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Shou Sugi Ban
What is Shou Sugi Ban?
Shou Sugi Ban is a special charring technique, inspired by age-old Japanese traditions. The Shou Sugi Ban (‘charred cypress’) technique entails charring pine wood on one side by binding three planks together in a chimney shape and lighting a fire inside the base. This is how the walls on traditional Japanese wooden houses were given their flame-retardant carbon layer.
Shou Sugi Ban, also known as Yakisugi, is still being applied in Japan. It is also used for modern buildings, designed by well-known architects such as Terunobu Fujimori.
Do you burn the wood yourselves?
Do you burn the wood yourselves?
We purchase the wood and then burn it in our self-developed furnace in our workshop in Lunteren. From there we deliver it to our customers.
Do you also burn the back of the wood?
Our burned species, the planks with a carbon structure, are only burned on the front and side. In consultation, we can also burn the back of the planks. The versions that are burned and brushed, planks with a grain structure, we finish all around with a stain.
Does the wood give off?
Unfixed wood gives off after charring. For indoor use we always fix the charred wood. The charred layer becomes a bit more matt in appearance and will stain less. For the exterior we often advise not to fix the wood. This ensures that the charred wood retains a beautiful, natural shine and is also more durable than when the wood is fixed.
In the course of time the release of the wood will decrease and for a number of variants this will eventually stop. Most burned types of wood, also for exterior use, can also be fixed if desired. We will be happy to advise you about this.
How long does the wood last?
The service life of the wood depends on the durability class of the wood species and the detailing of the building. Our wood species have a durability class 1, 2 or 3.
Durability class 1: 25 years and more
Durability class 2: 15 to 25 years
Durability class 3: 10 to 15 years
The carbon layer of the burnt wood weathers outdoors in the long run under the influence of wind, rain and hail. The lifespan of the carbon layer depends on the orientation of the facade and the location of the building.
Please contact us for more information.
When used indoors, the wood lasts as long as untreated wood, i.e. many decades. Moreover, this wood is fixed, making it less vulnerable.
Sustainable beauty and primal power
The primal force of fire remains visible in the colour and texture of the wood, even after the charring process. As a result all Shou Sugi Ban treated wood species have their own structure and applications, both from an aesthetics and physical structure perspective.
Old-fashioned craftsmanship and modern technique
Our founder brought the beauty of this eye-catching black charred wood to Europe. He became acquainted with the traditional Shou Sugi Ban technique and combined it with modern techniques. In our workshop in Lunteren, our charring masters char the wood in a controlled manner – piece by piece – in an furnace we have developed ourselves.
Would you like to find out more about Zwarthout | Shou Sugi Ban? Read our brochure.
FAQ
Latest reviews
The “Paradox.” Burning wood to protect it.
It sounds contradictory — but it’s brilliant.
At ORGA, we’re big fans of biobased materials that truly prove their worth. Take our collaboration with Zwarthout | Shou Sugi Ban, for example. By charring wood using the centuries-old Shou Sugi Ban technique, a natural protective layer is created — without the need for paint or chemicals.
The result is a façade with character, built to last for generations. In the three recent projects, we’ve seen how it creates a robust, timeless appearance, while simultaneously contributing to refined, high-quality architecture.
Less maintenance, and a building that only becomes more beautiful with age.
That, to us, is what truly future-proof design looks like.
“We recently replaced the potted decked timber on our farmhouse in the Beemster region with Shodoshima semi-gloss from Zwarthout l Shou Sugi Ban. With special planks 25 cm wide, it looks great on a farmhouse. A very beautiful product and great service from Zwarthout l Shou Sugi Ban!”
”We chose Yoroi for several reasons. First of all, we like the Japanese classical technique used for burning the bamboo. Due to the burning technique Shou Sugi Ban, Yoroi has a fire class B and is maintenance-free. Finally, the black charred bamboo is a regrowable material and aesthetically matches our design perfectly.”
”As a gardener, it is an honour to work with such beautiful traditional products.
The delivery times are also great and you get friendly service.”
