Burnt Wood

[Colin2016]

Anybody heard of this?

Did you know that if you want to help preserve wooden garden frames, raised beds and the like... you can burn the surface. This wood charring method has been used from way back in Japan to increase the durability markedly. So no need for tanalised timber, no messing about with linseed oil... go and get yourself a blowtorch and read up about this further.

[Tony Hague]

I don't know about preserving, but one of my green woodworker friends went through a phase of finishing everything by charring with a blowtorch, then linseed oil. Produces a beautiful black finish, with the wood grain highlighted.

[Diane]

I did not know that. What a brilliant tip. Thank you.

[Westi]

What a simple & cheaper way to get some years out of your wood. I prefer darker wood in the garden, it shows off the green plants well & the flowers, and is not so obvious when empty & I particularly like the grain being obvious just to confirm it is real wood.

[Geoff]

Very "Grand Designs". I do wonder how well it protects the end grain.

[Chantal]

We have some wooden half barrels as planters which are burnt,, but never thought of this for raised beds. Thanks Colin!

[oldherbaceous]

I still remember your chimney fire, as if it was yesterday, Chantal, so be careful....

[Primrose]

I once applied this treatment to a whole fence in my young early married days.

It was called "lighting a bonfire" on an empty border directly beside said fence, not checking first which way the wind was blowing and then going indoors to answer the telephone.
By the time I'd finished my call, not only was the fence nicely glazed, it was well and truly alight. And the embarrassing thing was that the fence didn't belong to us either!