Black cladding / anyone charred their own?

[23vc]

Looking to get some black cladding for the garden room. I know there’s the cedral stuff and I might use that round the back, but quite fancied using wood for some of it, anyone ever got the blowtorch out and charred some new timber? I’m thinking of doing this, using larch as a cheaper alternative to cedar

Or, any pointers to nice looking dark grey/black cladding, wood or otherwise muchos appreciated

 

[cdbe]

I presume you saw the George Clarke show where they did it themselves? Looked ok to me.

 

[23vc]

Yeah, seen it done a few times on TV. It’s not a massive area either, so doable without spending a fortune on gas

 

[^woody^]

You'll probably need one of those torch heads that spreads the flame wide, and perfect an even motion.

It will be uneven with a blow lamp, in my experience.

 

[23vc]

You'll probably need one of those torch heads that spreads the flame wide, and perfect an even motion.

It will be uneven with a blow lamp, in my experience.

Yeah, I’ve done a fair few scaffold shelves and the odd bit of furniture like this, and I know what you mean, it’s all in the motion. but this is a different kettle of fish. I’ll post pics whatever happens…

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Yeah, seen it done a few times on TV. It’s not a massive area either, so doable without spending a fortune on gas

It is supposed to also somehow help preserve the wood from the weather.

 

[23vc]

It is supposed to also somehow help preserve the wood from the weather.

Yep, that’s my understanding. Which I like the sound of.

 

[^woody^]

If it's long life weather resistance, I suspect it needs to go in a kiln or suchlike, not just tickled with a flame

 

[23vc]

Probably, but my thinking is given you can leave it untreated and let it go grey, this shouldn’t be any worse, and I want the darker look

 

[^woody^]

Doesn't heating it change the grain structure to prevent splitting too, for the longer life and whether proofing?

 

[Notch7]

thermowood is quite different to surface charring

 

[23vc]

Doesn't heating it change the grain structure to prevent splitting too, for the longer life and whether proofing?

yeah that’s my understanding (not sure about the splitting bit)

 

[23vc]

thermowood is quite different to surface charring

Not sure what thermowood is, will look it up.

 

[mikeey84]

I just went down a rabbit hole of research papers, and the most comprehensive paper I found concluded that it's very dependant on wood type, and any improvements in resistance to decay is very inconsistent, and charred wood should be thought of as primarily an aesthetic change

 

[23vc]

I just went down a rabbit hole of research papers, and the most comprehensive paper I found concluded that it's very dependant on wood type, and any improvements in resistance to decay is very inconsistent, and charred wood should be thought of as primarily an aesthetic change

I’m happy with that to be fair, the wood won’t cost a fortune and it’ll still be cheaper per meter than composite stuff and I prefer working with wood. And burning stuff