Black Locust with Shou Sugi Ban

Sustainability and design were top priorities to the homeowners on this project. They sought an environmentally friendly decking material and decided on black locust. Black locust is a beautiful, fast growing, renewable, and rot resistant tree that reduces the demand for rain forest lumber. We used this hardwood for the deck and cascading stairs. Between the stairs we installed thin strips of cedar blackened with the shou sugi ban method of charring wood. These black strips created a floating effect on the stairs.

For both the pergola and awning we continued the black and cedar theme. The black hardware offered a sharp contrast against the cedar lumber. The pergola stood tall over the newly installed patio pavers. We coordinated with the landscapers when building the pergola to make sure that the footings fit perfectly with the patio design laid out by the homeowner.

After building the deck and pergola, we installed a beautiful new Marvin sliding door, custom ordered to the owner’s specifications. Directly above we built a new awning with a black metal roof. With this final touch the yard was completely transformed, just in time to enjoy the much-welcomed spring weather.