The Beauty and Durability of using Western Red Cedar - Select Tight Knot Species in Australian Coastal applications

When it comes to choosing the right material for your next coastal project, you want to make sure you’re choosing a cladding product that is both beautiful and durable. Western Red Cedar – Select Tight Knot Species is a great choice for coastal exterior cladding and interior lining applications. In this article, we’ll be discussing the benefits, technical information, and frequently asked questions about this beautiful timber.

Benefits of Select Tight Knot Species

Western Red Cedar is already well-known as one of the world’s most durable and beautiful softwood species. However, the Select Tight Knot (STK) species is even more special, thanks to its visible age knots that give it the highly sought-after rustic, aged and weathered aesthetic compared to regular Western Red Cedar.

Aesthetic appeal

Available in pre-oiled Mist or Charred finishes or can be ordered raw for the client to oil coat themselves, BeachClad offers a range of pre-finished, beach-themed colour washes that are designed to produce the effect of silver-age-weathered or charred timber. This gives architects and designers the ability to specify a rustic, seasoned timber look, which normally takes several months, right from the outset.

Sustainability

Modinex Group sources its Select Tight Knot - Western Red Cedar timber from newly planted forests, and it’s sustainably harvested with PEFC? Certification. By choosing Select Tight Knot, you can have peace of mind knowing that you’re choosing an eco-friendly product that’s not only a renewable source but also contributes less pollution than other common building materials, such as aluminium and steel. Plus, it helps store harmful carbon from the atmosphere.

Energy Efficiency & Thermal Properties

The low density of Select Tight Knot makes it an excellent insulator compared to other building materials, such as brick, concrete, and steel. In the summer, it keeps buildings cool, and in winter, it maintains internal heat, which results in reduced energy usage and contributes to a higher Green Star building rating. The Knotty grade timber possesses the same thermal properties as Western Red Cedar, including a thermal conductivity factor of 0.74 BTU in/ft2 h F and an R-value of 1.35 per 25mm of thickness.

Technical Information

The Knotty Grade – Western Red Cedar grows in British Columbia and some of the nearby western states of the USA. This versatile timber is commonly used for applications such as interior and exterior lining, feature walls, garage doors, and more. Known for its natural beauty and durability, the Western Red Cedar – Select Tight Knot Species has rich tones ranging from mellow ambers to reddish cinnamons and sienna browns. Its texture is uniform and fine-grained, with visible age knots that provide a beautiful design feature. Its superior resistance to warping, cupping, and twisting makes it ideal for use in cladding, panelling, and screening.

Learn more about the Beachclad range by visiting our website.