Coating Options

In Japan, yakisugi was seldom coated or recoated with oil stains until the 1980s, when various colored oil options became widely available. Uncoated yakisugi offers an optimal combination of value and durability. Our carefully curated palette of custom-blended finish options is designed to satisfy a diverse range of customer preferences and designs.

We offer exterior products on a scale between an earned patina on one end and a warranted factory coating on the other. Below is the progression on this range. Note that this is a complete list, but that our product lines have different oil formulas customized to each: 

Unoiled: Untreated wood will begin to patina immediately, gradually weathering in its own unique and uneven pattern in response to the specific site conditions. 

Weathering stain: This product is designed to help wood siding weather into an even silver color—like the classic “Cape Cod gray” patina. 

Tung oil: Our tung oil is custom designed for our Suyaki products. Tung oil is the heaviest and longest-lasting natural monomer oil. It transforms Suyaki’s soot layer from a delicate powdery texture into a substantial, leathery surface. However, due to the ephemeral nature of Suyaki, the tung-oiled siding will still blemish and weather as it ages. 

Linseed oil: Our linseed finishes are natural monomer oil coatings that are specifically blended to highlight the wood color and grain of our Gendai and Pika-Pika product lines. Linseed oils are semi-transparent, meaning they act as a lens to highlight the natural beauty of the wood. Due to its partially transparent coverage, UV rays from the sun will gradually cause the wood to fade or oxidize. 

Alkyd oil: Our alkyd oil base is made from vegetable oil that is chemically changed into an alkyd urethane polymer. These finishes are formulated for our Gendai and Pika-Pika product lines. Alkyd oils are semi-solid, which means they block most UV radiation. Because it has a high pigment content, the finish color will show more than the natural wood color. The more coats applied, the longer the color will last. The standard for our products is two coats of a waterborne alkyd oil finish; they can be recoated as needed in the future for maintenance.

Acrylic: Our acrylic options offer a multi-coat solid finish designed to provide the best durability and color longevity on our Gendai and Pika-Pika product lines. Since acrylics are solid finishes, they will completely hide the wood’s natural color (though the siding‘s texture will still be visible). Acrylic finishes are meant to be recoated every couple of decades on a schedule. They are not designed to patina over time.

Each project has its own unique design parameters. We work closely with customers and build teams to determine the combination of product and coating that best suits the specific project requirements. To begin the process of making an informed decision, we encourage you to review our Buyer’s Guide, product spec sheets, request product samples, and explore both our blog posts, and project portfolio for inspiration.

Our highest patina options include unoiled wood and those treated with a weathering stain. Linseed oil finishes also fall within the patina side of the range, while one-coat alkyd options lean more toward coating durability. For increased durability, two coats of alkyd are recommended, followed by two and three coats of acrylic, representing the most durable coating options available.

It is common for locally sourced wood trim adjacent to our yakisugi scope to be painted, either to complement or contrast with our siding. We can supply extra oil stain for this purpose as part of your original lumber package or purchased separately from our online store. 

Please note that, even with multiple coats of oil, locally sourced wood products may not perfectly match the color and tone of our yakisugi “shou sugi ban” products. The opacity of the coating also plays a role, with more opaque coatings providing a better match. A semi-transparent linseed coating is harder to match than a semi-solid alkyd coating. 

Opting for a contrasting trim color/tone is also a common approach, which simplifies the problem of trying to match two different materials.

Historically, back-oiling practice was not used for yakisugi siding in Japan. Back-oiling involves applying a coating to the back (typically uncharred) face of the wood siding. This practice is beneficial for managing moisture and minimizing dimensional movement, particularly cupping. 

Nakamoto Forestry provides back-oiling on all of our prefinished products. We recommend reviewing individual product specification sheets, pricing details, and obtaining samples to determine the best choice for your project.