Addtional properties of Cedar

Durability Historically, native peoples of the Pacific coast prized cedar for its long lasting qualities and used wood and bark from cedar trees for most of their building needs. Evidence of cedar's durability are the many cedar artifacts still in good condition today. Properly finished and maintained, cedar will deliver decades of trouble-free service. If exposed for prolonged periods to conditions where decay could be a factor, such as where the wood is in contact with the ground, cedar should be treated with suitable wood preservatives. Fastening Western Red Cedar has good fastening properties but its natural preservatives have a corrosive effect on some unprotected metals in close contact, causing a black stain on the wood. Fasteners should be corrosive resistant such as aluminum, brass, silicon bronze, hot-dipped galvanized or stainless steel. Nails and screws used to fasten Western Red Cedar should be about one-third longer than those used to fasten hardwood species. Because it is free of pitch and resin, Western Red Cedar has excellent gluing properties, comparable to those, for example, of old growth Redwood and American Chestnut. It works well with a wide range of adhesives. Finishing Although cedar is a naturally durable species, leaving it untreated is not recommended because a finish or protective coating will greatly increase its service life. Cedar is free of pitch and with its high degree of dimensional stability, it is the best of the softwoods for accepting paints, stains, oils and other coatings. For a detailed discussion, see Finishing Western Red Cedar published by the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association. Workability With its straight grain and uniform texture, Western Red Cedar is among the easiest and most rewarding woods to work with. It takes a fine finish in all hand and machine operations, takes fasteners without splitting and is easily sawn and nailed. When working with Western Red Cedar, sharp cutters are recommended. Products, Grades and Sizes There are few more versatile building materials than Western Red Cedar which is ideal both for indoor and outdoor uses. Western Red Cedar lumber is available in visual stress grades for construction and finishing uses in a range of lengths, widths and thicknesses. It is available in clear or knotty grades with smooth surfaced, combed or rough sawn finishes; kiln dried or unseasoned (green); flat grain and vertical grain. Western Red Cedar is used to manufacture a range of specialty products such as siding, paneling, structural decking and outdoor decking. Detailed product information is available from the Western Red Cedar Export Association. Cedar produced by the Western Red Cedar Export Association includes specialty end use grades as well as products graded to National Lumber Grading Authority (NLGA) rules. NLGA grades are approved by the American Lumber Standards Board of Review and are accepted under all US building codes. Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) is one of North America's great renewable resources. Slow growing and naturally durable, Western Red Cedar has one of the longest life spans of any North American softwood. It produces long lengths of timber with true, straight grain. It is free from pitch and its heartwood has natural decay resistance. Its low density gives it an insulation value superior to most other species. Light weight, easy to work, easy to finish, possessing outstanding dimensional stability, Western Red Cedar is a preferred wood for nearly all purposes where attractive appearance or resistance to weather is important. Features of Western Red Cedar Acoustic properties: Cedar tends to dampen sound transmission Density (oven-dry): 22 lb/ft3 Specific Gravity (oven dry): 0.35 Durability: Durable species Fasteners: Corrosion resistant only (aluminum, hot-dipped galvanized, brass, etc.) Finishing: Paints, stains, varnishes, oils and waxes all work well Flame spread rating: 69 (class II) Smoke developed classification: 98 k value(12% mc): 0.74 BTU inch/square ft.h degrees F R value: 1.35 in. of thickness Stability: Cedar is the most stable softwood species Workability: Easy to cut, saw, nail and glue Comparative Softwood Densities (pcf) Species Oven-Dry Density Western Red Cedar 22 Douglas Fir 31 Ponderosa Pine 27 Southern Pine 34 Shrinkage of Western Red Cedar Direction of Shrinkage Shrinkage in Percentage From green (25% or greater moisture content) to: From kiln dried (15% average moisture content) to: 15% 12% 6% 15% 12% 6% Radial 0.96 1.2 1.8 0 0.3 1.0 Tangential 2.0 2.6 3.8 0 0.7 2.1 Notes: Radial shrinkage applies to the width of vertical grain lumber: tangential to the width of flat grain lumber. Shrinkage does not begin until the fiber saturation point is reached. 15% is the average equilibrium moisture content of wood during the summer in the Pacific Northwest. 12% is the summer average equilibrium moisture content in dry areas of the Pacific Northwest. 6% is the average equilibrium moisture content for interiors of heated buildings. Members of the Western Red Cedar Export Association provide western red cedar to Belgium, France, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan and other markets around the world. Web site design by Graphically Speaking in Vancouver