Tonight’s project involves a blowtorch, a nice piece of poplar wood, some sandpaper, a stain and sealant, a drill and some drawer pulls.

Shou Sugi Ban or Yakisugi is the process of charring wood, cleaning it and then using an oil or stain / sealant to protect the wood. It weathers the wood and paradoxically protects it via a charred outer shell to give it resistance to the elements.

I first learned about this watching a documentary about an architecture class building a tiny house and using this method instead of more expensive materials to weather seal the outer structure. its becoming all the rage for interior design as the grain patterns are intensified and it lends a look that you cannot achieve otherwise.

A fantastic example can be found on this forum – http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=58314.0