Burning wood with your own hands. Burnt wood: how is it better than ordinary wood and where is it used? What is the firing procedure: firing types

Burning wood is one of the simplest ways to decorate and protect the surface from a number of harmful effects. How to do such an operation at home is described step by step in the article.

Who invented burning wood?

According to one version, it is believed that the Japanese were the first to burn wood. At the same time, they used this technology, oddly enough, not on their products. Initially, in this way they kept the forests from fire during the fire season. The burnt lower part of the barrel became difficult to ignite and, accordingly, was less exposed to fire.
The second popular legend also comes from Japan. If you believe this version, then once the Japanese noticed that after a fire in the forest, charred trunks lasted longer than those that had passed the fire. In particular, they noted for themselves that burnt wood does not rot so quickly, and insects do not sharpen it at all.
Later, this technology, prompted by nature itself, began to be used in construction. So, before installation, the roofing board, wall beam, wooden piles were fired. This made the building more durable, protected from insects and, in part, from fire.
Still later, firing began to be used to decorate wood products, in particular, for outdoor use. The goal, in this case, was not only to protect the material from harmful effects, but also to give the surface an attractive appearance.
There is also a version that the Vikings began to burn wood long before the Japanese. They applied this technology to the processing of their ships.

Benefits of burnt wood

The advantages of fire-treated wood are as follows:

• presentable appearance;
• unattractive to insects;
• increased fire resistance;
• compacted surface;
• increased strength;
• improved moisture resistance;
• wear resistance;
• protection from ultraviolet radiation.

In addition, in the process of firing low-quality lumber, almost all defects are eliminated - darkening, blue, light rot. The processed product also does not require planing and finishing grinding.

Application of technology at home

In everyday life, firing lumber is used everywhere. The technology allows without the use of stains, toners and oils to turn pine into rare wood. In particular, with deep roasting, which is described in this article, the most defective pine easily turns into wenge (it grows mainly in Africa).
It is especially useful to use firing in the manufacture of products and structures that will be used outdoors. It can be garden furniture, a fence, a gazebo. Also, fire is often processed wooden elements housing - sheathing, frontal boards, terraces, stair balusters and so on.
Burnt wooden boxes, gift cases, picture frames, grooves and photographs, various coasters and lamps will look beautiful.

What kind of wood can be burned?

Not all wood can be protected and decorated in this way. First of all, this applies to fruit species, oak, ash and alder. However, the most common lumber - pine and Christmas tree - is perfectly burned. You can also fire veneer and plywood.
For firing, it is best to choose a material on which an ornate structure is visible. During processing, the soft wood will burn out and be removed, and the hard fibers will stand out more dark color. At the same time, knots, blue, fungus and other defects are not a problem for fire.
When firing coniferous wood, it is better to take dried material. It burns much faster, it has less resin, with which there will be certain problems later. Raw wood is also quite possible to burn. However, it should be borne in mind that such processing will partially clog the pores of the material, and the moisture remaining inside will come out much longer, which is not good.

Tools and materials for firing

The main tool in this business is a gas burner. It's just that an open fire (gas stove, bonfire, etc.) does not fit well, and it will not work to evenly burn a large surface. It is also undesirable to use a blowtorch on gasoline. It burns, of course, excellently, but drops of unburned fuel can fly out of its nozzle, leaving glossy spots on the wood. Alternatively, you can try using a building hair dryer. But a lot of time is spent with it, and deep roasting cannot be achieved.
A gas burner is the best for this business. Worth a penny, safe to use, easy to control and configure. You can even get by with the cheapest Chinese-made version, which, together with a can of gas, will cost about $ 5.

For large-scale work, it is better to get a large gas burner, which is designed for laying bituminous roofing.
In addition to a source of directed fire, you will also need felt. In extreme cases, you can take a washcloth from the kitchen for washing dishes and use its harder side for work.
Basically, that's all it takes.

