When my husband and I started the renovation, we managed to preserve most of the old beams on our Karst homestead, but some were so damaged in individual places that they lost their structural strength. These are stacked in my workshop, awaiting a new life.
One of the new forms is this: a burnished and brushed panel intended for wall decoration.
Treating wooden surfaces with fire is considered an ancient traditional technique in many countries. It is best known as the Japanese Yakisugi technique or Shou sugi ban, which means the art of protecting wood with the help of fire. But the fact that the controlled burning of the surface at a high temperature serves as protection against mold, weathering, rotting and at the same time offers protection against rain/water was known even in the Karst at least two hundred years ago, when they protected the roof beams in this way. This process is said to even increase fire safety, as already burnt wooden surfaces are less susceptible to re-ignition.
What excites me the most is that the fire reveals the clearly visible lines in the wood and gives it textural depth.