Charred wood siding

How to make charred wood siding? 

Charred wood siding (fencing) originate from the old Japanese technique of making an elegant, beautiful and unique external wood wall. ‘Shou sugi ban’ – the Japanese term for charred or burnt wood, allows for having extraordinary pieces in your own garden.

The idea behind shou sugi ban is to make burnt planks of wood varying on the degree of char. The surface can be completely charred or barely touched with a blowtorch. Or, it can be left unchanged and sealed with natural oil or stain. Such wood is usually insect, rot, pest, weather, fire and UV resistant, thus,  can be exposed to changing and extreme weather conditions and remain unchanged for a really long time.

Advantages of charred wood

First of all, wood modified in high temperature can be considered cheaper when it comes to preservation in comparison to a painted fence. What is more, such wood is also to remain in unchanged condition longer – it is resistant to fire, insects and weather. Experts say that with little maintenance work, it can stay for 10 to 15 years. Not to mention faster construction time.

We should also not forget about its unique style and attractiveness. Charred wood siding looks elegant and interesting. Nature lovers will definitely turn to burnt wood due to its eco-friendliness.

How to make a charred wood fence?

Apart from the situation that you can buy charred wood planks at local wholesales or a burnt wood distributor and this way make your own fencing, there are also ways of preparing the wood by yourself. The process is very simple.

In order to burn wood, you need the following tools and materials: wood sliding (traditionally cedar planks), some combustible materials like newspapers or wood scraps, a small blow torch, waterproof gloves, water, a metallic object and a wire, some bricks.

Firs of all, you need to use your bricks to prepare a kind of fire pit. The, you should take there sections of wood and place them in the way they resemble a triangle. The faces to be burnt have to be facing inwards. Next, you need to tie the pieces together so that they remain in this triangular shape. Inside the triangle, you need to stuff some paper.

Now you are ready to produce your own burnt fire. Put your gloves on, start the blowtorch and set the fire to your newspapers. You can control the process and play with the amount of air getting inside the triangle. After a moment, you can just quench your wood with water.

Once it is cool, you can check the results. If you wish to, you can clean the planks with a brush. Later, just apply a bit of natural oil to give your wood a desired colour.

Charred wood cladding

How to preserve charred wood? 

Charred, or burnt, wood looks amazing. That is why this material has been used by interior design lovers to decorate their rooms with pieces of furniture made of burnt wood. Black and curved floors or tables look extremely elegant and are not difficult to maintain.

Taken from Japanese tradition of preserving wood with the use of fire, burnt wood is a perfect type of material for those who want to surround themselves with extraordinary and appealing furniture. Usually done with planks of cedar, the pieces are covered with a thin film of carbon which makes it protected from sun.

In order to make charred wood, it is needed to be burnt on both sides with the use of a blowtorch. When carbon residue appears, it is immediately removed with a stiff brush and then rinsed with water. Once the wood is try, some natural oil is applied on its surface to seal it. The colours of the wood depend on the type of oil used and can vary from natural wood colour to deep black. To make the shade more intense, the oil is put on a wooden plank several times.

How to maintain burnt wood?

Owning furniture made of charred wood has a number of benefits: the pieces are durable, aesthetic and fire, water and insect resistant. Their maintenance does not seem to be troublesome as well. If the wood is supposed to be used outdoors and will be exposed to changing weather conditions, the best option to preserve the planks is to oil them every 10 to 15 years. It is a standard period for the preservation of every type of outdoor wood.

In case the wood is exposed indoors, especially if the planks are only exposed – seen and not touched – they require virtually no special maintenance. However, if you possess pieces of furniture made of burnt wood, you will need to spend a portion of time on their maintenance but the process itself depends on their use. In general, it is all about hand-sanding and wiping a bit of natural oil into its surface.

If your wood has been produced with the use of very high temperature (torrefied wood or thermo-modified wood) and modified or baked in a high-temperature oven, you will need to take a special care of your pieces. During the manufacturing process, all the moisture is removed through some changes in the structure of cellulose. Generally, such wood is said to be more dimensionally stable and resistant to fungi, however it is less resistant to abrasions and scratches. What is more, such planks cannot be maintained with the use of oils and stains after they have been processed.

