Why does wood become harder when fired? Burnt wood for decoration. We bring to the desired state

Wood burning technology is used to create a finishing material called "Burned wood". Experienced Builders know that wood is an environmentally friendly and very difficult material that always needs to be treated with special impregnations before it can be used in construction and repair.

However, there are methods to protect the tree and make it suitable for construction without the use of antiseptics and flame retardants, they are widely used in Europe, Asia, and America.

What is the firing technology

1. Heat treatment of wood consists in firing coniferous wood using gas burner.

2. The whole procedure takes up to 10 minutes, then the material is immersed in water.

3. The board is removed from the water, thoroughly washed and cleaned with special metal brushes that allow you to get rid of carbon deposits.

If the firing turned out to be uniform, this allows you to create a charred layer on the surface of the board with a thickness of 1-5 mm. Such work allows you to protect the material from water, harmful microorganisms, insects, and even fire. At the same time, such a board construction material does not lose its own and can be used anywhere.

Heat treatment of wood at home, with some skill, really allows the wood to become less susceptible to fire. As soon as the material dries, it can be used immediately for its intended purpose. However, it can be given more the best performance if additionally treated with special oils.

A list of such oils can be found in any hardware store, and their range is very diverse. It is not worth advising a particular manufacturer, you just need to clarify that negative feedback builders tend to leave out about the cheapest oils.

Unparalleled technology

It's amazing how effective the heat treatment of wood is, especially when you know that in Japan, burnt wood is used on the facades of almost every house. However, this is not the only way to use this technology.

It is noteworthy that the firing of wood allows you to paint the material in a unique silver hue that cannot be given by any paints. Moreover, the depth and saturation of this color directly depend on the skill of the master and, most importantly, the duration of firing. For example, a board can take on a color ranging from gray to jet black. Naturally, the material resulting from this work could not fail to interest many designers and decorators.

Today, if you wish, do-it-yourself firing of wood can be done quite simply, for this you only need exact adherence to technology and skill. If you learn how to do this work, you will soon be able to use a unique material for interior decoration, floors, it makes excellent furniture. At the same time, the processing of wood by firing allows you to make the tree more durable, and all you need is only to periodically apply oil impregnation to it.

burnt wood

Who among us does not dream of an eco-friendly home somewhere on the banks of the river, with the chirping of birds, and fresh air? One worries - wooden building is not durable. Sooner or later, traces of decay will make themselves felt. natural wood recently popular as a material for the manufacture of furniture and decor items. Most often, industrially manufactured samples are treated with antibacterial, anti-mold, and fire-fighting compounds, which, alas, are not always highly environmentally friendly and safe. Is there an alternative? It turns out that everything was invented for us a long time ago - many centuries ago. The solution against aging and rotting was prompted by nature itself: our ancestors noticed that burnt wood retains its natural qualities longer. How to properly process wood at home, as well as the nuances of using this unusual technology, we will consider in detail in our today's review.

It seems that the tree is about to start burning - but this is not so: the wood gradually cools down, acquiring a unique, chic shade

We study the question: why is it necessary to treat wood with fire

It would seem that it could be easier - to buy varnish, process wood and live in peace. But in the process of using any chemical compounds- imperceptibly, but, alas, constantly - they can release a certain amount of compounds into the environment. Most often this occurs under the influence of temperatures, sunlight or radiator batteries. Not all Decoration Materials equally well amenable to chemical treatment. However, the tree perfect option to use direct firing technology. How it works? During controlled heating, processes begin in the outer layer of wood that stimulate the narrowing of the fibers, and the outer "pores" of the tree are closed with resin and soot. Thereby upper layer wood becomes immune to the negative impact environment, bacteria ingress, fire effects, and sun rays. Besides, it really looks very nice.

The texture of lumber acquires an interesting pattern: unique, stylish, catchy

Among the many ways to protect wooden products from exposure negative factors roasting is considered the most convenient way which is easy to use at home.

Advice! Most often, gas burners are used for firing, and firing is carried out with by special means extinguishing: fire extinguisher and a bucket of sand. However, if you choose the right wood option, no excesses should arise.

In ancient times, no auxiliary tools not used. The necessary wood blanks were simply burned with the help of torches, gradually turning the log over on ropes or leather belts. Sometimes it was called firing, sometimes languor. The most commonly used cedar, beech, maple, ash. After firing, the craftsmen removed carbon deposits, washed the blanks and soaked them with tung oil. In the process of processing, the tree was important not to burn, but to singe. If the technology was followed correctly, then as a result the tree received a unique shade, and its service life increased to 80 years.