Staged firing of wood. technology nuances.

Deep firing should begin with a surface pass of the burner over the material. At this stage, you need to evenly warm up the wood, burn out the protruding pile, and also open the places where large quantities resin is concentrated. These areas will need special attention later.

The photo just shows such places well. As a rule, they appear on knots, and after the first pass they do not darken, but are covered with boiling resin. It is highly flammable and can ruin the whole result, so you should carefully warm up the knots. Warmed up, waited until it boils, then again. Repeat until the boil stops.

While the resin boils and the wood in these places cools down, the second stage is carried out in parallel - deep firing. The goal is to make the surface char and crack slightly. The photo below shows how it looks.

The next step is cleaning the surface of soot. This can be done in several ways: using felt, a soft brush or a special attachment for a grinder (brushing brush). The only condition for all cases is that it is necessary to clean off the soot only in the direction of the wood fibers.
Sandpaper is not suitable for this purpose. It is advisable to use it only for surface firing of wood. AT this case it is necessary to remove all burnt soft fibers, and sandpaper won't do it without scratches.

By the way, if you want the result to be lighter than in the above photos, you need to brush the surface longer. But you can achieve lighter shades only with a brush. Felt "get" to light wood will not work.
Some masters wash off the soot with water, which, in principle, gives a good result. But keep in mind that dry wood, in direct contact with water, will take on some moisture, which, in turn, can lead to deformations and other problems in the future. A more predictable result is obtained only dry.
After firing, it remains only to cover the wood with a protective compound. For a silky, matte finish that feels like pure wood, use special oils. A glossy surface that shimmers in the sun and at different viewing angles from black to light - is obtained after applying several layers of ordinary wood varnish.

Results

In general, decorating the simplest pine with the help of firing is not a complicated procedure that requires experience, expensive tools and compositions. The main thing is not to allow long burning wood, completely evaporate the resin, achieve cracking and remove soot only in the direction of the fibers.

Wooden buildings without additional protection cannot boast of significant durability. Traces of decay can appear on them quite quickly, so you have to apply various technologies against the development of mold, microbes. Many of them are not environmentally friendly, and such wood is used only outdoors. Wood burning - absolutely safe method which was invented many years ago. It allows you to preserve the natural qualities of the material for a long time and give it an unusual look.

Wood burning technology: historical background

Burnt wood has long been popular in some countries, while in others it is just beginning to come into fashion. Japan is considered the birthplace of the technique, where the so-called languishing of cedar was used: they burned the tree on fires, then removed the soot, washed it and applied tung oil. This made it possible to give the material a shine, a noble silver-black hue and increase its service life up to 80 years. The history of the technology dates back to the beginning of the 15th century, when during the burning of cedar plantations for firefighting purposes, unique properties the resulting wood.

On the island of Naosami in Japan, burnt wood is still widely used for the construction of various objects, and is also widely used for interior decoration premises. The technique has long been known in Europe and America, where it was practiced along with tarnishing - soaking lumber with hot resin. If earlier wood blanks were burned with an open flame using torches, now special vacuum furnaces are used for this purpose.

As the subcrustal layers grow, new pores form in the wood. This causes the death of fibrous cells and leads to an increase in the porosity of the structure. The result is an invariable property of any wood - hygroscopicity, or the ability to absorb and release water when the humidity of the environment changes.

The wood has an uneven texture due to the presence of cellulose polymers, resins, sugars and other organic components. Also, the material has a high flammability, a tendency to multiply fungi and other microorganisms that constantly live inside and begin to actively multiply at the slightest dampness.

To reduce all the listed disadvantages of wood, while leaving it environmentally friendly, the firing technology using autoclave heating (thermolysis) or creosote cooking is capable.

During the work, the material is heated up to +300…+400 degrees, which allows destroying unstable hemicellulose formations. Since the latter are the cause of the appearance of combustible pyrolysis gases, their removal immediately reduces the flammability of the tree.

