Maine Homes magazine spoke recently with OPAL partner Matt O’Malia about shou sugi ban, the traditional Japanese technique of wood preservation we used on a new-home project in Hope. Shou sugi ban involves carefully charring the wood’s surface and yields a durable, natural finish with a character that is at once subtle and intense. On our Hope project, we opted to treat unfinished siding boards on site—using propane torches and wire brushes—but a growing number of suppliers around the country offer authentic shou sugi ban wood right off the shelf.
