At Hewn, we create our Shou Sugi Ban/Yakisugi products on North-American-grown Western Red Cedar and Northwestern Spruce, as well as on innovative offerings from Accoya® and Kebony. We constantly work towards creating new colors, finishes, and textures, incorporating traditional charring techniques not only as a protective agent, but also as an aesthetic tool to highlight certain characteristics of the wood.
Most of our catalog colors in our Interior Cedar, Exterior Cedar, Northwestern Spruce, and Ohana collections feature some degree of charring and brushing. In addition, we also offer deeper char and crackle textures in our Shou Sugi Ban/Yakisugi collection, and alternatives like Dāku Ban that mimic this darkened look.
Whether you are embracing a dark and sleek modernist look, or you simply wish to add some accent wood elements to highlight a classic style, Shou Sugi Ban/Yakisugi is a great way to achieve a finished image that will defend against the elements, and stand the test of time in both a literal and figurative sense.
A Long History
In 18th-century Japan, a new technique was developed to help slow the spread of fires, and provide a stronger and more weather-resistant coating to wood buildings. Known as Yakisugi (or Shou Sugi Ban), this technique involves charring the exterior of a wood surface until a layer of carbonization is achieved. This forms a protective layer that make it naturally fire-resistant to a much higher level than untreated wood. The technique became a popular way to treat wood used on traditional Japanese townhouses, shrines, and other buildings during the Edo Period, to such an extent that the look itself is now generally associated with pre-war Japan.
A Variety of Options
Hewn’s Shou Sugi Ban is available on Western Red Cedar and Northwestern Spruce, as well as on innovative offerings from Accoya® and Kebony. This variety of options allows greater flexibility to choose the wood species that is most appropriate for your design. Whether the final installation is in residential home, or in a high-traffic commercial space, Hewn’s Shou Sugi Ban collection offers products that can accomodate any need.