Wood burning at home has a less pronounced effect and removes fewer unstable compounds. However, this is sufficient to improve the performance properties of the material. Also, firing leads to partial clogging of pores with resin and soot, narrowing of the channels in the outer layer of wood, so bacteria, sunlight, and moisture will practically not penetrate inside. A loose tree after firing acquires fire-fighting properties, becomes immune to decay, and is less destroyed by precipitation and wind.

Firing types

The quality and appearance of the burnt wood may vary depending on the specific technology that has been applied. According to the depth of exposure, the following types of firing are distinguished:

1. Full. It is the firing of lumber at a temperature of about +400 degrees in a vacuum furnace. Such wood is not very in demand, because its volume is reduced by 2 times, and initially high strength characteristics decrease over time. Usually the wood after full roasting goes to the manufacture of expensive furniture, decorative elements and other piece goods.
2. Deep. popular view heat treatment tree. It can be used in relation to new and used material, allows you to artificially age the boards, beautifully decorate the timber. During firing in open kilns, the entire thickness of the lumber is evenly heated, and the surface becomes dark (from graphite to coal). Permissible depth of burning wood - 20 mm.
3. Surface. Most often used at home, it implies a firing depth of the material up to 5 mm. The method is easily implemented in the presence of a gas burner or a conventional blowtorch.

Advantages and disadvantages of firing lumber

The main advantage of the technique is that it does not require the application of impregnations, antiseptics, which are sometimes not environmentally friendly and may even contain toxic components. Other benefits of wood burning:

• the possibility of doing it yourself;
• no need for special skills, expensive tools;
• protection of the material from wind, moisture, mold, microbes, insects, ultraviolet;
• profitability;
• giving fire safety (re-ignition is almost impossible);
• reliable prevention of decay;
• ensure wear resistance, increase service life.

The disadvantages include only the complexity of the process, which is performed without the presence of industrial equipment, because you have to manually burn each board, then clean and process it. However, the unique texture original look and unique specifications burnt wood level everything possible disadvantages and increase the popularity of technology.

Roasting at home - is it possible?

To burn the wood yourself, you need to strictly adhere to the advice of specialists and the algorithm for performing work. Since there are no vacuum ovens at home, you need to prepare more affordable fixtures in advance. As a source of flame for firing, you can use:

• gas burner;
• blowtorch;
• building hair dryer;
• gas cylinder with nozzle.

You will also need tools for cleaning wood. If you plan to work with small bars, planks, you can take a metal brush. For large lumber, it is better to prepare a grinder, grinder, drill with an appropriate nozzle. To make it convenient to brush over the remnants of burning, you need to buy a flute (a brush with soft bristles).

Firing is carried out in the open air away from objects that can catch fire, especially from paper, rags, textiles, cardboard, plywood. Be sure to take away any solutions, formulations and other chemicals.

In order to comply with safety regulations, they work in gloves, goggles, and keep a fire extinguisher nearby. It is desirable to work on a metal or stone surface that is not afraid of heat.

The choice of wood species for firing and material requirements

Hardwood (cherry, alder, etc.) must not be fired. In some cases, beech and hornbeam are fired, as they have sufficient density and are able to withstand heat. Work is often carried out with conifers. Cedar is best suited for this purpose, you can also use spruce, pine, larch.

Conifers are distinguished by a variety of patterns, and after firing they acquire a unique structure. The more knots, complex bends were on the wood, the more decorative the result will be. It is important that the tree is damp, but contain no more than 15% moisture. You can also burn ready-made wooden crafts, coniferous veneer.

Preparing the material for firing

Fresh wood does not have to be carefully prepared for processing, because the flame will remove all the bumps, acting on the principle of grinding. It is only necessary to cut off large ledges, knots, and also remove the resin - if its streaks light up during operation, the whole effect will be spoiled. Wood that is too wet will have to be dried, otherwise moisture will deform it during evaporation, chips and cracks will appear.