Processed by the firing method saw cut ash. After cleaning and processing, the workpiece can turn into a chic countertop

Interesting fact! Until now, on the island of Naosami (Japan), burnt wood is used as the main building material. It is processed in a special way, the nuances of which are kept in the strictest confidence. The technique is called Shou Sugi Ban, which means "stewed cedar". Not only houses are built from treated wood, but it is also used to make furniture and decorative elements.

Now let's talk more about heat treatment options. wooden structures. The result (shade, firing depth, characteristics) depends on the type of processing and the type of workpiece. Three types of firing are used for wood processing:

• Option number 1. Surface firing. One of the most commonly used types of processing. It doesn't take much time special training and expenses. Firing is usually carried out at home using a gas burner or blowtorch. The maximum firing depth is about 5 mm.

The roasting process is quite simple. It is important to process all elements of the product

• Option number 2. Full firing. This type of wood processing is not available to everyone. The fact is that for such firing it is necessary to provide a sufficient temperature - approximately 400 ° C. It can only be achieved in special vacuum furnaces. Massively for the processing of building materials it can not be used: the tree loses its volume by almost half. However, this type of wood processing is popular in the piece production of furniture and decorative elements.

The production also uses special pyrolysis ovens for drying wood.

• Option number 3. Deep firing. This type of treatment is popular for special aging of wood that has already been used. Typically, this type of firing is used to decorate the timber. The shades here depend on the time of exposure - from graphite to jet black. Sometimes a tree treated in this way can be used to make special panels and garden paths. In this case, the firing depth can reach 20 mm.

Here is such an unusual pavement made of fire-treated wood slices that can also appear in your country house

Advantages and disadvantages of technology

Wood processing at home has a number of indisputable advantages:

• no need to use complex chemical substances;
• the method, subject to the technology, is quite simple and can be implemented outside a special workshop;
• material acquires important properties: fire resistance, wear resistance, wood is not affected by microorganisms;
• the process can be carried out without the help of third parties.

Interesting fact! Under influence high temperatures in wood, hemicellulose formations are destroyed, which, when burned, form flammable pyrolysis gases. Accordingly, after heat treatment, the tree becomes resistant to fire.

After heat treatment, the wood acquires a refined, unique texture.

Is it possible to carry out the firing procedure at home

As mentioned above, wood processing at home is possible. However, one should follow certain rules and precise workflow. These steps depend on the type of wood and the firing option. We will gradually deal with all the features and nuances of the preparatory work.

How to choose the type of wood for firing

Initially, back in the old days, cedar was mainly used for firing. Over time, it was noticed that a burnt tree made of beech, as well as hornbeam, has a similar texture and quality. The layers of wood of these two species have high density, so only the top layer burns here. But the poplar or maple familiar to us, after processing, get an interesting woody structure of lines elongated along. conifers have a wide variety of designs. After decorative processing tree, an unusual, unique structure appears. But fire-treated birch after firing acquires a low heat capacity and practically does not burn the skin, which will be an additional bonus for decorating shower or bath walls in this style.

Roasting wood according to Japanese technology

Stages of material preparation

If from the outside everything seems very simple at first glance - I cut down a tree, walked with a blowtorch and that's it - then we immediately hasten to upset. First of all, you need to carefully select the material. The tree itself must be prepared for processing: remove branches, cut down ledges, ideally, the blanks should be dry and clean. If the wood is too wet, the moisture can evaporate and warp the surface, creating unnecessary chips and cracks. One more essential requirement- if you are using old wood that has been previously used, then it is necessary to remove the remnants of paint and varnish: all uncleaned chemicals will simply melt and leave an unnecessary mark, which will directly affect the quality of the finishing material.

Advice! It is best to sand the wood before processing. This will ensure even coloring. finished product after firing and polishing.

Processing wood with a blowtorch

It is important to remember that wood processing should be carried out using the most heated tool. By analogy with building hair dryer(which can also carry out this procedure), a blowtorch in literally words should flare up and warm up the nozzle. For proper firing, the fire must be directed strictly perpendicular to the surface to be treated. The exposure time here depends on the thickness of the workpiece itself and the goals that you are pursuing. The most important thing is to carry out manipulations slowly and evenly, processing the entire surface, paying attention to changes in the structure of the material.

The longer the exposure time, the deeper the firing.

The surface should evenly acquire an even, contrasting pattern. Then the primary grinding of the product is carried out, as well as treatment with varnish or drying oil.

Advice! If you do not heat the blowtorch to the maximum possible temperature, then instead of the effect of an aged tree, you will get a layer of soot.

