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Are there different types of cedar wood?

There are only 4 true types of the cedar tree Vis a Vis; the Deodar Cedar, the Atlas cedar, Cyprian cedar and Cedar of Lebanon. They all produce high quality and durable wood.

How many varieties of cedar are there?

In total, there are only four recognized species of cedar – the Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica), the Cyprus cedar (C. brevifolia), the deodar cedar (C. deodara), and the Lebanon cedar (C.

What is the difference between cedar and western red cedar?

The most obvious difference between the two trees is their size. Western Red Cedar trees tower — some may grow has tall as 200 feet with 10 foot trunks. Northern White Cedar trees are considerably smaller and slimmer, reaching heights of around 50 feet with trunk diameters of about 2 feet.

What is the most common type of cedar?

  • Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana L.) …
  • Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) …
  • Spanish Cedar (Cedrela oderata L.) …
  • Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) …
  • Alaskan Yellow Cedar (Palicourea croceoides)
What is the difference between red cedar and yellow cedar?

Western Red Cedar is a softer and more lightweight wood than Yellow Cedar. It’s more tonal, being known for it’s warm colour and dark, rich heartwood. … Yellow Cedar which has many different names such as Alaskan Yellow Cedar and Sitka Cypress is a much harder wood than Western Red Cedar.

How can you tell real cedar wood?

  1. Cedar is aromatic. Simply put, the stuff smells good. …
  2. Cedar is rot resistant. …
  3. Cedar is relatively lightweight and soft. …
  4. Cedar is (commonly) reddish brown. …
  5. Cedar tends to be somewhat dimensionally stable.
What is a true cedar?

Cedar (Cedrus), also called “true” cedar, is a coniferous genus and species of trees in the plant family Pinaceae. They are most closely related to the Firs (Abies), sharing a very similar cone structure. Most true, old-world cedars seen in North America are ornamentals.

How can you tell cedar from pine?

The first difference between cedar and pine can be seen with the naked eye. Cedar is immediately recognizable due to its reddish color, white accents, and beautiful grain pattern. It is a warm and rich-looking wood. Pine, meanwhile, tends to be much lighter in color, ranging from cream to very light brown.

Is Western Red Cedar a true cedar?

Western red-cedar is also known as western redcedar, red cedar, Pacific red cedar, arborvitae (Latin for tree of life), giant arborvitae, or giant-cedar. It is not a true cedar; that name belongs to the old world genus Cedrus. … There are seven species of Thuja, five in eastern Asia and two in North America.

What is better white cedar or red cedar?

The main differences between white cedar and red cedar are in terms of durability and strength. Red cedar is slightly stronger than white cedar fence. It’s less prone to knotting. … White cedar fencing lasts longer than red cedar fencing.

Is Red Cedar the same as cedar?

Eastern Red Cedar Sometimes referred to as “aromatic cedar,” this cedar is known for its pungent scent from its natural oils. Appearance: This cedar’s exterior boasts a reddish-violet tinted brown, while its inner sapwood appears pale yellow. The sapwood often makes an appearance throughout the heartwood.

Why is red cedar so expensive?

Western Red Cedar wood is considered the most valuable of all softwoods because of its fine, straight grain, color, flexibility and strength in proportion to weight, however, the most important property of cedar wood is its high impermeability to liquids and its natural phenol preservatives, which make it ideally …

What kind of cedar is used for closets?

The best type of cedar used for closets is juniperus virginiana, known as red cedar, eastern red cedar, Virginian juniper, eastern juniper, red juniper, pencil cedar, and aromatic cedar. Growing this wood for closets and furniture is big business in the Appalachians of the United States.

Is all cedar wood red?

Different types of cedar trees grow all over the world. Red cedar, the wood most commonly found in woodworking, grows on both the East and West coast of the United States. Eastern red cedar is a significantly harder and stronger wood than the red cedar that grows on the West coast.

Is cedar wood expensive?

Cost- Just like composite, cedar can be much more expensive than other wood. Fades to a weathered grey over the years, which can be a drawback to some people.

Is red or yellow cedar more expensive?

Due to its straight grain and yellow colour, Yellow Cedar wood is very valuable commercially. … Similar to the Red Cedar, it is highly decay resistant and strongly aromatic when freshly cut, due to its natural oils.

Is yellow cedar actually cedar?

Did you know that Yellow Cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) is not technically a “Cedar” – it is actually a Cypress! Yellow Cedar is a medium-sized tree that grows up to 24 meters tall and can be found along British Columbia’s coastal region.

What cedar is best?

Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) reigns supreme for the production of decking, siding, shingles, and outdoor structures because of its natural decay resistance, ability to repel water, and abundance.

What wood is closest to cedar?

  1. Alaskan Yellow Cedar. …
  2. Heat-treated Tulipwood (Thermo Tulipwood) …
  3. Douglas Fir. …
  4. Siberian Larch.
Can you smell cedar wood?

So, what does cedarwood smell like? As you might imagine, since it comes from trees, cedarwood has a woodsy scent. … This aromatic wood scent can call to mind pencil shavings and fine cigar boxes, both of which are often manufactured from cedar.

What color does cedar age to?