Old wood is prepared more carefully. It is necessary to remove the remnants of paint, varnish from it, to carry out the skinning, so that no stains form during the firing and there is no fire. If the wood was previously impregnated with stain, it can be fired according to general rules. Lumber coated with drying oil is not subject to firing.

Processing wood with a blowtorch

For this work option, you will need a blowtorch, which was previously heated to the maximum. If the heating is insufficient, a thick layer of soot will appear on the surface. The fire is directed strictly perpendicular to the position of the boards, moving the lamp slowly, evenly, paying attention to the change in color and structure of the material. The exposure time is chosen independently: it depends on the desired effect and the thickness of the workpiece.

After the firing is completed, the primary grinding of the product is carried out. To do this, the boards are laid in turn on a stool or other convenient stand, carefully processed grinder, then brush off the dirt with a brush. At the end of the work, impregnation with varnish, drying oil is done.

Burning wood with a gas burner

For the master, working with a burner is considered more convenient and easier than with a blowtorch. The effect will be more attractive, since the flame of the burner penetrates deeper into the structure of the tree. But during the firing process, it is important to ensure that the fire is not too close to the lumber, otherwise burnt spots will remain on them. A strong yellow flame for firing is unacceptable. It should be calm, oblong and bluish.

Start at the top of the board. The burner is carried over the product like painting with a brush: smoothly, evenly. Repeat the procedure 2-3 times, then spray the material with water from a spray bottle. As the wood cools, it is processed, removing the loose burnt layer. Carry out the grinder only along the fibers, so as not to damage them. At the same time, a flute is used to sweep away soot, especially carefully removing deep-seated particles.

The quality of work is checked by wiping the wood with a napkin. If you want to give the material an antique look, brushing is then carried out. Also, for artificial aging of wood, it is possible to apply special pigments or special finishing coatings.

Does burnt wood need additional protection?

Burnt wood has many advantages, and one of them is increased strength. Therefore, the material can be left in its original form after removing the remnants of soot. Nonetheless, experienced craftsmen always carry out additional processing of the tree, because after it the level of security will be even higher.

Usually, after firing, the product or lumber is treated with oil, which helps to improve the decorative and operational properties of the tree. After that, a transparent nitrocellulose varnish is most often applied with protective properties or a mixture of varnish with artificial wax. For the processing of facade wood, a solution of synthetic wax in turpentine is used.

The choice of oil for wood

Linseed, hemp or tung oil is the ideal finish for burnt clapboard or other wood for interior decoration. The liquid is applied with a brush or spray gun (depending on the scale of work). You can use tinted synthetic oils that give the wood a more noble look, imitating valuable breeds. Excellent result gives a mixture of colorless wax and oil, which helps to highlight the structure of the tree and protect it from external damage.

The use of burnt lumber

Finished fired lumber and its products are highly valued by builders and designers. Doors, windows, gazebos and terraces, benches and tables are made from such wood, garden furniture and technical buildings. After firing, the wood is perfect for building fences, other fences, decorating floors and balconies, and exterior decoration of houses.

Flame treated wood is great for many interior styles, especially for country. After special varnishing or staining, it can be used in retro, vintage, Provence and other styles, which involve the use of artificially aged furniture and decor items. Most often in the interiors of apartments and residential buildings you can see such products made of burnt wood:

• caskets;
• panel;
• baguettes;
• chairs and tables;
• dressers;
• lockers.

In addition, the full decoration of the walls with burnt wood or the design of beams and ceilings looks beautiful in the design of the premises. The unique look of the material will provide a luxurious look to the whole house.

Creation of facades from burnt boards

When creating facades of brick or wooden houses this wood is used very often. After firing, the material becomes stronger and more durable, therefore, with additional varnishing or oil impregnation, it will serve without complaints for many years. Aesthetics, originality and environmental friendliness are the main qualities of burnt wood, making it one of the most popular materials in construction.

