Yakisugi Frame

If you have been paying attention to woodworking and building topics recently you will know that a Japanese wood preservation technique called Yakisugi  (sometimes misnamed Shou Sugi Ban based on a mispronunciation apparently) has become popular. The technique involves burning the surface of the wood which leaves it charred. Technically it is applied to Japanese cedar but can be applied to other woods. The burning has a couple key benefits in terms of  wood preservation. Burning removes nutrients like sugars and cellulose from the wood surface. The charred wood is also water water resistant. If you have hiked in an area where a forest fire had burned you may have noted how the charred wood surfaces retain their integrity. The technique is all over YouTube on woodworking channels as everyone is always scrambling for new content topics so a quick search will find innumerable sources of ideas.  

I came upon this in a upcycling TV show where an oak desk had the technique applied to portions of the desk. The black color was attractive and I filed this away mentally as many of my handmade frames I finish with flat black paint. This might prove a useful departure from using paint.

Yesterday I returned to my frame making and had a chance to try Yakisugi for myself. The frames are made in my usual trademark manner of thin lightweight frames with no glazing made, by hand with few power tools. This frame I made with cherry. I cut, planed, sanded, and glued the frame before trying Yakisugi. This was risky as I could end up with a charred piece of wood that I had put a lot of work in! I used a propane torch I have used for plumbing work. It isn't ideal as the flame is very narrow. The cherry I used was very dry and as such very prone to catch fire so patience was the watchword. 

As I proceeded, curiously the cherry briefly went through a purple color phase before it began to char. It is difficult especially with this type of torch to get an even result. Fortunately I was aiming for black which made achieving evenness easier. My aim was to char just the front surface, not the edges. In my painted frames I mask the edges to retain the brightwork of the sides. 

Once I got the tone I liked my next concern was the extent the charring would bleed to the sides of the frame or how much it would smear during finishing. I started by using a dry sponge to wipe the charred surface down. This took up the excess charcoal and also distributed the color to even out the tone even more. I wiped down the edges as well and the wood did not pick up much of the black color on the edges. 

Next I used beeswax (in solvent) to rub over the surface of the frame and let this set. Once the solvent evaporated I rubbed the waxed surface down and was gratified to find the charcoal did not transfer to the cloth I used. This meant it was safe to handle without risk of mearing black everywhere. 

The Frame

Next I made the corner cuts and slipped in ash reinforcements in the corners. Ash has nice white color to contrast well with the natural brown cherry color on the edges. 

Ash corner reinforcement detail.
Note separation of charred and non-charred surfaces. 

I then added my usual corner tabs and gate latch in the back to hold the picture in place. 

Back of frame details

The technique was a great success I feel the black is nice and when waxed has an organic surface sheen. I hate the plasticky look of modern polymer finishes. Surprisingly the black has a warmer tone to it as the warmth of the cherry's color comes through the charring. 

Closeup showing color.

I mounted my  Mathematical Trees print in the finished frame.  

Final Result