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Yakisugi

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Traditional houses in Naoshima, Kagawa clad with yakisugi panels
Close-up view of charred yakisugi board
Yakisugi treated wood used in a box for sunglasses

Yakisugi (Japanese: 焼杉, lit. 'burnt cedar '[1]) is a traditional, very old Japanese method of wood preservation.[2][3][1] It is referred to in the West as burnt timber cladding and is also available as shou sugi ban (焼杉板), a term which uses the same kanji characters, but an alternative pronunciation. The ban character means "plank".

By slightly charring the surface of the wood without combusting the whole piece, the wood becomes water-resistant through the carbonization and is thus more durable, [4][5] however there is conflicting evidence that this method of wood preservation does not improve durability or fire resistance. It also doesn't make the wood waterproof.[6] It additionally protects the wood against insects, fungi and mold, as well as making the wood a rather fire-resistant material.[7]

Western garden room with Yakisugi cladding

This old technique has several similarities with the modern, thermal wood modification[8] methods used in Europe and elsewhere.

Examples

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Contemporary architect Terunobu Fujimori works with yakisugi.[9][10] In addition, Japanese architect Kengo Kuma uses this charred wood material in his modern creations.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b MacDonald, Deanna (9 February 2016). Eco Living Japan: Sustainable Ideas for Living Green. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4629-1845-4.
  2. ^ Ebner, David Hans; Barbu, Marius-Catalin; Klaushofer, Josef; Čermák, Petr (2021). "Surface Modification of Spruce and Fir Sawn-Timber by Charring in the Traditional Japanese Method—Yakisugi". Polymers. 13 (10): 1662. doi:10.3390/polym13101662. PMC 8160771. PMID 34065260.
  3. ^ Fortini, Amanda (19 September 2017). "The Latest Design Trend: Black and Burned Wood". The New York Times.
  4. ^ "Use This Incredible Technique to Waterproof Wood Furniture". Architectural Digest. 3 November 2017.
  5. ^ Mehta, Geeta; MacDonald, Deanna (9 July 2012). New Japan Architecture: Recent Works by the World's Leading Architects. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4629-0850-9.
  6. ^ Hasburgh, Laura E.; Zelinka, Samuel L.; Bishell, Amy B.; Kirker, Grant T. (16 September 2021). "Durability and Fire Performance of Charred Wood Siding (Shou Sugi Ban)". Forests. 12 (9): 1262. doi:10.3390/f12091262.
  7. ^ Steele, James (16 March 2017). Contemporary Japanese Architecture: Tracing the Next Generation. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-37728-3.
  8. ^ "Springer Handbook of Wood Science and Technology (Chapter 16.8. Thermal Wood Modification)". Springer Handbooks. Cham: Springer International Publishing. 2023. pp. 899–906. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-81315-4. ISBN 978-3-030-81314-7. ISSN 2522-8692. S2CID 257902863.
  9. ^ "Yakisugi House by Terunobu Fujimori", Megan Wilton, Dezeen, 11 March 2009, Photograph: Edmund Sumner.
  10. ^ "Interiors: A Japanese charred-timber house inspired by a cave dwelling", Yuki Sumner, The Telegraph, 28 August 2009
  11. ^ Harrison, Lana (2021-08-03). "Architects Reviving Traditional Technique: Yakisugi". Exterior Solutions. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
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  • Media related to Yakisugi at Wikimedia Commons
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