Everyone knows that wood cannot be left to itself - under the influence external forces it quickly collapses. Impregnation with antiseptics and flame retardants is needed. But there is another effective defense, without the use of "chemistry"

Many centuries ago, our ancestors noticed that if you burn a piece of wood a little, it will become stronger. This technique, called Shou Sugi Ban (“cedar languishing”), is believed to have originated in Japan. Although there is quite reliable data that wood was processed in this way on all continents, including ours. In Russia, pile poles, logs, floorboards, wall cladding and roofing were protected by firing (smoking).

Today, the ancient method of heat treatment of wood is not only not forgotten, but is becoming more and more popular. The development of technology has made it possible to bring it to perfection. The wood is fired with a gas burner/blowtorch or aged in a kiln, resulting in a new, improved material.

Under the influence of high temperatures, all possible "embryos" of decay die. The wood sugar burns out, making the wood unappetizing for woodworms and other harmful microorganisms. The molten resin closes the pores of the material, making it less hygroscopic, or, to put it in simple words ceases to be "afraid" of water.

As strange as it may sound, burned wood becomes refractory. It is almost impossible to re-ignite an already charred board.

But that's not all. In the process of smoking, the tree becomes amazingly beautiful. It darkens, becoming dark chocolate or impenetrable black, and acquires a noble silvery sheen, which cannot be achieved by any paints.

Of course, such interesting characteristics attracted the attention of masters from various fields. Today, burnt wood is used everywhere. It perfectly shows itself both in the decoration of houses (floors, sheathing of walls, ceilings, facades and roofs) and in landscape design(fences, pergolas, gazebos, greenhouses and even framing beds).

Another area of ​​application is furniture industry. The exquisite black color with a pearly sheen has made Shou Sugi Ban wood a favorite material for designers creating high-end home furnishings.

Types of firing

Previously, wood was simply thrown into a fire or kept in primitive ovens. Today, with the help of modern equipment, it is possible to regulate the processing temperature and achieve certain effects.

Firing options

The most popular firing surface . It involves processing with a gas burner or blowtorch. The depth of thermal impact in this case is from 1 to 5 mm.

deep firing produced in an open oven, providing processing of a layer up to 20 mm thick. At the same time, the lumber is not only hardened, but also acquires a deep black color with a graphite sheen.

Full firing produced in industrial vacuum furnaces, at temperatures up to 400ºС. This technology is used quite rarely, as the wood dries out very much and becomes too dense, and therefore prone to splitting. The main area of ​​application of this material is the manufacture of luxury designer furniture.

How to choose the type of wood for firing?

Initially, Shou Sugi Ban assumed the use of only and exclusively cedar. Today, you can burn almost anything, the only question is what effect you want to achieve. So, on soft coniferous varieties (pine, spruce, etc.), a clear large pattern of fibers appears. Beech, hornbeam, walnut, maple and other dense species acquire a uniform dark color with a silver lining. And larch and walnut will surprise you with a bizarre small surface pattern.

Burn wood on a simple open fire inefficient - the material is covered with too thick a layer of soot

Firing technology

The main advantage of Shou Sugi Ban technology is its availability. Almost anyone can do this job. A gas burner or blowtorch is enough and at least a little experience with these tools.

But before you start firing, the wood needs to be prepared. The surface must be smooth and clean. If there are traces on the board old paint, oils and other contaminants, they must be removed, otherwise after heat treatment they will turn into indelible stains.

It is very important to check the moisture content of the wood. The moisture concentration in the material should not exceed 13-15%, otherwise spots and stains will appear on the surface of the board after firing.

Freshly planed wood is best suited for firing. If the material has been stored for a long time, has darkened and become porous, it must be sanded before heat treatment.

When processing, the boards are touched with the edge of the torch, holding it perpendicular to the surface. It is very important to ensure that the wood is charred evenly, that is, the change in tone is uniform throughout the length of the board.

