About
Cedar:
It’s the Natural Choice
Northern white cedar is ideal for both interior and exterior construction because it is naturally durable and resistant to moisture, decay and insect damage. It accepts stain and paint more uniformly than western red cedar, and it resists mold and rot naturally.
For the energy-wise, white cedar has a unique cell structure that traps tiny pockets of air to boost insulation and reduce home heating costs.
Northern white cedar is popular with craftsmen because it can be easily worked by hand or with power tools. It also has exceptional dimensional stability. It lays flat, stays straight and retains fasteners. It has an even grain, fine texture and the lowest density of any commercial domestic wood.
Properly pre-finished and installed, white cedar should be the last siding any home will ever need. There are examples all over the world of white cedar shingles lasting well over 100 years. With its richness of grain, texture and color, white cedar offers a timeless complement to any architectural style, from traditional to contemporary.
While True North Cedar uses white cedar primarily for shingles, shakes, fence panels, and grilling planks, it is also commonly used for boats, ships, canoe ribs, fishnet floats, rustic furniture, saunas and novelties.
Northern white cedar shingles offer numerous comparative advantages over western red cedar, as illustrated in this chart.
The difference between Northern White and Western Red Cedar
Northern White Cedar |
Western Red Cedar |
|
|---|---|---|
Strong, resilient fibrous quality. |
TENSIL QUALITY |
Strong, yet brittle fibrous quality. |
Less brittle, less likely to split or crack. |
TENSIL QUALITY |
Splits easily, particularly during installation. |
Resists decay better than any other species, except cypress. Northern white cedar shingles frequently last over 100 years. |
LONGEVITY |
General decay-resistant life expectancy is 35 years, at best. |
Remains stable even flat sawn. Northern white cedar, at all grades, will not cup or curl. |
STABILITY |
Requires vertical grain cutting to resist warping and cupping. Western red cedar at #2 grade and lower is always flat sawn, and subject to cupping. |
Accepts stain and paint evenly with superior penetration and without blotching. Excellent absorption and penetration of chemical fire retardant. |
ABSORPTION |
Resistant to stain and paint. Exhibits blotches and streaks. Potential for uneven absorption and limited penetration of chemical fire retardant. |
Left untreated, northern white cedar will acquire a silver-grey patina within five years. |
MAINTENANCE CHARACTERISTICS |
Left untreated, western red cedar will acquire an uneven, blackened appearance within five years. |
Produced from sustainable forest resources (35- to 70-year cycle). |
ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY |
Produced from diminished, non-renewable old growth forests. |
About the Trees
Northern white cedar trees are coniferous evergreen trees in the cypress family. They are softwood trees, primarily found in wet sites and dry limestone ridges.
The name “white cedar” is somewhat misapplied, as northern white cedars are not true cedars, which are in the pine family. The name white cedar is still commonly accepted, however, probably because it rolls off the tongue easier than “arborvitae” or thuja occidentalis.
The name arborvitae, or “tree of life” dates from the 16th century, when French explorer Jacques Cartier learned from the Indians how to use white cedar foliage to treat scurvy.
An unusually tall conifer, the white cedar typically ranges in height from 50 to 70 feet with a pyramidal crown. The sapwood is narrow and nearly white, while the heartwood is uniformly straw-brown. The dark green or golden brown leaves are fan-shaped and turn bronze in the winter.
The white cedar can be propagated by seed or from cuttings, and will grow and prosper in most soils, but does best in limed soil. It is the origin of numerous hybrids.
The northern white cedar is valuable for wildlife habitat, particularly deer, who use it for shelter during severe winters. It is also utilized by the snowshoe hare, porcupine and red squirrel.