Shou Sugi Ban Wall Decor Progress Update

For the first week of undergoing this project, I spent most of my time preparing and planning. This involves some research into the best techniques and materials needed to produce the outcome I desire. One of the major hiccups in my design plan is deciding which stain or paint I want to use. After looking at a couple of different options, I have been left with two, one being a cheaper acrylic paint and another being a dye that can be mixed with water to stain the wood. Since this project involves burning wood using the shou sugi ban technique, the grain patterns in the wood should be naturally emphasized, and I am seeking to further emphasize these using a colored stain or paint. The quality of the outcome is heavily dependent on which stain you use, and using the colored dye seems to be the better option visually. However, it is quite expensive and a bit more than I was hoping to spend compared to the cheaper acrylic paint, which has similar results.  I will continue looking for a cheaper stain and rely on acrylic paint, which I already have, as my backup option.

As far as material procurement goes, I have owed some wooden bed slats from a broken bed frame for some time, which will be the bulk of my material. I plan to use a standard propane torch to burn the wood and plan to buy a small nylon drill brush attachment that will take away some of the burned material and make the grain stand out. Additionally, some post-processing stain or paint as mentioned before will be used.

Dimensionally, I plan to cut the wooden slats below the screw and staple artifacts to maximize the amount of ‘nicer’ looking wood. After doing this and cutting the boards in half, I can achieve a piece that is 30 inches by 23 inches, which seems to be a healthy size for wall decor. I plan to fixture the boards together like a fence and hang the entire piece on a couple of nails.

I am having some second thoughts on the original graphic that I wanted to paint on the wood, and I think that this will be the most variable part of the project as I go along. Originally, I wanted to do a fire or flame image with its Japanese kanji centered within it. After some reconsideration, I am not sure if my current version of this will match the wabi-sabi aesthetic that I am going for and I am actively looking for things that will match this while also appealing to my personal taste.