Samples

While we strive to maintain consistency, there may be slight color variation between the samples and the boards you receive for your order. Japanese sugi cypress exhibits a broad range of colors and tones—both from heartwood to sapwood and from log to log. Given the tapered nature of logs, most planks exhibit heartwood on the rootstock end and sapwood on the crown end. Our sampling process is designed to showcase these natural variations.

Our use of semi-transparent oil finishes enhances and deepens the color and tone of our wood. This differs from solid stains or paints, where ordered colors are matched to a control sample. We sample from standard prefinished product board stock, so each sample will vary to some degree. A sample tone may be slightly lighter or darker than the subsequent order that’s delivered.

The rendering images available for download on each product page offer accurate grain pattern and tone representations; these can help customers understand what appearance to expect from their order.

Our Portland location is configured for manufacturing and remote sales and does not include a customer showroom. 

We provide support to customers through email and telephone communication and typically send samples via USPS Priority Mail. To receive product samples, please fill out our sample request form or email us a specific list of desired samples. For inquiries regarding Nakamoto Forestry products, our team is available Monday through Friday, from 6am to 4pm Pacific Time.

All of our standard sample stock is cut from select-grade wood; whether samples have knots or not is a matter of chance. However, when a clear grade is requested, we take care to provide sample swatches without knots.

Our library kits are specifically designed for designers and architects to maintain in their libraries for client presentations. For home projects or private builds, we recommend a more customized selection of samples. This ensures a more focused and relevant sampling experience for your specific project.

Gendai Linseed Brown and Linseed Amber may appear similar in interior light, but they exhibit significant differences in sunlight. The distinctions should also become more apparent in larger sample fields. It’s worth noting that Amber will generally fade more quickly than Brown, primarily due to its lower UV-blocking pigment content.

Given that samples are typically for single use, kindly dispose of them responsibly or consider passing them along to someone else who may be interested in our products.