For comfort wooden board stacked on stools in several rows. Moreover, it is better to lay out the boards in the same order in which they will be installed (if it is a facade) or fastened. Processing is carried out sequentially for each board.

Burning wood with a gas burner

Unlike a blowtorch, processing with a gas burner has a number of nuances. It is most often used for surface treatment wood. This is due to the fact that the flame of a gas burner penetrates more deeply into the wood structure: with an increase in exposure time, it will not be possible to achieve uniformity.

That is why during the processing it is important to ensure that the burner for burning wood is not too close to the surface to be treated.

The most important thing is to strictly control own movements so as not to overexpose the flame in one area to the detriment of another.

This is how it might turn out dinner Zone, after wood treatment by fire

The technology requires mandatory wetting of wood after firing. Moreover, the period of time between firing and spraying from the spray gun should be the same. After cooling, the top layer is cleaned, soot is removed either with a stiff brush or with a special brass wire.

Sometimes the product is additionally polished to achieve the effect of aging. This technique is used to give products a unique gloss.

Does burnt wood need additional protection?

Burnt wood itself has a number of undeniable advantages, but it also needs protection. Most often, after the first stage of cleaning, the product is treated with oil. Usually followed by protective varnish. And if the coating will be used to decorate the facade, use synthetic wax dissolved in turpentine. This will allow the wax to acquire additional bonding and protective properties.

After application protective coating the lines and texture of burnt wood appear more clearly

Where is treated wood used?

Burnt wood has recently been very much appreciated by designers. You can buy interesting interior gizmos made of burnt wood in art workshops or studios of modern designers.

It can be a spectacular handmade stool

Or an authentic book shelf

Perhaps one of the art masters will offer just such an unusual lamp

Perhaps you will be interested in such a spectacular table made of wood slab?

The effect of using burnt wood in the interior

Wood is widely used to create furniture. It doesn't matter if it's a flat board or raw wood: in any case, you will receive a unique piece of furniture created with love.

Very interesting art objects are also obtained for storing things, as well as wines, household utensils.

We learned how to remove paint from wood (we decided to restore an old hanger covered with a thick layer of dust and coatings). To give her beautiful view and protect the wood, expose it heat treatment. Toasting the wood will produce a warm brown color. Next, depending on the result and taste preferences, we will perform brushing.

After removing the paint, the hanger began to look like this.

Preparing for firing

To burn wood, we need only two items: a gas burner and matches. Suitable for this work gas spray worth 80 rubles and a nozzle on it - 200 rubles.

During firing, observe elementary safety rules, do not direct the flame at yourself. The room must be well ventilated.

wood firing

Roasting is a fairly simple and fast procedure. Open the burner valve 1/4 - 1/2 turn, bring a match or lighter, adjust the flame and start work. In our case, we will not burn the tree strongly, the goal is to achieve a soft Brown. With uniform movements we pass the flame over the entire surface.

As it turned out after firing, the hanger was made of two types of wood, the structure of the fibers was clearly manifested. The sides are more like pine, and everything else is more hard rock tree.

You can see the difference in the picture below.

To receive warm shade after firing, we will brush the wood. For brushing, a brush with a bristle of brass-plated steel wire 0.3 mm thick or special circular brushes for a drill are often used.

It is imperative to brush along the fibers, and not across, otherwise ugly stripes will appear on the tree. By brushing, soft fibers are selected, as a result, the surface becomes embossed, the structure is more pronounced.

Subsequently, it was decided to abandon the brush and make the top layer smooth and uniform, for this sandpaper with 60 grit, it can be called wood sanding.

Final stage

After brushing, treat the surface with a colorless protective impregnation for wood and leave to dry.

This is how the hanger became after carrying out simple manipulations with it: removing paint, firing, grinding.

The tree itself is very beautiful drawing and nice appearance. But, as they say, there is no limit to perfection, and for long time we have been able to invent many ways to give wood interesting visual characteristics. One of the ways to give wood an unusual appearance is its roasting. It would seem that the tree is afraid of fire, and it is not very rational to subject it to this test. But, if you do everything right, then the output is an extremely attractive surface, well, wooden product it is not damaged and does not lose its performance characteristics while acquiring many new qualities.

In fact, we are not talking about something new, since in Japan such wood processing has been known for a very long time - since the 18th century. Wood burned in this way not only becomes more visually interesting - changing color and showing texture, but also receives protection from fire, as well as insects that are the scourge of wooden structures and products. Finally, the service life of such wood is also greatly increased, and it can be used up to 80 years. Add to that protection from fungus and rot and you have one of better ways wood processing, which also does not require any third-party chemical components and is completely environmentally friendly.

