焼杉 Yakisugi woodwork · Hamilton, Ontario
Charred by fire. Sealed with oil. Built to last.
Jer's Workshop makes yakisugi raised garden beds and small wood goods using the Japanese shou sugi ban method. No treated lumber, no chemical preservatives: just wood, fire and pure tung oil.
Charred by hand
Every board is fire-finished and wire-brushed in my workshop.
Food-safe finish
Pure tung oil. Nothing leaching into your soil.
No treated lumber
No chemical preservatives, ever.
Built to order
Made in Hamilton. Pickup, delivery or full installation.
The Yakisugi Series 焼杉
Raised garden beds built to stay
Three standard sizes, each charred, brushed and oiled by hand, with stakes that anchor below grade so the bed stays square for years. Custom sizes are always welcome.
大地 · Daichi
The Daichi
The largest bed in the series: a working courtyard you can reach from three sides, made for growers who want a real harvest.
From$1,495
View bed
小庭 · Niwa Ko
The Niwa Ko
The same bed in a slimmer footprint, for side yards, narrow fence lines and smaller gardens.
From$695
View bedThe method
What is yakisugi?
Yakisugi (焼杉), known in the West as shou sugi ban, is a Japanese way of preserving wood with fire. Charring the surface creates a layer of carbon that sheds water and resists rot, insects and UV. Wood finished this way in Japan has lasted for generations.
I char every board over open flame, wire-brush away the loose surface to bring up the grain, then seal it with pure tung oil. It takes longer than grabbing pressure-treated lumber, and that’s the point: nothing in the finish ends up in the soil you grow your food in.
01焼
Char
Each board is burned over open flame until the surface carbonizes into a protective layer.
02磨
Brush
A wire brush strips the loose char and brings the natural grain forward.
03油
Oil
Pure tung oil soaks into the grain and locks out moisture. Food-safe, with zero additives.
Coming soon from the workshop
Small goods, same fire
The same yakisugi craft, sized for inside the house. These pieces are in development and will be added to the shop as each one is ready.
In development
Cedar Coaster Sets
Charred and oiled cedar coasters, made in sets for the coffee table, the bar or the cottage.
In development
Wall Hooks
Wall-mounted hooks for coats, clothing, bags and accessories. Simple, solid and built to hold.
In development
Small Goods
More small pieces for natural living, added as they come out of the workshop.
Custom builds
Need a different size, or a whole garden layout?
Every bed is built to order, so custom lengths, widths, heights and multi-bed layouts are all on the table. Send me your measurements and what you want to grow, and I'll come back with a quote.
Three ways to get your bed
Pickup, delivery or full installation
Choose your service tier when you order. Delivery and installation cover anywhere within 45 minutes of Hamilton, with extended delivery available further out.
Kit Pickup
Every finished component, stainless deck screws and illustrated assembly instructions, ready to collect from my Hamilton workshop.
Delivered & Assembled
I bring the bed to you and assemble it on site, anywhere within 45 minutes of Hamilton.
Full Installation
Delivery and assembly, plus stake drilling, levelling, squaring and landscape fabric. Ready for soil.
Built in Hamilton, Ontario
Ready to grow in something that lasts?
Order a standard bed today, or tell me about your space and I will build one to fit.