DIY Shou Sugi Ban House Numbers with Unicorn Spit Stain merges the time‑honoured Japanese wood‑burning method with vivid Unicorn Spit colour to create a truly eye-catching outdoor sign. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to craft a wooden house number with a Shou Sugi Ban textured finish and single‑colour stain that reveals stunning colour variations—perfectly suited to modern rustic décor.

Our “Do It Over Designers” blog hop is here again! Each month, our creative community of bloggers shares fresh recycling, upcycling and DIY projects. Don’t miss their inspiring ideas—check out the links below to see what everyone’s been crafting this month.

What is Shou Sugi Ban

Shou Sugi Ban is a centuries-old Japanese technique for wood preservation that involves charring the surface with fire, brushing away loose soot, and then sealing it. This process creates a durable, weather‑resistant finish and beautifully emphasises the wood grain.

Today’s DIYers have taken Shou Sugi Ban beyond siding and fencing. They use it to craft striking wall art, custom furniture and home décor, often layering on coloured stains or paints—like vibrant Unicorn Spit—to highlight the rich textures and give each piece a unique, modern twist.

DIY Shou Sugi Ban House Numbers with Unicorn Spit Stain

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Materials Needed

• A piece of pine or scrap wood
• Blow torch
• Wire brush
• Coarse nylon flap brush (for drill)
• Respirator mask & safety glasses
• Unicorn Spit Dragon’s Belly green stain
• Clear oil‑based exterior polyurethane
• Interlocking wall brackets
• House number digits
• Strong wood‑bonding adhesive (e.g., No More Nails)
• Restorer tool or similar/ drum sander

Find Suitable wood

From my tests, pine delivers the most dramatic results: its soft fibres burn quickly and reveal striking grain contrast. While most woods will work, I chose reclaimed pine for this project.

Burning the wood

Hold your blow torch about 10 cm from the surface and move it evenly until shallow cracks begin to appear in the grain. Avoid overburning, as you can always re-torch areas later. I use Map gas because it burns hotter than propane and butane, but they all work well.

If you apply heat to large pieces of thin wood for too long, there is a risk of the wood drying out too quickly, which can lead to cracking or warping. Therefore, it’s better to burn multiple times for thinner wood.

Knots may take longer to burn and may exude sap, which will add extra colour variation once stained.

Remove the Charred Surface

To remove the first charred layer, you can use a wire brush. This step can be very messy, so be sure to wear a respirator and safety glasses. When using the wire brush, make sure to rub along the grain of the wood.

Next, you can switch to a coarse nylon flap brush attached to a drill to sand deeper into the wood. While you can continue to use the wire brush, it requires more effort. The more you use the brush, the lighter the wood will become and the more vibrant the Unicorn SPiT colours will show. If you look closely at the image below, you will notice the light wood is a few millimetres deeper than the wood grain.  This is what you are aiming for.

If you find yourself hooked on Shou Sugi Ban projects like I am, I highly recommend investing in a drum sander with coarse nylon‑brush attachments—it will slash your sanding time dramatically.

Add the Unicorn Spit Stain

I used Unicorn Spit’s green shade, Dragon’s Belly, though other paints work too. I’ve tested many colourants on Shou Sugi Ban; you can see the results in this tutorial. Unicorn Spit is highly concentrated, so dilute a small amount with water.

Applying undiluted stain to bare wood can yield patchy colour and spoil the finish. Use a brush, cloth or foam pad to apply it like any stain, always following the grain. Wipe away excess with a paper towel. If areas appear too dark, mist lightly with water and wipe away some of the colour with a cloth.

Seal the Wood

Wait for the stain to dry to a powdery finish. Brush on two coats of clear oil‑based exterior polyurethane on all sides.

The sealant enhances colour contrast, brings out hidden tones, and protects against weather. Avoid water-based polyurethane when sealing Unicorn Spit—it will reactivate the stain. Instead, use an oil‑based polyurethane or tung oil.

Attach Your Numbers

Once fully cured, adhere your house number digits using a strong wood adhesive. Press firmly and let dry according to adhesive instructions. I used interlocking brackets to mount the house number to the wall.

Taken in front of our house, this photo shows how changing light alters stain hues and highlights wood texture.

More Shou Sugi Ban project Ideas

I sourced recycled pine, charred the surface with Shou Sugi Ban, then added extra texture using a wood router for these wooden wall‑art panels.

You don’t need to add colour to Shou Sugi Ban – its natural, textured finish looks just as striking, as shown in this large picture frame.

Do It Over Designers Blog Hop

Now it’s time to visit the rest of the team.  Be sure to stop by each blog for some amazing Upcycling/Recycling/DIY projects.  You will find their links listed below.

The Apple Street Cottage

Birdz of a Feather

Exquisitely Unremarkable

Little Vintage Cottage

Modern on Monticello

Purple Hues & Me

Unique Creations by Anita

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