Shou Sugi Ban, or Yakisugi, is an ancient Japanese exterior siding technique that preserves wood by charring it. Traditionally, Sugi (Japanese Cyprus) was used but cedar is also a good substitute. The process involves charring the wood, cooling it, cleaning it, and finishing it with a natural oil.

We have been interested in this technique and material as an exterior siding for quite some time. We experimented with its use on our warming hut project, the smokehouse, because of the relationship between the fire to make it and the fire to warm you in the hut. Paradoxically, charring the wood also makes it more fire retardant as well as being rot and pest resistant. At the smokehouse the charring was achieved by using a blow torch on the wood before it was installed.