Pointed wooden fence posts leaning against a stacked pile of firewood.
Saturday night fire using the Shou Sugi Ban technique.

#woodworking #craftsmanship #wood #shousugiban #fenceproject #handcrafted #farmwork #naturalpreservation

Shaping and charring larch wood columns as part of a traditional fence project. The tips were cut with a chainsaw, and then I used a propane burner to apply a controlled Shou Sugi Ban treatment. Most of the sapwood was removed beforehand to ensure a more stable, weather-resistant char.

The carbonization of the pillars is approx. 80 - 120 cm where the pillars are in contact with the ground and slightly more to provide better protection against moisture.

The columns should be set up with fibers that are mostly down (as the tree has grown naturally). This guarantees that the water can drain off better.

#larchwood #shousugiban #woodpreservation #handcrafted #farmwork #woodworking #rusticstyle

Last week, I shaped the tips of nearly half of the columns using a chainsaw.
Today, I continued charring the larch wood fence posts using a propane burner. This is a variation of the traditional Shou Sugi Ban technique (Japanese: 焼杉), in which the wood surface is carbonized to enhance durability, weather resistance, and protection against fungal decay.

I opted for a gas burner instead of an open fire, as it allows for more even and controlled charring. The temperature ranged between approximately 1200°C and 1600°C. Each column took about 10–15 minutes. I kept the flame constantly moving to avoid scorching any single spot and to achieve a consistent, shallow burn across the surface. If the wood starts to crack or the char flakes off easily, it’s gone too far.

I'm quite satisfied with the results.
From my experience, durability is best when the surface of the heartwood is smooth and evenly charred. I’m convinced that charring larch wood without the sapwood results in greater resistance compared to burning the entire piece with the sapwood intact. Carefully brushing the posts with a brass brush afterward removes loose burned particles and smooths the surface. A second round of careful charring after brushing can further deepen the carbon layer.

#woodworking #craftsmanship #wood #shousugiban #fenceproject #handcrafted #farmwork #naturalpreservation

I built this kitchen herb planter/garden wall using the brick and concrete rubble from our old back stoop we demo’d, and the last of the cypress I’ve been working with for the last few years.
#shousugiban #gardening #herbs #CreativeReuse