Cedar is known to age gracefully to a soft, silver-grey patina, but it’s wise to keep the rich tones of your cedar siding lasting longer. Transparent stains contain no pigment but have water-repellent features that will help to retain natural tones and slow down the natural colour change process.

What does a real cedar tree look like?

Cedars have bluish-green needles, growing in groups along woody branches. Another identification feature of true cedar trees is their large, barrel-like cones that grow upward on branches rather than dangle. A mature cedar tree has reddish-brown bark with long scales that are easily peeled.

Is white cedar a true cedar?

Thuja Occidentalis Part of the cypress family (Cupressaceae), the northern white cedar tree is commonly known as an eastern white cedar, eastern arborvitae, American arborvitae, or swamp cedar, because of the wet growing conditions of the tree. They are not actually a true cedar.

Is Deodar cedar a true cedar?

The deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara), also known as Himalayan cedar, is one of the “true” cedars. It is a species of cedar native to the western Himalayas in Eastern Afghanistan, Northern Pakistan and India.

Which is stronger pine or cedar?

Hardness. Aromatic red cedar has a Janka rating (used to test the relative hardness of wood) of 900, while southern yellow pine is behind by a bit with a Janka rating of 690. So cedar is a little harder.

Is cedar better than redwood?

Redwood is measurably stronger than cedar – by about 23%. Redwood is therefore more durable than cedar.

What is better pressure-treated wood or cedar?

When it comes to comparing treated wood vs. cedar, pressure-treated wood is the sturdier and more weather-proof of the two. It’s highly resistant to insect attack and rot, and special versions rated for “ground contact” can be buried in soil and will continue to shrug off decay for decades.

Is Eastern Red Cedar a true cedar?

Eastern redcedar is not a true cedar. It is a juniper and the most widely distributed native conifer in the Eastern United States. … This hardy tree is often among the first trees to occupy cleared areas, where its seeds are spread by cedar waxwings and other birds that enjoy the fleshy, bluish seed cones.

What is the difference between Eastern and Western Red Cedar?

The Eastern Red Cedar is much shorter overall than the Western Red Cedar, typically being between 16 to 66 feet tall (5 to 20 m) with a trunk between 12 to 39 inches (30 to 100 cm) in diameter. The Western Red Cedar is also quite long-lived, with some members of the species living more than 900 years.

Is Oregon a type of cedar?

If the tree you’re looking for doesn’t appear on this page, it’s probably not a true cedar. Oregon has four native trees that are members of the Cypress family but use the word “cedar” in their common names:Alaska-cedar, Incense-cedar, Port-Orford-cedar, and Western Redcedar.

What is Western red cedar used for?

Western Red Cedar is renowned for its naturally occurring resistance to moisture, decay and insect damage. Its natural durability, dimensional stability and exceptional beauty make it ideal for exterior uses including roofs, cladding, fences, decks, garden features, planters, outdoor furniture and playground equipment.

Is Thompson's Water Seal good for cedar?

A new Waterproofing Stain from industry leader Thompson’s WaterSeal can not only protect your deck from further damage, but also add rich, beautiful color. … Choose from five popular colors: Acorn Brown, Harvest Gold, Maple Brown, Sequoia Red or Woodland Cedar.

Why is it called white cedar?

The term arborvitae, meaning “tree of life,” was given to white cedars in reference to the effectiveness of their foliage in treating scurvy. White cedars are smallish trees that can reach 40 feet tall.

What is white cedar good for?

Northern White Cedar has a variety of human uses. The wood, which is light-weight and resistant to decay, is used to make products that come into contact with water and soil. The wood is used commercially for rustic fencing, cabin logs, poles, and shingles. The wood has also been used for paneling and boat-making.

How much should a cedar board cost?

Cedar Decking Prices Cedar boards range from $4 to $9 per linear foot.

What is green western red cedar?

In the marketplace, western red cedar might be available unseasoned (or green), which means it hasn’t gone through a drying process—the moisture content of this wood could be up to 25 percent moisture. To finish the wood, it has to be at 20 percent moisture content or less, which is why drying is important.

How long does red cedar take to mature?

When grown from seed in nurseries, Eastern red cedar will take one to two years to reach an appropriate size for replanting. Trees taking root in the wild will develop large, strong root systems in rocky and shallow soil. However, specimens in such conditions will take longer to grow upward than those in standard soil.

Does cedar stop mold?

Cedar will help prevent the spread of mold and mildew. Cedar removes moisture from the air, so in humid climates, it will act as a natural dehumidifier and keep your clothes from developing mildew. … While cedar’s scent can fade over time, you can easily revive it by sanding the surface of your cedar closets.

Should I line my closet with cedar?

While there are many types of cedar, Eastern red cedar, aka aromatic red cedar, is the only type that gives off the familiar scent that deters moths and insects. … To use cedar to its fullest, you should line a whole closet with it.

Do cedar closets keep moths away?

Cedar-lined closets are also reputed to repel moths – but their reputation probably derives from well-built cedar chests, which moths could not invade because they were built so tightly. Cedar oil may repel moths at high concentrations but cedar lumber loses most of its oil a few years after cutting.