Shou Sugi Ban

Craft designs that blend into Australia’s beautiful landscapes with charred timber from Modinex. Shou Sugi Ban cladding is a stunning alternative to traditional finishes. Charred timber cladding not only looks fantastic, it provides excellent protection with low maintenance requirements.

Shou Sugi Ban (‘charred cedar’) is a special Japanese charring technique, inspired by an ancient tradition. Three slabs of pinewood would be bound together into the shape of a chimney and a fire was lit inside the base. This is how the facade parts of traditional Japanese wooden houses were given a fire retardant, sustainable, and natural protective layer. The treatment was introduced after Japan fell into a short supply of driftwood which was collected from the coastlines for its prized appearance and durability after enduring a natural treatment process of saltwater, surf and sun.

Shou Sugi Ban is still being applied in Japan. It is also used for modern buildings, designed by well-known architects such as Terunobu Fujimor. The process involves charring the wood, cooling it, cleaning it and finishing it with natural oil. Shou Sugi Ban style has been showcased in modern architecture as a black monolithic surface.The term Shou Sugi Ban 焼杉板 simply translates to ‘burnt cedar board’.

Our fire masters char all our wood, one by one, in a controlled environment in our Moss Vale manufacturing facility. This way we can guarantee equal and uniform technical specifications. In our test centre, we continue to pioneer and innovate to find ways of charring, identify new sustainable wood types, and create new finishes with biodegradable resin and oil.

In our test centre, we continue to pioneer and innovate to find ways of charring, identify new sustainable wood types, and create new finishes with biodegradable resin and oil.

Charred timber is a strong, resilient, and low-maintenance timber style that is often used in residential and commercial design due to its aesthetic appearance. The deep charcoal colour along with the texture of the charring creates a unique timber profile.

We combine old-fashioned craftsmanship with modern technology. The result is a beautiful collection of black charred wood types and profiles of the highest quality. Each contains its own exclusive texture, character and finish.