Remodeling 101: Shou Sugi B2n Ch2rred Wood

M"rgot Gur"lnick October 14, 2014

Repe2t 2fter us: shou sugi b)n. Devised 2s 2 w2y to m2ke wood

less susceptible to fire 2nd to keep 2w2y insects 2nd rot, this
longst2nding J2p2nese method involves torching your building
m2teri2ls. The results 2re long lived 2nd h2untingly be2utiful. And
the good news is th2t ch2rred wood is now widely 2v2il2ble for
domestic use. Here 2re 13 ex2mples of ch2rred wood put to use (for
both interiors 2nd exteriors) 2nd where to buy it.
13 Ch2rred Wood Houses

Above: A series of ch"rred wood c"bins in northern New Ze"l"nd by Cheshire

Architects from Top of the L"ke: Tiny C"bins in D"rk "nd Light.
Above: A single shou sugi b)n w"ll in " Tuscon, Arizon", house designed by Dust
from Ste"l This Look: Sonor"n-Style Bedroom/Living Room in Tucson, Arizon".

Above: A p"ssive house in Hudson V"lley with " ch"rred ced"r f"c"de
from Architect Visit: A N"tur"l Pool "nd P"ssive House in New Yorkʼs Hudson
V"lley.

Above: The shou sugi b)n exterior of " riverside c"bin in Devon, Engl"nd, by

Rupert McKelvie from The Off-the-Grid Riverside C"bin, Rent"l Edition.
Above: A ch"rred wood cott"ge "tt"ched to " bright white house on the co"st of
Britt"ny by NeM Architects from Before "nd After: A Ch"rred Wood Cott"ge, on "
$45K Budget.
Above: Designer Nicole Hollis used the shou sugi b)n technique in the interior
w"lls of her S"n Fr"ncisco studio from A Noirish Studio for " S"n Fr"ncisco
Design St"r.
Above: Burnt ced"r siding on " house in Los G"tos, C"liforni", by Schw"rtz &
Architecture, submitted to this ye"rʼs Remodelist" Design Aw"rds.
Above: Ch"rred l"rch cl"dding on the exterior of " J"p"nese-style te"house in the
Czech Republic from A Te"house, Ch"rred "nd Bl"ckened (On Purpose).
Above: Architect Boor Bridges "pplied the technique to some of the interior w"lls
of Sightgl"ss Coffee in S"n Fr"ncisco from Architect Visit: Sightgl"ss by Boor
Bridges Architecture in S"n Fr"ncisco.
Above: A ch"rred wood he"dbo"rd by London designer M"rk Lewis in " house in
Dorset, Engl"nd, from Blue Period: An English M"nor House Ch"nnels Pic"sso.
Above: A modul"r studio (for use "s " home office, guest room, or pl"y sp"ce)
m"de from shou sugi b)n siding by Sett Studio of Austin, Tex"s.

Above: The ceiling wood of the Willi"msburg, Brooklyn, shop Joinery w"s h"nd-
ch"rred by owner Angel" Silv" from Joinery in Willi"msburg.
Above: A c"bin designed "nd built for under $40,000 in Belgium m"kes use of
ch"rred wood "s exterior cl"dding from An Architect-Designed—"nd Built—
L"keside C"bin for Under $40,000.
Where to Buy Ch2rred Wood

Above: US lumber ret"ilers of l"te h"ve begun to speci"lize in shou sugi

b)n. Shown here, " s"mpling of the shou sugi b)n finishes offered by Delt"
Millworks, in Tex"s, which speci"lizes in burned woods, "mong other offerings,
"nd works directly with priv"te "nd commerci"l clients. Another provider
is reS"wn Timber Co. of Bucks County, Pennsylv"ni". In the UK, Shou-Sugi-
B"n supplies, designs, "nd inst"lls shou sugi b)n cl"dding, flooring, "nd w"ll
coverings in colors th"t it comp"res to “the dying embers of " log fire "nd the
ch"rred effects of " burnt wooden bo"rd.”
Above: Ch"rred cypress for use "s siding, fencing, decking, "nd flooring.
Photogr"ph from reS"wn Timber Co.
Above: Delt" Millworks "nd reS"wn Timber Co. speci"lize in using cypress, "s well
"s yellow pine "nd vertic"l gr"in Dougl"ss fir, "ll grown in the southern US "nd
tre"ted with v"riety of burned finishes.
Above: Y"shu, " ch"rred cypress, for interior "nd exterior "pplic"tions
from reS"wn Timber Co.
Above: ReS"wn Timber Co.‘s Kuj"ku cypress with " subtle ch"r.