After firing, the surface is moistened with water from a spray gun, wiped dry, and after the wood has completely cooled down, the carbon deposits are brushed off. If you take a tool with not synthetic, but with metal bristles, you can at the same time age (brush) the wood, making its texture more clear and expressive.

As mentioned above, burnt wood does not need to be impregnated with any protective preparations. But if you want to maximize the life of a material that is used in harsh conditions (for example, on facades), you can resort to "chemistry". There are quite a few options: linseed and hemp oil, nitrocellulose or urea-formaldehyde varnish, synthetic wax. But the easiest way is to purchase a special oil-wax composition for wood impregnation at a hardware store.

Burnt wood retains its strength and attractive appearance for 80 years and even more. She does not require tedious care. It is only necessary to occasionally clean the surface and renew the impregnation every 3-4 years, if any.

1. Application
2. wood requirements
3. Processing technology
4. We use the burner
5. Japanese way

Fire is the most dangerous enemy for wood and can quickly destroy any product made from it. It is strange to hear about the use of an open flame to process this material. With skillfully controlled surface firing, the characteristics of the wood are improved.

Application

The treatment of wood with fire emphasizes the natural structure, enhancing the contrast of the pattern, creating further immunity to decay, damage from ultraviolet radiation,. In addition, such material acquires refractory properties. The surface loose layer, burning, closes the tubules and pores of the wood, creating, sun rays and wind. Various impregnations and antiseptics protect against destruction. However, these products are expensive, contain chemical additives, and can be toxic. Flame treatment is environmentally friendly, economical, does not require high professional skills.

Burnt wood in the interior looks aesthetically pleasing. This is how home brushing is performed - artificial aging of products and furniture: chests of drawers, tables, chairs, panels, baguettes, caskets. You can burn the material for installing lags floor coverings, window platbands, frames, doors, stairs, arbors, technical buildings, benches, well log cabins, fences. If it is necessary to process complex massive structures, it is desirable to burn wooden details before the assembly of structures, in order to successfully carry out the subsequent cleaning of hard-to-reach places. Working with prefabricated structures is risky: you can not keep track of the direction and strength of the flame, and this will lead to a fire. It is better for inexperienced craftsmen to start with small boards or products.

wood requirements

Deciduous trees - maple, birch, beech, cherry, alder and others - cannot be treated with fire. It is desirable to burn only conifers: cedar, larch, spruce, pine. Their soft structure allows you to get as a result beautiful material without spots. For decorative items a canvas of any quality is suitable: with knots, complex bends, eyes - the more effective the result will be. Burning soft fibers form depressions, hard ones become more prominent, after cleaning this will provide a textured contrasting surface. Can handle wooden parts chipboard lined with pine veneer. If you need burnt wood for large-scale construction works, it is better to choose a better one, without defects in the structure.

Fresh material does not have to be pre-cooked before firing: the flame will remove all roughness, replacing grinding. think about appearance will have after processing the wood with fire. It is enough to clean off resin drips from lumber. In the event of their ignition, all work will be spoiled. If the surface of the furniture or other product was previously covered with putty, paint or varnish, their residues are sanded to prevent unexpected ignition and protect against stains that cannot be cleaned. Wood impregnated with stain is fired according to the general rules. Coated surfaces are not subject to processing. Old darkened wooden canvas it is better to sand, getting to the fresh fibers, in order to get an outwardly beautiful material at the finish.

The wood to be fired must not be damp. This is especially true for fresh boards. 15% is the allowed upper limit for moisture content.

Processing technology

In industry, large massifs of wood are fired in special vacuum furnaces. The thickness of the combustible layers in this case can reach 20 mm. It is difficult to do this work at home. You can protect the material from destruction and make it beautiful with the help of household tools.

