Yakisugi Techniques For Furniture
Yakisugi is a japanese technique for preserving wood by creating a durable, weather-resistant exterior with a rich, textured finish. The charred layer serves as a natural barrier against, insect attack, rot UV damage and is even considerably more fire resistant! You may have heard this referred to as Shou Sugi Ban. Although a common mistake, that term is just a bad translation of the Chinese characters used to describe this process (that means we should refer to this technique as Yakisugi)!
This technique was reportedly discovered in a seaside community in Japan, when it was observed that salt blasted wood siding lasted longer than regular wood cladding. The fire charring technique also makes the wood far more resistant to bug attack and decay - since the fire cooks out the natural sugars present in the wood fiber. In a traditional technique the charred wood would be left untouched after a deep charring in the triangle chimney. A triangle chimney is necessary for the deepest char of 2-3mm, that will be left untouched (with the exception of a quick shower) after burning.
Specifically this technique is reserved for Sugi (japanese cedar) and used mainly for exterior cladding. However Sugi is very expensive to import, so we have experimented on a variety of domestically available species with great success.
Yakisugi ebonized ash wood. The ash timber from this table top was sourced from our property in Millbrook, New York.
Although traditionally used mainly for siding and fencing in rural Japan, we have found some exceptional uses for this technique in furniture. As you can probably imagine this is a very delicate and time consuming process, however through lots of trial and error we have found a method that provides consistently excellent results.
There is no other way to achieve the color, texture and movement that this process provides. Black dyes and stains aren’t as deep or as rich, and they lack every bit of the texture and movement we love.
The rich deep black color, raised grain and movement from the Yakasugi ebonizing process is like no other.
Texture, color, and movement add to a feeling of impermanence.
Yakasugi Ebonized ash. The “imperfections” in this wood have been highlighted by the burning process, and fixed in place with contrasting dovetail keys from the same species.
Material selection - is of the uptomst importance for this process. Material must be clean, free of defect and of straight grain. Suitable materials should be found through trial and error. Since we are superheating the surface of the wood, any defects or other issues present in the timber will quickly show themselves in undesirable ways.
Restrain the wood - During the burning process the wood surface will be superheated to a temperature of up to 1,100°F, this can cause unexpected effects especially in larger pieces of wood (like table tops). Glue joints will melt, individual boards will expand and lots of movement will occur. You must anticipate, reinforce and restrain movement that is undesirable in the final piece.
Wabi-sabi - Embrace the theory of perfection in imperfection. No two pieces of wood will burn the same, move the same or look the same after this process. Since wood is a natural material with many inherent qualities, we can only learn to look for desirable qualities in this process and accentuate them.
BURN - In furniture pieces we do not usually use the traditional “chimney” technique, so the level of char we attain is lower. We burn with a large propane torch; evenly, slowly and equally on both sides of the wood* This is a very important part of the process. Don’t be afraid to burn the wood (this is the point after all), too little char will not raise the grain or impart any beneficial qualities from this painstaking process. Too much char is equally undesirable in furniture pieces, it is a must that you experiment with your equipment and wood.
Cool - Immediately after the level of char is attained, you must cool and hydrate the wood. This will serve to relax the fibers you have just stretched to (beyond) their breaking point. You want to see steam, and cool the wood as soon as possible.
Brush - At this point the potential for ruining your project has largely passed, although this is the most physically demanding part of the process. We wire brush all of the char off with a stiff stainless steel welders brush, with the grain. Any deviation in brushing will show as scratches in the final piece and it will not look intentional. How much char to brush off is also a bit of an art, we want to finish with a perfectly smooth, clean surface, with a deep black color all while highlighting the wonderful movement of the newly raised grain. At this point your surface will look light to dark grey.
Finish - In order to achieve the signature charred surface for our furniture pieces, many coats of hand rubbed oil are next on the agenda. This process will serve to polish the wood, while forcing microscopic bits of black char deep into the grain. We prefer Sutherland Welles products (you may use code Hoener Farms for a 10% discount). We use grey ultra fine scotchbrite pads on the first several coats, switching to soft clean cotton after. It is very important to rub and polish each coat of oil, until finally the new towels come up with absolutely no black color remaining. At this point we generally finish with a coat of varnish or wax, and buff to the desired sheen.
Three wide planks were chosen for this desk top. The lines where they join are highlighted by the Yakasugi burning process and further accentuated by the neutral toned dovetail keys. The dovetail keys aren’t just a visual enhancement, they provide structural support to the table top.
If you have any questions or to inquire about a piece of Yakisugi ebonized furniture, please reach out! [email protected]