How to create barn wood look? It's very simple!

How to create barn wood look?

Barn wood is elegant and unique. However, it is also so hard to find that its prices are sometimes extremely high. Luckily, there are some tricks and techniques on how to make new wood look like barn wood.
Country style in interiors is the one, we are going to discuss today. To decorate your house like that, you will definitely need some old furniture. However, getting old wood or reclaimed wood furniture is hard- the material is unique, not cheap and hard to maintain. Not to mention all the possible problems you may encounter when trying to treat these pieces. Therefore, no wonder why making new wood looking old is such a popular technique.

Wood aging

The advantage of making your own barn wood is that you can customize it. It means that you can have it in any colour you wish to. It will help you to create the depth and dimension to floors or walls made of this aged material. Not to mention the variety of patterns, too. And of course, you will get rid of bugs and worms.
So how to make your own barn wood? First of all, you need to equip yourself in some products. However, before you go to a shop, you have to be aware of the fact this technique is cheap. You will be surprise how cheap. So, to age your wood, you will definitely need: some sheets of underlayment, a table saw, a compound miter saw, a level, a sander, a fein saw, some stain or paint, a paint brush, a rag for your stain, a nail gun and some nails.

We’re getting to work

First of all, you need to customize your underlayment. If you need to cut it, please do so. You should use a table saw to do it. At this point, you may also need to sand your planks to get rid of all the rough edges. Once it is done, the wood is ready to be stained several times. Between the layers of stain you can also apply some paint – this is to give your wood this unique colour of old barn planks. Depending on the shade you want to achieve, you can use darker or lighter stain.
Now, it is high time to fix your planks. Probably they do not have the same length and that is why you will need to cut them before placing them in your floor or on the wall. Once cut, you will be able to put them together as some kind of puzzles. To cut your planks, you should use the miter saw. Please also remember to select and put together the pieces of wood in such a way the gaps between them are very small. Please check if the pieces in the right way and they are level as well.

How to treat reclaimed wood for bugs? We will suggest the best solution

How to treat reclaimed wood for bugs?

Reclaimed wood, even though it is beautiful and eco-friendly, can be a source of unexpected issues. Planks are usually taken from some old farms, railroad ties or any other places and that is why old wood may include insects and other beings you do not want to have in your house or flat.
Amazing tables, cupboards and other pieces of furniture are the elements that give this unique charm to almost every interior. No wonder why this type of furniture has been more and more popular in social media. However, having the pieces at home, we need to be aware of the fact that they may include some insects entrenched in tables or chairs when we eat or relax. What is more, the process of sanding may not be helpful to get rid of them.

How to treat reclaimed wood against worms?

The first thing you need to be aware of is the fact that insects may live in your wood and you may not notice them with the naked eye. What is more, even if you sand your pieces of furniture, this technique may fail here, too. In the Internet, you can find a number of tricks on how to treat reclaimed wood for bugs. Some proven ones you can also find below.
According to this byword that prevention is the cure, you can secure yourself from trouble with having insects present in old wood by getting to know the source your wood comes from. For example, if your furniture has been made of the material previously serving as shop display shelves in a grocery shop, you can be sure that some bacteria must be there. Therefore, you should not use such wood indoors. Of course, you can also find a seller who is able to assure you that the wood has been specially treated so that it is chemical-free and insect-free.
Having the knowledge about if and how your wood has been treated is a good idea as well. You need to know that using all kinds of chemical substances kill off bugs. However, if you are looking for the furniture made of the material that has not been chemically treated, you can always check if there are some pieces of heat-treated wood available (usually it is labelled with the abbreviation “HT”). Its advantage? Heating kills worms.

Choose one product

If you want to use some chemical substances, there are a number of products available in the market. All of them act powerfully against all kinds of bugs, but they maintain the character of the wood. While choosing one, you should select the substances that do not produce odour. It is also good to use a product that will be absorbed into the wood quickly and will disappear penetrating through and through it. This will provide an appropriate level of safety for years.

How to clean reclaimed wood?