Before starting work, you need to take care of the safety of the surrounding space and the objects in it. Roasting should be done outdoors in calm weather. Small boards can be processed on the balcony, large items must be taken out into the street. At the same time, paper, plywood, cardboard products, rags, textiles, flammable chemicals. It is advisable to work on a refractory stone surface, metal sheet.

Suitable for firing as a source of flame:

• powerful blowtorch;
• building hair dryer;
• burner;
• gas cylinder with a special nozzle;
• dremel.

In addition to fire and wood, you will need a tool to clean the burnt layers. If you plan to process small bars and planks, a stiff metal brush is well suited. Large-scale structures - large furniture, floors, stairs, buildings - are more convenient to clean with a professional grinder, grinder saw, drill with a special nozzle.

To sweep the remnants of burning, a flute is required - a brush with soft bristles.

All work is carried out by protecting eyes, hands and clothing from possible sparks and burning. A bucket or other utensils of water are placed nearby to extinguish unforeseen outbreaks of fire.

We use the burner

Firing with a gas burner is the most convenient. The flame should be even, calm, oblong and have a blue tint. The highest temperature required for pyrolysis is located at the top. Strong yellow fire for firing is unacceptable. For successful flame treatment, the flame is evenly carried out several times over the surface. The movements should resemble painting the material with a brush. It is better to start from the top. The burnt board needs to burn through to a depth of about 4 mm. To train an inexperienced master, you can try to burn unnecessary trimmings, achieving a high result.

When the surface is evenly charred, the loose burnt layer is cleaned with a prepared tool. A brush or grinder works along the fibers so as not to damage the structure. At the same time, they use a flute, getting to the deeply hidden particles of burning, cleaning them out. The cleaning process is painstaking and time-consuming. This must be done carefully and carefully, removing the detached soot completely, otherwise the material will look ugly. The quality of work is checked by wiping the wood with a napkin or soft cloth. To enhance the relief, to give the wood a look of real antiques, pyrolysis and brushing are repeated.

As a result of processing, a relief surface is obtained from dark golden to chocolate shades. Optionally, an aniline-based dye is applied to the surface or a top coat is made immediately. You can use tinted priming mixtures, oil primers, nitrocellulose clear varnishes, waxes.

Japanese way

According to this technology, only upper layer ash, washed boards in water, and then impregnated with tung oil, which has antiseptic and water-repellent properties. The processed material will acquire a noble black-silver hue and shine. Modern approach allows for convenience to use a gas burner, although in the old days for such purposes the tree was simply put into a fire or stove. Roasting allowed Japanese craftsmen to protect wooden structures and residential buildings from the spread of fires - the ash layer is practically immune to the effects of fire.

The service life of the burnt wood increases several times. As a care, it is enough to cover it with varnish or impregnation once every 1-2 years.

The processing of wood by firing allows you to get a tree with a more pronounced structure, and the material becomes less susceptible to burning, rotting, insect damage and ultraviolet radiation. That is, both aesthetically and practically.

We invite you to talk about why wood is fired, how it can be fired, what kind of wood to take for this and how to process it after firing.

Burning wood: why do it?

Today, the most common way to protect wood from exposure external factors are chemical agents - all kinds of impregnations. But chemistry is chemistry, and people often have a desire to process a tree without, in fact, using poisons. One of these methods is the burning of wood.

The essence of firing is that under the influence of high temperature in the outer layer of the tree during the pyrolysis process, the fiber channels are narrowed, clogged with combustion products and resins. Due to this, the top layer of wood is compacted and becomes almost inaccessible to fire, fungi, mold, insects, and sunlight.

The resulting charred layer, of course, must be removed. For small crafts, this is done manually with metal hard brushes; for larger ones, they use special attachments for grinders or drills. And here comes the second pleasant wood burning quality: aged wood effect. In fact, burning a tree, followed by brushing, is, that is, artificial aging of wood. And although firing is not an obligatory component of the brushing process, many masters resort to it.