Wood components fired in this way are used in different areas, however, they are most actively used for facing buildings.

What processes take place during the firing of wood?

First of all, this is the strengthening of the top layer of wood during the pyrolysis process. Resins released from high temperatures and charcoal released during combustion clog the wood fiber channels, narrowing them and making the wood less permeable.

How wood was burned before and how it is done now

As we said above, the process of burning wood has been known for a very long time. And not only in Japan, but also in other countries of the world. It appeared, most likely, by chance, since at one moment people noticed that the burnt boards have those qualities that their ordinary counterparts are simply not able to boast of. This process was also known in Russia, where it was called "smoking".

If earlier a fire was used to burn the boards, which was very inconvenient, since the process was difficult to control, now, with the help of a conventional gas burner, the quality of the final product has become much higher. This is not about some incredibly complex technology that is not available to the vast majority of us. Subject to the rules, the process is fast enough, and the result is very interesting.

How wood is burned in industry

There is such a way as full roasting. In this case, the boards are placed in an oven where the temperature reaches 400 degrees Celsius. In this case, the heat treatment takes place in vacuum conditions, which allows you to achieve the desired effect. This method is used for large volumes manufactured products and similar equipment ordinary person it can not be. And wood at the same time still loses a number of its qualities.

There is also deep processing, during which the wood burns up to 20 millimeters, but at the same time, surprisingly, it does not lose its properties. However, for such an activity, a stove is still needed, and the tree itself does not look very interesting due to the too high degree of charring.

Do-It-Yourself Firing - Rules Based

• Starting work in the direction of firing, it is better to practice on unnecessary wood trimmings. So you can dose the effort correctly without causing excessive damage to the wood. This is especially important if furniture firing is being prepared. After all, if the same board is damaged in the process, then you can take another one for finishing. With furniture, such a move does not work, you can simply ruin an expensive product;
• Pay attention to the burner itself. Clean it well of soot. Otherwise, you will not be able to get an even blue flame, as it will be changed by the products of combustion;
• When firing, it has the highest efficiency top part flame. You may remember school classes where you were told that the top of the fire has the highest temperature. It is she who needs to process wood, otherwise the effect will be very far from ideal;
• The wood itself must be cleaned and properly sanded before processing. This is especially true for old boards, which have lost their original appearance over time, and the pattern on which has become dull. In this case, the top layer can even be removed, opening up access to fresher wood, which, when pyrolyzed, will show its pattern better.
• If you want to achieve a deeper burn-out of wood, it is necessary to impregnate it before work. blue vitriol and wait until it dries completely. AT soft types wood vitriol will be absorbed deeper, therefore - they will burn deeper;
• After the end of the procedure, go through the wood with a metal brush, and then soak it with a dark antiseptic. The next step will be grinding, followed by impregnation with a light antiseptic composition. In the process of scraping off a layer of soot, a pronounced woody structure will open up to you;
• It is not necessary to fire wood that has previously been treated with drying oil or putty. In this case, these materials will appear in the form of ugly spots, which will completely negate the positive visual effect of such processing;
• It is also possible to show the pattern of wood after firing by painting the surface, followed by paint removal. Thus, the latter will remain only in the depressions previously expressed also by pyrolysis. The main thing here is to choose the right colors. The ideal solution will become ivory-colored paint. In this case, it is better to choose acrylic paint, and it must be applied to a surface previously cleaned of combustion products. Other visual effects can be achieved with varnish, as well as technical wax.

Where else is wood burning used?

In addition to giving an interesting appearance and a lot of new qualities to the elements of the facade, interior decoration and furniture, firing is often used for various wood elements that will be in the ground.

A prime example in this case is wooden fence or poles. Of course you can edit them special formulations which are currently in abundance on the market. However, it is possible to achieve the ability to resist moisture, insects and not rot by simply placing it in a fire. Wherein best effect can be achieved if the firing is carried out just above the level that will be in the ground.

Do. One of the important positive properties wood is a mass of options for finishing its surface. Each method gives its own unique effect, and it can be matched to any image and style.

This material is durable: furniture made of natural wood with proper care, it lasts for many years - tens, or even hundreds. And wood does not lose its beauty over time - on the contrary, like cognac, it can become even more interesting.

