Shou Sugi Ban Blog

Earlywood vs Latewood and Growth Ring Patterns in Yakisugi
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Earlywood vs Latewood and Growth Ring Patterns in Yakisugi

Growth ring patterns are critical to both yakisugi (shou sugi ban) appearance and, surprisingly to some, wood longevity. Anyone considering yakisugi is concerned with both of these subjects (along with cost, making up the siding decision trifecta). In terms of appearance, Westerners typically want their siding to...

What Is A Rainscreen & How Do You Install A RainscreenFeatured Video Play Icon
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What Is A Rainscreen & How Do You Install A Rainscreen

A rainscreen is an exterior skin system made up of siding, an air gap via furring strips, WRB layer, and structural sheathing substrate (nowadays OSB or plywood). The siding sheds over 90% of even wind-driven rain, but counter-intuitively it’s primary function is to…

The Feng Shui of Shou Sugi Ban
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The Feng Shui of Shou Sugi Ban

Feng Shui is a Chinese term for a tradition followed across Northeast Asia, including China, Korea, and Japan. In Japanese it is pronounced “fu-sui”, but the Chinese “feng shui” is generally used in the West. The word literally means “wind and water”, and represents a holistic view...

The Science Behind Flame Retardancy of Shou Sugi Ban/Yakisugi
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The Science Behind Flame Retardancy of Shou Sugi Ban/Yakisugi

Over the past 10 years yakisugi (or shou sugi ban) has been rapidly gaining popularity in the West, not only for its beauty and longevity in exterior applications, but also for its reputation of being resistant against fire. But is increased fire resistance really true?

Shou Sugi Ban Fencing and Japanese Ko-ushi Privacy Screens
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Shou Sugi Ban Fencing and Japanese Ko-ushi Privacy Screens

A sturdy, stylish shou sugi ban fence not only makes a great first impression for visitors, it can dramatically improve the value of a home and provide privacy. In Japan, exterior privacy screens have been historically popular and seem to be catching on in the west as well.

The Meaning of “Sugi” in “Shou Sugi Ban”
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The Meaning of “Sugi” in “Shou Sugi Ban”

For our first blog post, we thought it would be fitting to talk about how our wood first starts out: as a cypress tree. Chances are if you’ve found this blog, you know who we are. We’re Nakamoto Forestry, the primary producer of yakisugi-ita or shou sugi ban, one...