As a result, all kinds of caskets, picture frames, panels can be made from such wood, used in construction as logs, facade boards, beams, platbands, windows and doors, material for the manufacture of wells, toilets, dog kennels, gazebos, etc. In the latter case burning wood with a gas burner must be carried out before assembling the structure. Firstly, it is not safe to burn a house, and it will not be so easy to eliminate a fire, if one occurs. Secondly, to carry out subsequent cleaning of the burnt wood for already finished construction not convenient. You will spend a lot of effort, but carefully scraping off the burnt layers, especially at the junction of wood elements, will not work.

Wood burning: what kind of wood to take?

As for the quality of wood, here is the rare case when the third grade is not a defect, but what we need. When soft charred fibers are brushed after firing, depressions form in their place, and harder layers turn into ridges. This is the only way to get a textured, embossed, contrasting material. To do this, you need to choose a blank with: knots, twists, eyes, curls (but if we are talking about wood for construction work, then beauty can be sacrificed here).

No need to pre-grind or somehow prepare the board - firing will remove all flaws, and decorative properties wood is given after firing.

Although you can burn not only raw wood. For example, if you have a chair, table or fence covered with stain, and you would like to emphasize the texture of the wood that the impregnation “eats”, wood firing is also appropriate. Moreover, not only wood, but also chipboard can be fired. Recall that coniferous woods are fired, so even veneer must be pine, spruce, etc.

Wood burning technology

Before, how to burn wood take precautions. After all, you will work with open fire. For small bars for crafts, it is also suitable outdoor balcony, but with full-fledged boards it is better to work in the open.

You can burn wood:

- gas burner

- gasoline blowtorch

- a conventional gas cylinder with a nozzle

- building hair dryer

Those who carry out firing and brushing wood on a small scale - for crafts, have long fallen in love with dremel. It is small, convenient, and in the household a “mini-drill” is useful not only for burning wood.

In addition to wood and a burner, for firing we need a hard brush and a soft wide brush for sweeping burning (flutz).

A brush with metal bristles is suitable for stripping small bars. For large-scale work, it is better to arm yourself with a grinder, drill or grinder with special nozzles.

1. Directly firing wood

Calmly, evenly run the burner over the wood so that there are no charred or “underburned” areas.

You can choose the degree of roasting according to your taste. If the firing is weak, then you can go through the burner again later, if you fry it too much, you just have to work harder when removing soot, the pattern will be more contrasting. The main thing is the uniformity of firing.

If your wood isn't, it's almost certain that it will either have streaks or tar pockets that can catch fire. Extinguish the fire immediately, otherwise an unsightly dark spot will form in this place. Firing one standard board will take up to 10 minutes.

2. Scraping sawdust

We take a hard metal brush - such as for removing paint - and begin to conduct exclusively along the fibers. Instead of a brush, you can take a brush grinder, drill or grinder with special nozzles. Thus, you will “stir up” the burnt soft tissues in the hollows of the wood. Having practiced a little with a brush, take the flute and take it out, knock it out, pick out the sawdust. This should be done as if “against the pile”, otherwise these dust particles will simply clog deeper into the cavities.

Brushing wood after firing with a brush grinder

3. We bring to the desired state

Alternating between brush and flute, scrape the wood grain-wise with strong, long strokes. You can not brush perpendicular to the fibers - hard bristles will leave a mark and ruin the whole pattern. When to stop is up to you, based on your aesthetic preferences. By firing wood and brushing, material can be obtained from gray, jet black to chocolate brown and golden hues.

Wood burning: what's next?

In general, you can stop at the firing of wood, and then glue, build, cut ... This is a full-fledged building and decorative material. The firing of wood allows you to get an original shade that cannot be achieved with any basic paint and varnish materials.

To give the wood a glossy sheen, you can process it with all sorts of high-quality oil impregnation, or tinted with a primer, enamels, azure, coated with wax and wax varnishes.