SSB Charred Larch Brushed Stained Nut - NIKKO

Charred Larch Cladding Nut Brown UK – Brushed Stained Shou Sugi Ban | NIKKO

NIKKO is our Siberian Larch charred timber cladding in a nut brushed stained finish — a rich, earthy brown exterior cladding that combines the durability and surface character of the Shou Sugi Ban charring process with a warm, natural tone that works across a wide range of UK architectural contexts. The boards are charred to create a modified carbon surface, wire-brushed to refine the texture and remove loose carbon, then finished with a warm nut stain. The natural grain of Siberian Larch reads clearly through the finish — more tonal depth, more variation, more character than the Nordic Spruce equivalent — giving NIKKO a premium material quality that is immediately apparent.

NIKKO is one of the most versatile and distinctive finishes in the range precisely because it occupies a palette space that most charred timber cladding products do not. The majority of charred wood cladding UK products are black — the association between the Shou Sugi Ban technique and black exteriors is strong in UK architectural practice. NIKKO challenges that association by demonstrating that the charring process is a surface treatment, not a colour, and that the warm nut brown of a charred and stained larch board can be as architecturally compelling as any black finish in the market.

The Role of Siberian Larch in NIKKO

The choice of Siberian Larch as the base species for NIKKO is deliberate and significant. Larch has a more pronounced grain structure than spruce — wider growth rings, more visible resin channels, and greater density variation across the board width. These characteristics survive the charring and brushing process and express themselves through the nut stain as natural variation in depth and tone. Some areas of the board absorb the stain more deeply; others hold it at the surface. The result is a finish with genuine material character — not the uniform flat brown of a painted board, but a living, varied surface that catches light differently across its width and changes subtly from board to board.

The warm nut tone of the stain itself complements the natural character of Siberian Larch particularly well. Where a black stain tends to suppress grain variation and unify the surface, a warm brown stain allows the underlying grain to speak — the nut colour reads as a modifier of the larch character rather than an overlay that conceals it. For the same nut finish on a more consistent, even-grained base, our Nordic Spruce NIIGATA finish provides more uniform colour across the board run.

Design Contexts

NIKKO is at its best in design contexts where a warm, earthy palette is the brief — residential extensions in rural and semi-rural settings, barn conversions, agricultural buildings converting to residential use, contemporary houses in landscape settings, and garden rooms and studio buildings where the cladding needs to sit with rather than stand out from the natural surroundings. The nut brown tone works alongside natural stone — limestone, sandstone, local flint — warm brick, lime render, untreated oak and larch joinery, and Corten steel details. These are the material combinations that define a large proportion of UK rural and semi-rural contemporary architecture, and NIKKO is designed to sit naturally within them.

NIKKO is also increasingly specified for commercial projects — hospitality buildings, hotels, restaurants, and leisure facilities in rural settings where a premium warm timber exterior is the design intent and a black cladding would feel too urban or too corporate for the context.

Profiles and Dimensions

NIKKO is available across the full range of cladding profiles in 20mm and 21mm thickness, widths of 90mm, 120mm, and 140mm, and lengths from 2000mm to 6000mm. Profiles include Batten PAR, Half Lap, Shadow Gap, Shadow Gap V Joint, Tongue and Groove V Joint, Tongue and Groove V Joint Extra, Tongue and Groove V Joint Secret Fix, Rainscreen, and Rainscreen TIGA. Bespoke sizes and profiles can be made to order. Download the full profile schedule (PDF).

Installation Guidelines

Install as part of a ventilated rainscreen façade system with minimum 25mm clear cavity, breathable membrane, and minimum 150mm ground clearance. Use stainless steel fixings throughout. Seal all cut ends before installation. Where reaction-to-fire performance is required, NIKKO can be supplied with fire-retardant treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions