Why Western Red Cedar Is So Great

It’s durable.

This timber lasts for decades and even centuries. The cedar fibres contain natural compounds called Thujaplicins which act as natural preservatives making the wood extremely long-lasting and resist deterioration. If finished the right way, it will last for decades in the harshest environments. These compounds also make the wood smell lovely.

It doesn’t weight a lot.

Western Red Cedar’s large, open cell structure makes it less dense than most other softwoods. This quality makes it easy to move from place to place on the job. Really easy to work with. Low density and consistency make it an ideal wood to cut, saw, nail and glue. Even a handsaw goes through the wood easily.

You can stain it whatever colour you want.

Western Red Cedar is free of the pitch and resin found in other softwoods making it perfect for a wide range of finishes. From lightly toned clear solutions to two-coat solid colours, Cedar ranks at the top in its ability to accept and maintain a finish.

What noise?

As an interior paneling or exterior cladding, the low density of Western Red Cedar makes it an acoustical barrier of much greater quality than most products, it provides an excellent NRC rating.

It won’t move.

Western Red Cedar shrinks and swells minimally, displaying only small movements with changes in humidity. Lower absorption of water is a result of the high extractive content blocking absorption sites. This property contributes to Western Red Cedar’s suitability for use in paneling, mouldings and a number of other applications such as saunas where dimensional stability and water repellence is important.

Resistance to Decay.

Western Red Cedar heartwood is renowned for its high decay resistance. This natural durability is attributed to the presence of extractives. Western Red Cedar has a durability Class 2 in Europe and Australia, the highest category for durability of any softwood listed.

Fantastic Thermal and Insulating Properties.

Western Red Cedar has good insulation value because of its low wood density and coarse texture. It is the best insulator among the most common available softwood species and is far superior to brick, concrete and steel. This property ensures that homes built with Western Red Cedar will be cooler in the heat of summer and warmer in winter as opposed to homes using denser species or man-made products. Western Red Cedar’s ability to dampen vibrations is an important acoustical property which makes it particularly effective as paneling and moulding where it is desirable to reduce or confine noise.

A little bit about the tree for those of you who like a good ‘Origins’ story…

Western Red Cedar (huja plicata) is a species of Thuja, an evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae. This tree is native to the northwestern United States and southwestern Canada and Western Red Cedar currently comprises about twenty percent of the region’s forests.

Quite a large, majestic tree ranging up to 70 metres tall and 4 metres in trunk diameter. It is long-lived; some individuals can live well over a thousand years, with the oldest verified being 1,460 years which is impressive! The foliage forms flat sprays with scale-like leaves in opposite pairs, with successive pairs at 90° to each other. Strongly aromatic, the scent is reminiscent of pineapple when crushed.

Western Red Cedar has an extensive history of use by the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast – some tribes refer to themselves as “people of the red cedar” because of their extensive dependence on the tree for basic materials. The wood has been used for constructing housing, totem poles, and crafted into many objects, including masks, utensils, boxes, boards, instruments, canoes, vessels, and ceremonial objects. Roots and bark were used for baskets, ropes, clothing, blankets and rings. The soft red-brown timber has a tight, straight grain and few knots. It is valued for its distinct appearance, aroma, and its high natural resistance to decay, being extensively used for outdoor construction in the form of posts, decking and shingles.

It is also widely used throughout Europe and America for making beehives, so nature loves it. Cedar wood is also used to line closets and chests, as its pungent aromatic oils are believed to discourage moth and carpet beetle larvae, which can damage cloth by eating wool and similar fibres. This is more effective in a properly constructed cedar chest, since the oils are confined by shellac and leather seals. A well-sealed red cedar chest will retain its pungent odour for many decades, sometimes for over a century.

A couple of fun facts.

Its light weight, strength and dark warm sound make it a popular choice for guitar soundboards.

Thujaplicin, a chemical substance, is found in mature trees and serves as a natural fungicide, thereby preventing the wood from rotting. This effect lasts around a century even after the tree is felled. However, Thujaplicin is only found in older trees.

Most of Stack Panel’s product ranges are made from Western Red Cedar which is testament to how versatile this timber is.

Stack Panel Australia – stackpanel.com.au

Samples are available - [email protected]