From west to east, cedars square off

f) rcnlv ARoMArrc, highly decay l\resistant. and all beauties to behold, North American cedars grow from coast to coast. But each type has its own strengths, making it best suited for certain applications and markets.

Western red cedar is the most abundant cedar available in the U.S. and Canada. Primarily grown in British Columbia, it also can be found in western Washington and Oregon.

Western red is also the clearest and most decay resistant cedar and. because it comes from the largest trees, it can yield a larger variety of dimensional lum- ber. Its sapwood is nearly white, its heartwood fragrant reddish or pinkish brown to dull brown.

Its abundance and properties make the spccies popular across the country. "Western red cedar is king in this part of the Northeast," said Phil Payne, Vermont Wholesale Building Products, Williston, Vt. "The natural characteristics of the product make it very stable, durable and weather resistant. WRC is twice as stable as other softwood species. The natural oils are resistant to insects and decay. Best of all, it looks great. It is a great product when left natural. Today's high-tech coatings, when used properly, will provide the best looking and performing exterior wood products on the market. The good availability of such a broad range of products makes it very easy to maintain a sellable inventory."

WRC is perfect for clear products-siding, decking, paneling, fascia, trim, shakes and shingles, and appearance grade timbers.

Due to its superior qualities and availability, western red is the only cedar sold by many companies. including Boston Cedar, Holbrook, Ma., and TMI Forest Products, Morton, Wa. "For the last six years, we have cut only coastal western red cedar," said TMI's Jeffrey Cook. "TMI has tried five alternative cedar species, but each proved to be less desirable for the finished product."

Inland red cedar is the same botanical species as western red cedar, but hails from the interior slopes ofthe Rocky Mountains in Idaho, Montana, and into eastern B.C. and Alberta. Grown in drier, higher-elevation forests, IRC trees are small and their wood lighter, more striped, and with less clarity and color variation than its coastal-grown kin.

Enyeart Cedar, Tigard, Or., supplies WRC for clears and IRC for tight-knot orders. "The (IRC) trees grow farther inland, are slower growing, and develop tighter fiber. The knots are small, tight and firm," said Enyeart's Linda Elliott. "But the primary difference is the color of the board. There is less iron in the soil where these trees are grown. As a result, the color of the board is blonder in naturemore creamycaramel with vanilla swirls."

Uses are fewer, including smaller dimensional lumber, siding. and split-rail fencing. p.. ty are high, yet ! k strength. shock resisF tance, stiffness and ":, hardness are moder- tremendous amount of northern white cedar goes into siding, decking, and log home construction. It's very dry and lightweight due to its cellular structure. The lower density provides the best insulating value in walls. For homes, cedar is the Cadillac."

Incense cedar is native to the mountains from western Oregon to southern California and the northern Baja Peninsula of Mexico. Its saPwood is creamy white, its heartwood light brown to light reddish brown. Decay resistance and dimensional stabili' ately low.

C&D Lumber Co., Riddle, Or., manufactures incense cedar because of its versatility. "It can be used in many applications, including decking, pergolas, T&G paneling, and timbers," said Leslie Southwick. "When dried to less than 197o, it is very stable and durable. It has excellent stain-holding properties and is virtually splinter free."

Hall Forest Products, PuyalluP, Wa.. distributes C&D's kiln dried incense cedar in addition to WRC, because, according to Marty Frost, "it's a less expensive option in a very similar quality and grade. All is reversible material, graded all four sides. Kiln drying ensures all our decking is stable prior to finishing or prefinishing. Performance properties are very similar to WRC, but it but comes in a less expensive price point. And once it's got a nice oil finish on it, it's difficult to tell the difference between incense cedar and western red cedar. They do have a slightly different odor."

C&D manufactures Port Orford cedar because of its uniqueness. "No other cedar is like Port Orford cedar, and C&D Lumber is one of the few manufacturers that mills it," Southwick said. "Port Orford is the strongest of all cedars and an excellent choice for both interior and exterior use. Historically, it has been the preferred wood for fine boatbuilding because of its strength and natural oils that make it rot and decay resistant. It is ideal for manufacturing laminated beams because of its superior strength. It is also widely used for decking that turns the outdoors into a unique outdoor living area."

Alaskan yellow cedar, also known as Pacific yellow cedar and Sitka cypress, grows slowly along a coastal patch from southern Alaska to southern Oregon, limiting its availability. Its rarity is unfortunate, considering it is the hardest of all cedars and boasts easy workability and exceptional resistance to weather, decay, disease and insects.

Popular applications are boat building, shingles, sauna boards, trim, fascia and paneling. Although some wholesalers, like Van Arsdale-Harris Lumber Co., Brisbane. Ca.. stock some Alaskan yellow cedar, most handle it on a special-order basis.

She cited the wood's limitations as difficulty to find long lengths, wide boards, and clarity.

Atlantic cedar has similar properties, though is less porous and is found along the coastal plain of the eastern '"' U.S. The , saPwood is nar- wood light brown with a hint of red. is found in a Pacific coast, to northwest

Appl ications include siding, paneling, boat planks, fencing, decking and shingles.

Southern red cedar grows along the East Coast, from northeast North Carolina to central Florida and west to southeast Texas. With a dull-red heartwood, it is lightweight, soft and weak, but highly durable and works and finishes well.

Port Orford cedar compact zone near the from southwest Oregon California. It's one of the easiest cedars to identify, due to the distinctive yellow tone of its sapwood and the hints of yellow in its browning heartwood. Decay resistance is high, texture fine and even. The wood is somewhat lightweight and shock resistant, and will shrink slightly when dried.

Eastern white cedar, also known as Northern white cedar, grow in eastern Canada and the North Central and eastern forests of the U.S. In Part because most of the tallest trees were harvested over a century ago, eastern whites are typically not as prized as the larger cedars in the West. Yet the wood is still naturally resistant to rot and insect infestation, lightweight, and easy to work. The sapwood is white, tinged with yellow. The heartwood is light brown, occasionally with a red hue.

The wood is soft and has low mechanical properties. More significantly, it reportedly has the lowest density of any commercial domestic wood, making it a natural for canoe building.

According to Colleen Goodridge, Goodridge Lumber, Albany, Vt., "A

In addition to stocking WRC siding, timbers and paneling, Wholesale Wood Products, Dothan, Al., also makes its own aromatic paneling from locally grown southern cedar, for use as closet lining. Wholesale Wood also markets cypress-a softwood that grows amid the hardwood forests of the South-as "Southern cedar."

"Cedars" are also imported from overseas, most notably Chinese cedar (a fast-growing wood popular for fencing, but structurally closer to fir) and Spanish cedar (a mahogany-like hardwood used in cigar boxes and humidors). Both species are attractive and highly aromatic, explaining why exporters are hapPy to trade on the reputation of authentic cedar.