# How to Achieve this Effect



## Hum (Sep 27, 2013)

Working with cypress in this tone:









We are trying to achieve this luminescent tone and finish:









The person who did this actually burned the boards and cast them in resin. They are actually completely charred black but appear silvery gray in the light. We would like to achieve this silvery gray color without having to use lights. 

Do you think dissolving metallic paint, thus producing a custom stain would be the approach? Then seal it in resin to enhance the glossy effect. Looking for a complete cast seal also, this is for a commercial application and don't want anyone to get a splinter.

Thanks in advance


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The picture is too distant to tell what the procedure might be. You might try the metallic paint but just thinning metallic paint may not work. Some of it when you get it too thin will separate. It might be necessary to get some bronzing powder and make your own metallic paint. That way you use less powder without thinning the binder. The powder can be mixed with most any clear finish and is available at Mohawk Finishing Products.


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## Hum (Sep 27, 2013)

Thanks for the suggestion, Steve. Wish the silver powder was not so expensive. This is a large project. 70 feet wide by 11 feet high. That would be a huge chunk of money. 

I'm considering Rustoleum "aluminum". It's a metallic paint that has a silvery gray look to it. My concern is that when I dilute the paint with water, as to allow the grain of the wood to come through, that it will lose its shimmer. Anyone use this product?

Even if the shimmer is lost with a paint dilution, do you think a gloss sealant would restore the shimmer?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Hum said:


> Thanks for the suggestion, Steve. Wish the silver powder was not so expensive. This is a large project. 70 feet wide by 11 feet high. That would be a huge chunk of money.
> 
> I'm considering Rustoleum "aluminum". It's a metallic paint that has a silvery gray look to it. My concern is that when I dilute the paint with water, as to allow the grain of the wood to come through, that it will lose its shimmer. Anyone use this product?
> 
> Even if the shimmer is lost with a paint dilution, do you think a gloss sealant would restore the shimmer?


That paint should be a solvent base, not water based. Try a sample without reducing. 








 







.


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## Gotspiccoli (Jun 26, 2013)

Not sure ifthis would work but if it does it would be a lot cheaper. Its going to take some thinking out side the box. I saw a video from the wood whisperer where he takes wood for inlay and puts it in sand that is sitting on a burner. The sand heats up and singes the outside of the wood. maybe you could do this on a larger scale? say a turkey fryer burner (or 2) and a metal bin that can hold the sand and wood and also take on the heat? a rain gutter may due the trick but I can see that being dangerous. Just a thought.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

You say the top picture is the cypress you are working with. That is already stained and will have an effect on what you do. Some of those boards do not even look like cypress to me. Cypress naturally ages silver tone, but that takes a long time.

George


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## Roostin Ridge (Oct 24, 2012)

The technique is called Shou-Sugi-Ban searching that may help you. Most of the time they use cedar. I have done this with western red cedar, and aromatic cedar, the silver color is naturally there with the cedar after charring. Cool looking stuff. Brushing the surface right after its charred produces the metallic look (think of it like your polishing the surface)

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2323908/list/-Shou-Sugi-Ban--Is-Setting-the-Siding-World-on-Fire

However, in my tests (only 4 or 5) most of the real silver stuff is lost once top coating takes place. I think the finish gets into the nooks and crannies where the charred powder is. When you look at it straight on it appears more on the black side, but if you add lights or look at the wood from an angle the metallic look is there.

If your using the same wood that is in the picture above it appears to have very little texture- compared to the finish you want to replicate. That texture & gloss top coat helps bounce the light around to give it that metallic look.

With that said you may look into auto paints that match the color your looking for, using it as a glaze may do it. Or making a glaze with metallic powders that fits the bill.

I have not tired the sand, but in my experiments the only way to make this work is a ton of heat, a hand held torch isn't hot enough.

I have never worked with cypress. 

Good luck


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The bronzing powder that Mohawk sells is 17.65 for a 8oz container which would do at least gallon and for what you are doing I think a gallon would go a long way. Any metallic paint is going to be bit high. I also think cabinetman is right about the rustoleum being a solvent based paint. You would probably thin it with mineral spirits. I've never bought any other than rattle can so I would refer to the instructions.


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## Gotspiccoli (Jun 26, 2013)

Shou-Sugi-Ban!?!? Sounds like an awesome 80's pop band (if there is such a thing)


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

What about metal flake paint additive from an automotive finishing store?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Robson Valley said:


> What about metal flake paint additive from an automotive finishing store?


I'm not sure about all of it but the metal flake I've seen has bigger flakes. The bronzing powder they use rustoleum paint is similar to what Mohawk sells. It has the consistency of dust.


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## ItsFlybye (Aug 13, 2013)

I have become partially obsessed with this look. Just google/yahoo Shou-Sugi-Ban and look at all the images. There are tons out there. 

You can go from a full charcoaled look like this









to a partially burnt effect like this:









I have been wanting to build a divider wall between my office and the family room and have been considering this technique.

Here is a great link on how this technique can even greatly vary depending on how you burn the wood and what direction you aim the flame. From what I have read the more you burn the more of that metallic color you get:

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/169711/list/Shou-sugi-ban---Charred-Wood-Siding---Burnt-Wood-Siding


Harbor freight even sells a huge blow torch for this type of job that directly attaches to a BBQ propane tank:

http://www.harborfreight.com/propane-torch-91033.html


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Lockwood of New York sells a black aniline dye, and a lot of others, that can be mixed with water or alcohol. I only use it in alcohol to dissolve it then use that to tint shellac or lacquer as needed. Think of it ad buying transtint in bulk.

My personal approach would be to mix a bit of black (ie make grey) and add a bit of bronzing powder, as Steve mentioned, into clear semi-gloss lacquer. 

The first picture is a color sample on ash using the black dye. The second and third are a clear with bronzing powder. The last is before the the finish.

So my suggestion is combining those two products. Good luck, I'd like to see pictures of the end product!


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