this technique. considering using it on some furniture i intend to make this winter, the cold weather would help with the fire hazard ^_^. the piece itself generally isnt a fire hazard, but random debris, or sticks in the yard may be a bit dry and catch. and i live next to a field. i would feel super bad if i set some farmers field a blaze...

[@greggaertner9758]

do you have to wait for the wood to dry? I am wondering if it can be done on fresh cut lumber.

[@HiroProtagonistak]

This looks great. Do you get black off the boards when you rub your had on them or does the wire brush get it all off?

[@TheSamuraiCarpenter]

There is a little black if you rub your hand across the board.

[@renderwood]

Now after 1.5yrs, how does the barn look now? Has the wood changed color?

[@stevesantagati2264]

Like scraping toast. Nice fire safety with the torch facing the van LOL LOL Good job though

[@shawnyoung729]

Oh my word that is some sexy cedar. im building a patio fire table and this is definitely how im gunna finish er now. Fits the motif and urrythang !

[@asztapaszta9]

Do we have to brush after burning? Does it smudge too much if dont? I would like to achieve a much darker, almost black colour if possible.

[@michaelwalsh2287]

Are the windows in your shop a vinyl replacement and if so how much did they go for I love the video by the way till I love all your work

[@wesleycaruso6914]

if i were to do this technique on a laminate 6x6 made of 2x6 would I burn before or after the lamination?

[@manbearpig5907]

I'm going to experiment with this for a big sign frame I'm making Cool effect

[@jaredfreeman3967]

Looks great, are you going to start installing your boards while they're still a little green without treating them? Are you worried the weather will rot them out too quick?

[@BrickBike]

Where did you find that electric wire brush? Looks like that might be handy for some of the silly stuff I get into.

[@cajunfid]

Makita 9741 Wheel Sander

[@BrickBike]

+cajunfid Thanks. Wow, it's a pricey little piece

[@hussfx]

He had the torch on the whole time he was talking 😂😂