Furniture and flooring made of reclaimed wood give unique character and charm to our homes. No wonder that recycled timber is getting more and more popular. However, to keep them in good condition, we need to clean them properly.
Bringing history to our homes, this is what old furniture is about. Beautiful cupboards, beds and other pieces can emphasize the special character of our interiors` design or help us to uncover the narration about our family`s past. That is why, keeping them in good condition is a duty we simply cannot neglect. Old timber without cleaning looks terrible so let`s not allow for that!

Cleaning old wood

How to clean reclaimed wood?In order to answer the question on how clean reclaimed wood, we have to divide this article into two sections: one of them will be devoted to the timber exposed weather conditions, like the one coming from fence or wooden cabins. The second one will characterize the sanitizing process of recycled wood furniture.
To start with the cleaning of old furniture that used to be exposed to sun and rain, you would need to have some free space and materials. The planks have to be carefully checked for some nails or any other obstacles that could damage your tools. If there are lots of tacks, you may consider to remove them: by hand or with the use of a tack puller. It is also good to sand the planks smooth – it will prevent you from getting slivers and help to dust them down.
To get prepared for the cleaning of your wood, you will need to have: a bucket, a tooth brush or a grout brush, and a dishwashing detergent. Probably some space and aids to fit your planks will be necessary too.
The cleaning will be processed faster on a sunny day – the wood will dry quicker and there is no risk of molds` appearance. So, now you just need to remove all the dirt from the planks with the use of your cleaning solution. If it is necessary, scrub it top to bottom and sideways. Finally, rinse the boards thoroughly a couple of times to make sure that all the cleaning solution has been removed.

How to sanitize your furniture at home?

In order to keep your recycled wood furniture clean, we need to make sure that their surfaces have been covered with some varnish. This layer should protect them from all the possible spills and stains. It is also helpful to remove all the stains immediately after the appear on the surface of the wood.
A number of specialist recommend natural timber cleansers. One of the most effective ones is a solution combining olive oil and a bit of vinegar with water, however, this mixture works the best on surfaces that are not treated. For those ones which have been covered with a layer of varnish, it is better to use some gentle soap with water.

Why should we use reclaimed wood?

zenith reclaimed woodNice and comfortable furniture is the dream of every interior design fan. For some reason, they tend to overestimate the pieces made of new wood. In this article, we are going to introduce a bunch of arguments to support to make use of reclaimed wood.

While the preparation for writing this piece, we came across several opinions for using reclaimed wood furniture. Interestingly, they are not only about environmental issues, but include such matters as: strength, durability and interesting design of such pieces of furniture. So, why use reclaimed wood?

Environmental issues

Every year we are informed about more and more natural disasters caused by deforestation. Unfortunately, the amount of trees in forests is getting lowered not only by lumberjacks and their activities, but also by hurricanes, tornadoes and other catastrophes tackling woods, forests and jungles. That is why, we, as consumers of such goods, need to be aware of the fact that the trees that are left should be appropriately protected and preserved. For this reason, the choice of furniture made of reclaimed wood seems to be obvious: the pieces are eco-friendly as they have been made of recycled wood only. That means that no new trees have been cut to produce your new cupboard or furniture wall. And, of course, we have to mention animals that benefit from leaving trees in the forests – many of them feed or live on them.

What is more, recycled furniture seem to be a good choice for zero waste philosophy followers. They believe in the 5R rule, including such activities as: recycling and reprocessing of the resources they already have. And reclaimed furniture is made of reprocessed wood. Far fewer materials being sent to landfill during the production and less plastic in the environment mean less pollution in the air and waters.

More strength and durability

reclaimed wood furnitureThis is an undeniable fact: the older the wood is, the stronger and more durable it becomes. It means that the flooring or pieces of furniture made of recycled materials are simply stronger and will last longer as such timber is less likely to split. Why? The answer is simple: the wood has been already exposed to hot and cold atmosphere for a longer period of time and for this reason, it has done all the contracting and expanding. It has also dried out. Such timber is said to be much denser and will not warp in the future that much.

Better looks

A careful observer can notice that the planks made of reclaimed wood are wider than the one of newer trees. The reason for that is that the trees for newer flooring or pieces of furniture were not allowed to grow to their full size. It is especially important for designers and eco lifestyle followers. Moreover, older planks have more knots and other very interesting marks that give the old wood this special character – there is always a narrative behind a piece of furniture or flooring planks.

