To Mr. and Mrs. Anyone out there, the difference in cedar species probably isn’t one of your biggest concerns, but speaking to literally thousands of people over the years about log siding, you’re Of course, most people think that cedar is cedar. To help dispel that notion and clarify what advantages one type of cedar has over another, the following is offered.
All cedars are classified as softwoods; they are all long-lasting and have a pleasant fragrance, but that’s where the similarity ends. The wood of the different cedars differs from each other in color, density (insulating value), wood hardness, weight, resistance, manufactured lengths and grades of available wood.
Due to cedar’s natural resistance to decay and insects, it has long been the wood of choice for exterior applications. To illustrate a point, totem poles, carved from western red cedar; some standing after a thousand years, they would have become part of the forest floor at that time if the Indians had used, say, hemlock or pine.
Cedar is graded for appearance rather than strength and is not normally used for beams, joists, beams, or other structural components. Appearance grades range from clear to various knobby classifications. Most cedar is used for siding. Other common uses are porch decking, railings, outdoor furniture, fencing material, or anywhere wood needs to withstand the ravages of time and the elements.
There are several species of cedar in North America, but let’s eliminate the bush varieties of cedar and the species of cedar that don’t grow big enough to produce usable wood. Two species called eastern red cedar and southern red cedar are actually juniper. They are small, “stumpy” trees, larger ones can be cut into short boards used for “cedar” chests, birdhouses, and cabinet lining. Other Species, Atlantic White Cedar (Chamaecyparis Thyoides), it grows in a small area along the eastern seaboard. Although larger trees can produce lumber, not enough quantities are available for commercial distribution.
This leaves five species of cedar with trees large and tall enough to cut longer graded lumber: western red cedar, frankincense cedar, Port Orford cedar, and yellow cedar; all of the western states, and Northern White Cedar in the northeast. We stay at four if we eliminate Yellow Cedar (Chamaecyparis Nootkatensis) sometimes called Alaskan cedar, and found in Alaska and northern BC, but not widely distributed in the lower 48.
western red cedar (Yours plicated) commonly called Red Cedar provides the majority of the cedar sold, and is the standard by which all others are measured. It is in high demand for its durability, resistance to decay, and dimensional stability, and because of its porous cell structure, it is lightweight and the best insulator of all the cedars. Red is somewhat of a misnomer as the wood varies from a light cream color to warm shades of tan and brown. WRC is the most prolific of all cedars, growing west of the Cascade Mountains in northern California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. One variety of WRC, sometimes called Inland Cedar, grows east of the mountains and, due to the drier climate, does not reach the size of the cedar found in the lush, rain-soaked coastal forests. Old WRC trees are typically six feet in diameter at the stump and can be 180 feet tall. In dense stands, the first branch may be a hundred feet above the ground. These giants produce long, clean, blemish-free lengths of the best cedar lumber available anywhere, and they ship all over the world. Due to the large volume harvested, it is the species most likely to be found at your local sawmill. The wide variety of grades, as well as the longest lengths available, make WRC the most useful of all cedars. And let’s not forget the shakes and shingles that are milled from, you guessed it, western red cedar.
frankincense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) it is found in western Oregon and parts of northern California. Although it does not reach the size of WRC, it produces quality wood, well graded and longer. Wood is slightly heavier and less porous than WRC, so it lacks insulating value. It has a light pine color which is a desirable feature for many. The wood is slightly harder than WRC and works well for terraces, railings or garden furniture, for example, where a more “scratch-free” surface is needed. Due to the smaller average size of the frankincense cedar tree, it does not produce as many clear grades as western red, but the gnarled “look” grade lumber is not only attractive in appearance but less expensive. Due to the limited growing area, Incense Cedar is not as widely available as WRC.
Port Orford Cedar (Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana) he is in a class by himself. It grows only between Coos Bay, Oregon and Crescent City, California and inland from the ocean about fifty miles. The old trees (the few that remain) rival the WRC in thickness and height. The PO cedar has a uniform light cream color and is the strongest of all the cedars; so strong, in fact, that it can be used for some structural applications. The wood is exceptionally straight grained and short blocks (bolts) of old PO are used for the manufacture of arrow shafts. In the days when fishing boats and other work boats were made of wood, the material of choice for hull boards was PO cedar due to the durability and strength of the long, pale, wide wood available at the time. Supplying the high demand from the small growing area leaves little available for the market today, especially in the light grades. Port Orford lumber with knots and appearance is sold in some retail stores, mainly in the west.
Northern White Cedar (Thuja Occidentalis) It is found in the Lake States, southeastern Canada, the New England states, and Maine. This species is also known as eastern white cedar, but it is mostly just known as white cedar. Locally it has been called American red cedar and swamp cedar. A typical white cedar tree is 50 feet tall and two feet at the stump, but can reach a height of 80 feet. Saw logs generally have a low yield of prime lumber because they are often knotty, crooked or hollow. Also, the longer white cedar lumber has a higher value due to the smaller size of the logs. Like all cedar, the wood is stable and resistant to decay. Unlike western cedars, which have a multitude of structural and appearance grades, white cedar is generally graded only on a #1, #2, or #3 basis.
So, armed with the information above, you can tell the salesperson at the lumberyard that you are not interested in the Chamaecyparis Nootkatensisbut i want to look at the Calocedrus Decurrens.