Exterior Siding, Fencing & Louvers

Yes. Our Gendai and Pika-Pika S4S profiles are heat-treated on both faces and can be machine-coated with oil on both faces. For S3S board installation where the back side is exposed, the back of the boards can be stained with any dark color to blend in with the burned faces. 

For structural elements (e.g., fence rails, posts), standard framing lumber can be used to support visible cladding of sugi or yakisugi “shou sugi ban” plank products.

Yes—we do offer stock for batten and louver applications. Please see our product profiles for current availability.

Alternately, our plank products can also be ripped using a table saw into the desired width for various styles—such as board-and-batten or board-and-board. Touch up oil is provided with each lumber order and can be used to stain any ripped edges prior to installation. 

For layout suggestions, please contact the Nakamoto Forestry sales team to receive a copy of our installation manual.

Our wood products are frequently used in soffits or cosmetic roof decks. Pika-Pika and Joko clear grade Sugi (whether unoiled or with a transparent oil finish) are both commonly chosen for this purpose. 

This gallery showcases work from an architect renowned for this aesthetic in Japan.

For fascia installations, we recommend either using our 5/4″ x 8″ S3S profile, or a structural subfascia under our 1×6” or 1×8” S3S profiles. Please plan on recoating the yakisugi surfaces with fresh oil every few years.

While occasionally seen in Scandinavian design, we do not recommend using wood plank products for roofing or other horizontal applications. Thin plank wood materials are prone to checking, twisting, and premature aging due to natural expansion and contraction.

Roofing applications require shorter-length shakes or shingles that allow for longitudinal expansion and contraction. If yakisugi is used on a roof or other horizontal application, plan on recoating yearly and eventually replacing the wood after several years.

Please contact the Nakamoto Forestry sales team to receive a copy of our installation manual and refer to “Section 7.3 Clearances” for specific guidance. Here are some basic considerations: 

1. The general best practice is to maintain a clearance of at least 8 inches from grade to prevent water entry and wood rot. 
2. Calfire testing indicates that embers can accumulate in corners on horizontal surfaces adjacent to walls up to 5 inches. Therefore, it is advisable to keep all combustible materials at least 6 inches away from adjacent horizontal surfaces. 
3. Water splashing can lead to quicker fading at the bottoms of walls. The impact of mud depends on the type of material at grade (e.g., river pebbles, sod, decking). A 12-inch clearance from grade will minimize most mud splashing, but if the roof is not guttered, mud can splash up 3-4 feet from grade.