Reclaimed wood furniture

Become eco-friendly with reclaimed furniture

Stylish furniture is one of the elements that cannot be missing in a modern interior. Wardrobes, tables and chairs are not only environmentally friendly but also incorporate the uniqueness and personal touch.

A careful Instagram or other social media follower can come across a number of photos showing interior design projects in which rooms are furnished with reclaimed furniture. Heavy tables and benches in a dining room, elegant cupboards and wardrobes for bedrooms or even bookshelves and desks made of wood that has been gathered and reused to supplement rather stark Scandinavian style of interiors or emphasize the beauty and genuineness of natural materials used to decorate wood cabins.

Why don`t you have reclaimed furniture?

Reclaimed furnitureIn times when eco friendliness and eco awareness are becoming more and more popular, those of us who wish to live in a more sustainable way, each day make decisions on matters beneficial for the environment. That usually means to dispose rubbish, reduce the number of electricity and water used in everyday situations and produce less waste. We are aware of the fact that the resources given to us by Mother Earth may one day be limited to a great extent and for this reason we are more keen on stop buying new items.

 

Stylish furniture from wood

The idea of using reclaimed wood for the production of stylish furniture is consistent with the concept of eco friendliness as well. This material is usually processed in such a way it can be used over and over again to make a nice piece of furniture. Of course, in the process of furniture production it is important to know the characteristics of old wood as it can be very demanding. Therefore, a key part of making such items is to make sure that the treatment is up to date with all the standards and results in great durability and quality of the end product.

A huge benefit of recycled wood is that the material can be used to produce almost every type of furniture. Are you dreaming of a table or a picnic chair? Or maybe you need a bookcase or a wine cabinet? Pieces of furniture made of reclaimed timber can supplement private homes, offices, bars and restaurants. Such items allow to transform them into warm and welcoming places. No wonder they are getting their fans worldwide.

3 Layer Softwood Distressed Floor

Three layers Distressed Softwood floor

Our new products is a fusion of solid wood and engineered floor. With construction similar to the our cladding panels but with stronger top wearing layer and tongue&groove connection system. Naturally aged and distressed, processed by us for durability and ease of use. Perfect for restoration of old Edwardian and Victorian floors and for creating distressed look rustic look in new designs. Visible knots and imperfections are the biggest advantage of this product, every single board is unique.

 

Width: 120, 140, 160, 180, 200, 220 mm

Length: from 600 mm to 2200 mm

Thickness: 20 mm

Construction: top made with antique distressed pine or spruce.

Bottom made with use of Nordic spruce.

Glued with waterproof D4 glue.

Four sided tongue and groove.

 

Shou Sugi: 3d wall panel

Shou Sugi Ban 3 layer panel

After learning the Japanese art of burning the wood to create unique look and natural preservation of the wood we started to think about taking it a step further. That’s how after months of experiments and ancient charred wood met new technique of of manufacturing large and easy to use cladding  panels. Available in a range of burning stages to achieve a desired look. Panels makes this product perfect  to effectively use in interiors. Shou Sugi Ban panels are our newest invention and one of the most extraordinary products, in construction and design, available on the market.

 

Thickness: 21 mm

Length: from 1000 mm to 4000 mm

Width: 1220 mm

Construction: Three layer panel glued with D4 waterproof glue.

Two bottom layers made from Scandinavian spruce.

Top layer naturally weathered European larch or Cedar.

Application: interior wall and ceiling coverage.

 

shou sugi ban

Charred wood cladding

Shou Sugi Ban Cladding – Japanese accent

Shou Sugi Ban is an ancient Japanese cedar wood treatment. Special burning gives it remarkable look and incredible durability. Precisely charred surface of the planks acts as a preservative against weather conditions and insects. Thanks to that it had been used in ancient Japan, before other treatments were developed. Not only a preservative, but more importantly these days, a charred surface of Shou sugi Ban boards is one of the most extraordinarily looking building material.

Charred wood cladding

Deep black colour and remarkable texture makes it a perfect material for creating unique interior features or magnificent cubes when used as an exterior charred wood cladding.

 

Length: from 1000 mm to 3000 mm

Width: from 140 mm to 200 mm

Thickness: from 20 mm to 30 mm