We are finishing up the last little bit of Shou Sugi Ban wood on our A-Frame house. Let me tell you, we LOVE the look of the Shou Sugi Ban wood, but it is such a labor of love that I would never do it again on another house. The good news is, this is our forever home. The bad news is, we still have the bedroom wing to build and put siding on!
For a little background on Shou Sugi Ban, it is the process of charring wood, cooling it, and cleaning it off (we use the hose) to preserve wood without chemicals. While it gives the wood a gorgeous and unique look, it also has a lot of benefits, such as making the wood more fire, insect, and rot-resistant.
We have used the Shou Sugi Ban technique on all the siding/ beams for the exterior of our home. It has held up beautifully! Technically no maintenance is necessary- especially if you have charred the boards to the point of giving the wood an alligator effect. However, we have found that applying a light clear coat to the wood every other season brings it back to life by nourishing it with a little moisture.
As we place this final beam and soffit board on our front porch, we are going to soak up the beauty of the wood and take a break because it won't be long before the bedroom wing build is underway, and we are knee-deep in torching boards once again.