Ed Elliott
There is something remarkable about the action of burning of wood. The process holds an internal attention in us all. Seeing and feeling the heat of fire has a timeless enchantment.
Burning the surface of wood, changes its properties and actually creates a protective barrier. Shou Sugi Ban 焼杉板 (or Yakisugi) is an ancient Japanese technique that preserves wood by charring it with fire. Traditionally, Sugi wood (Japanese cedar) was used, the process involved charring the wood, cooling it, cleaning it, and finishing it with a natural oil.
To this day, this process is still as environmentally friendly and one of the most effective ways of preserving wood.