by Daniel Easley
The variety of finishes that are possible with the hand torch open up an absolutely enjoyable range of looks to choose from for your final product.
There are a million ways to finish your wood furniture, siding, decorations and more. The question is always, “what type of wood will be used and why?” We’ve recently found ourselves doing a lot of outdoor furniture, from adirondack chairs to planters to swinging benches. With that said, the answer to the above question has very often been charred cedar, using a Japanese technique commonly known as shou sugi ban.
I’ve been resorting to this technique for several reasons: first, charred cedar is durable and long lasting through years of all kinds of weathering. Second, because the torching of the cedar, to varying degrees, produces a beautiful finish that accentuates the natural grain of the wood. So in doing this, we really are able to get the best of multiple worlds in having strong, outdoor wood, a lovely natural finish, as well as being at a reasonable price!
There really is something uniquely satisfying about having the torch in hand and watching the grain literally appear out of the woodwork like a ghost painting before your eyes. To date, we have done a wide range of projects using this enjoyable process, so check out the gallery to see the range of possibilities!
