What is the longevity of Gendai compared to your other products?

Gendai undergoes the same heat treatment process as our traditional Suyaki products, followed by a single brushing that removes most of the soot layer to create a more user-friendly siding product. This type of siding has been used for centuries. In Japan, the term “arai,” (meaning “washed”) is commonly used because water is used during the brushing process. Essentially, Gendai represents what Suyaki will look like after about 50 years of soot layer weathering. Gendai products should have a total lifespan of about 75 years without maintenance—and this can be extended with periodic oil recoating. It is essential for new owners to differentiate wood durability from color longevity. Like any other wood siding, Gendai used for exterior siding will naturally fade and weather over time. To maintain a specified color, it will be necessary to regularly recoat Gendai with one of our exterior finish options.

We are on a tight budget and unoiled Gendai is your lowest-priced product. Is it okay to use this product without a coating? Will it last as long as coated Gendai products?

In Western Japan, brushed yakisugi (like our Gendai products) is traditionally installed without an oil finish and has demonstrated excellent performance. While finish coatings are not mandatory, they do enhance the overall lifespan and color longevity of any siding, including Gendai. Our specially formulated coatings enhance the durability of exterior wood installations by providing additional protection against UV rays and moisture. For yakisugi “shou sugi ban” customers with budget constraints, unoiled Gendai offers a solid choice. If desired, a finish coating can always be applied in the future. This flexibility allows for customization based on individual preferences and financial considerations.

Do you have a Gendai clear coat option?

At present, we do not offer a genuine clear coat prefinish option for our Gendai products, primarily because it is an infrequent specification request. The nearest factory-finished product available is Gendai with an alkyd Natural coating. This combination imparts a subtle yellow hue due to transparent oxides in the oil and is suitable for both exterior and interior applications. Customers can also purchase unoiled Gendai and have their own preferred finish coating applied on-site, before or after installation.

We want to use Gendai on both the exterior and interior of our project. Which Nakamoto Forestry finish coating should we use for this? Or do we need separate products for the two scopes?

Any of our alkyd and acrylic coatings are suitable for both exterior and interior applications. If you prefer the appearance of the linseed coating over the alkyd option, simply specify linseed for exterior and alkyd for interior. (Please note: Our linseed coating option should not be used for interior applications.) Customers can also purchase unoiled Gendai and have their own preferred finish coating applied on-site, before or after installation.

The unoiled Gendai spec sheet shows that it can be used on ceilings. Is this true or is it a typo?

Unoiled Gendai is occasionally used for traditional interior ceilings to serve as an air purifier. But for most interior yakisugi “shou sugi ban” applications, we recommend using a factory coating to bind any residual soot into the paneling surface.

Why is Suyaki more expensive than Gendai?

Protecting the delicate soot layer on our Suyaki products requires careful manufacturing and packing processes. This additional labor slightly raises the production costs for Suyaki versus our Gendai products.

Gendai® Yakisugi "Shou Sugi Ban"

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Gendai® Unoiled

Exterior, Interior

Yakisugi “shou sugi ban” siding and paneling. The top layer of soot has been gently brushed off, leaving a smooth, consistent, and dark surface. Uncoated Gendai is a quintessential Japanese wabi-sabi siding material that quickly develops a rich patina from exposure. It is naturally weather- and fire-resistant due to being heat-treated. This is a great option for owners who appreciate the organic, natural beauty of wood and want to savor it as a living, changing finish. Can be coated with an oil finish at installation or any time in future. Available burned both faces (S4S) for fencing or louver applications. Delivered ready to install.

For premium clear grade pricing, please contact Sales

SKUs

Profile	Select Grade	Premium Clear Grade
1 x 6 x 12 Shiplap	GA2000	GD2000
1 x 6 x 12 S3S Square Edge	GB2000	–
1 x 6 x 12 S4S Square Edge	GC2000	–
1 x 8 x 12 Shiplap	GE2000	–
1 x 8 x 12 S3S Square Edge	GF2000	–
1 x 2 x 12 S3S Square Edge	–	GG2000
5/4 x 2-1/2 x 12 S3S Square Edge	–	GH2000
5/4 x 2-1/2 x 12 S4S Square Edge	–	GI2000
5/4 x 5 x 12 S3S Square Edge	–	GJ2000
5/4 x 5 x 12 S4S Square Edge	–	GK2000
5/4 x 8 x 12 S3S Square Edge	GL2000	–

Considerations

Our most dramatic sabi patina product.
Every project will weather differently due to unique microclimates.
Traditionally used on interior ceilings as an air purifier.
Soot residue, caking, and erosion, especially along board edges, is unavoidable and is the nature of this product.
Can be coated with an oil finish at installation or any time in future.

Patina scale

Patina Scale: 10

The Patina Scale has been developed by Nakamoto Forestry to approximate how its products will weather over time—from 0 (“less patina/more color longevity”) to 10 (“less color longevity/more patina”). However, every product weathers at a different rate due to local conditions, and the Patina Scale is intended as general guidance only, and is solely for informational purposes. Nakamoto Forestry makes no guarantees, representations, or warranties, express or implied, regarding the appearance or color longevity of its products after installation.

Dimensions

*Dimensional shrinkage after manufacture is possible due to being a solid-sawn wood product.

1 x 6 x 12 Shiplap

1 x 6 x 12 S3S & S4S Square Edge

1 x 8 x 12 Shiplap

1 x 8 x 12 S3S Square Edge

1 x 2 x 12 S3S Square Edge

5/4 x 2-1/2 x 12 S3S & S4S Square Edge

5/4 x 5 x 12 S3S & S4S Square Edge

5/4 x 8 x 12 S3S Square Edge

Finish details

Unoiled

The species, millwork and heat treatment process make yakisugi "shou sugi ban" naturally resistant to pests, moisture, and fire. Coatings and stains are technically unnecessary for this product category. Leaving the wood unoiled allows it to weather naturally, according to the local climate. Unoiled siding can always be oiled in the future to add color or consistency.

Prefinish Options

n/a

Prefinish Color

n/a

Pressure-Treated Fire Retardant

Not Available

Field Cuts

Coat all field cuts and rips with touch up oil

Installation details

For installation instructions

Installation manual available upon request, please contact us for assistance.

Overage

Please add a healthy overage ranging from 15–25%, as shipping additional material can be expensive.

Fastening (Exterior)

Two ring or screw-shank headed face nails or screws per furring strip within 1” of each edge.

Substrate (Exterior)

Rigid furring maximum 16” on-center.

Fastening (Interior)

Tube adhesive and pin nails

Substrate (Interior)

Per design specifications

Installation Layout

Vertical or horizontal, all profiles.

Moisture Content

Air dried then kiln dried to 9-13% MC, but may fluctuate during transport or warehousing. Please acclimate on site for two weeks prior to installation.

Species

Cryptomeria japonica, a monotypic genus in the cedar family native to Japan. The Japanese name is "sugi", as in yakisugi and "shou sugi ban". In English it is colloquially called Japanese cedar.

Certifications

Fire Resistance

ASTM E-84

Sustainability

CFP declaration: Gendai®

Environmental Product Declaration (EPD): Gendai®

PEFC chain of custody certified PEFC/29-31-385

Resource downloads

Download Rendering Field

Download Product Specs

CSI Guide Specifications

Policies, Terms & Conditions

Exterior, Interior

Gendai® Unoiled