Time-worn charm wooden surface so much so that there is a whole trend in the production of furniture - artificial aging. In previous publications on this topic (and) we talked about how you can age furniture with varnishes and paints. In this material, we will consider how to give the surface of a tree a more respectable look by mechanical means.

brushing

The wood is heterogeneous in its composition: annual rings are visible on the saw cut of the tree. The number of circles determines the age, and their width depends on many reasons: breed, nutritional conditions, weather, location (in the sun or in the shade). Annual rings are wider in young trees - they grow more actively. The size of the rings is also affected by whether a particular tree has grown from a seed (narrower) or root shoots.

The light and wider section of the ring is an increase in the first half of the active vegetation period (spring and early summer), thin and dark - what has grown over the second half of summer and autumn. All together represents the growth of one year.

At the beginning of summer, a looser conductive tissue is formed. From the second half, solid cells grow that can withstand mechanical stress - they give the tree stability. The pattern of annual rings is also visible on the longitudinal cut of the tree.

Over time, wood breaks down. Especially if the board or wood product is in the open air - under the influence of the sun, rain, frost and wind. Light soft areas are destroyed faster, so over time the surface of the wood becomes uneven, ribbed.

In order to achieve such a result, it is not necessary to wait many years, keeping the tree under the sun and wind. Wood can be aged brushing.

The process is mechanical removal softer fibers. To do this, use hard brushes (in English brush - brush). Depending on the required degree of aging, tools of various hardness are used: metal, nylon, sisal. A combination of them is possible: a metal brush is used for deeper and rougher processing, and a nylon and then sisal surface is treated to remove burrs.

In addition to nozzles for a drill or an angle grinder (angle grinder, "grinder"), it is worth acquiring and hand tool- abrasive sandpaper of different grain sizes, manual cord brush. It is also convenient to use abrasive sponges: the flexible surface allows you to remove splinters from the recesses.

Regardless of the choice, during work, the direction of movement should be taken into account: it should be along the fibers of the wood. Therefore, brush attachments for power tools need flat, and not in the form of a cup.

Before starting the aging process, practice on a sample.
With the help of various brushes, it is possible to imitate not only atmospheric aging (exposure to wind, sun), but also the effect of a piece of wood run in water - such can be found on the banks of a river or sea. In this case, the wood is processed more deeply, and "traces of time" can be not only along the fibers. An example of such aging is the box in the photo below.

Wood aging. Photo from o-drevesine.ru

Except mechanical way(brushes), the wood is textured using chemistry or sandblasting. The principle is the same: softer parts are removed.

AT chemical way acids and alkalis are used that can corrode organic matter, for example, sulfuric or nitric acid. You can experiment with aggressive household chemicals designed to remove stubborn dirt. Chemical treatment is applied as independent option or as initial stage before mechanical brushing.

When sandblasting, abrasive particles knock out softer layers. Sandblasting can be found in car repair shops - with the help of such equipment, rust is removed.

Usage different ways brushing allows you to get a different effect. When processing with metal brushes, the relief of wood fibers will be deeper and more pronounced, after chemical etching and sandblasting - smoothed.

After obtaining the required texture, the wood is treated with stains, waxes, glaze coatings, and varnishes. Tinting compositions (stains) stain soft areas more strongly than hard ones. Azure (glazing) additionally emphasizes the relief, accumulating in the recesses.

Burning

Wood firing is most often seen as the first step in brushing - just as with chemical etching, in the first place, softer areas are destroyed (burned).

The wooden surface is fired with a blowtorch or gas burner, and then the charred parts are cleaned, washed with plenty of water and covered with oil. The degree of firing and subsequent brushing depends on preference.

The wood that has gone through fire and water does not need additional toning - the surface of the board takes on a noble dark shade. But if desired, the charred tree can be additionally covered with colored stains. The combination of red and jet black looks especially impressive.

A house lined with burnt boards. Photo from skyhousedesigncentre.com

Roasting can be independent view finishes. Now this direction is gaining popularity and is considered Japanese technology Shou Sugi Ban (Yakisugi), although this woodworking method is known in many countries. In Russia, burning wood was called smoking.

Fire-treated wood becomes less combustible and is practically not subject to rotting and damage by insects. Therefore, such boards are used for cladding, construction. It is not necessary to regularly paint such a fence or facade - a burnt board does not change its qualities for a hundred years.

Naturally, the designers could not pass by such material. They began to use objects treated with fire in the interiors, use boards using the Shou Sugi Ban technique. varying degrees burnt finishes for walls and ceilings. Coated with oil, the surfaces do not get dirty.

Wall cladding in Shou Sugi Ban technique. Photo courtesy urbantimber.ca

Try texturing familiar wood - you may discover a new material for yourself.