Find out how to identify this majestic tree and also its benefits and uses. Wood is an excellent thermal insulator. Their properties are similar to savin juniper. Western Red Cedar is used to manufacture a range of specialty products such as siding, paneling, structural decking and outdoor decking. The smoke developed index for Western Red Cedar is 125. Characteristics & Properties of Western Red Cedar, characteristics-properties-of-western-red-cedar. Cedar Sales offers a range of ceiling and wall designs that are engineer-approved to meet various acoustic ratings. Tree roots stabilize and feed the tree, and if they are damaged by yard tools, the tree can suffer. These properties can vary greatly depending on origin and growth conditions. Western red cedar, Thuja plicata. Grain: Generally straight or spiralled. Cedar trees fall under the Cedrus genus and the Pinaceae family, which is the family of treesthat is coniferous. Distribution. Herb: Western Red Cedar Latin name: Thuja plicata Synonyms: Thuja gigantea, Thuja lobbii, Thuja menziesii Family: Cupressaceae (Cypress Family) Medicinal use of Western Red Cedar: Western red cedar was employed medicinally by a number of native North American Indian tribes, who used it to treat a wide range of complaints. Includes bibliographical references. Growth, properties and uses of western red cedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don)/by Josefina S. Gonzalez. ACOUSTIC PROPERTIES ¬ Western Red Cedar reduces or confines noise when used on walls and ceilings. The structural grades of Yellow Cedar are ideal for uses where strength and/or natural durability are important. Here is an overview of the characteristics that determine the grades of Western Red Cedar: Clear Western Red Cedar. Cedar has a long history of withstanding the rigors of time and weather. Make sure stainless steel fixings are used, however! Softwoods have been exported from the United States for over 400 years. If you don’t care to keep up with the maintenance than red cedar may be a good choice. When a material has good thermal conductivity, it means that it can keep buildings warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Western Red Cedar especially is superior to steel, concrete, and brick in this respect. Return to main Cedar page. 0000025703 00000 n Clear, Vertical Grain – This is the highest grade of Western Red Cedar. Vertical grain means that the growth rings are parallel to each other on the face of the board and the wood is sawn specifically to achieve that look. Timber properties of noble fir, Norway spruce, western red cedar and western hemlock grown in Great Britain (PDF, 580.1kB) The softwood processing sector in Great Britain has been built around the use of a very small number of timber-producing species – predominantly Sitka spruce. I. Acoustic properties. Douglas Fir, Ponderosa Pine, White Fir and Western Red Cedar are the most common single species sold as dimension lumber products. Like all woods, Western Red Cedar is hygroscopic and will absorb or discharge moisture to attain equilibrium with the surrounding atmosphere. The lower the flame spread rating, the more the material resists the spread of fire. We know this can get confusing, so if you want to do more research you can visit the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association website for more grade info. Precautions and toxicity of red cedar. Evidence of cedar’s durability are the many cedar artifacts still in good condition today. 0000000716 00000 n Growth, properties and uses of western red cedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don)/by Josefi na S. Gonzalez. 234 0 obj <> endobj xref 234 21 0000000016 00000 n 2. Review specification options of Western Red Cedar, including lumber and appearance grades, as well as compatible fastener selection. Western Red Cedar has good fastening properties but its natural preservatives have a corrosive effect on some unprotected metals in close contact, causing a black stain on the wood. Austin Wholesale Decking Supply 10900 N Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78753 Phone: 512/834-1200 0000003840 00000 n British grown western red cedar generally has similar properties to material imported from North America. The results showed that all of the species investigated can produce structural timber, but that western red cedar has the least desirable properties for this purpose. 0000002940 00000 n Natural resistance to deterioration has long made Western Red Cedar the premier choice for either interior or exterior home use. Western Red Cedar is used to manufacture a range of specialty products such as siding, paneling, structural decking and outdoor decking. Colour: Yellow to a medium brownish colour. The Western Red Cedar contains a extremely strong compound called trienolone, which is one of the reasons the wood takes so very long to decompose on the forest floor. This results in reduced energy usage and contributes towards a higher Green Star building rating. Siberian Larch. Western Red Cedar’s thermal properties include: A … Historically, native peoples of the Pacific coast prized cedar for its long lasting qualities and used wood and bark from cedar trees for most of their building needs. Very few materials can be reused like this from decommissioned structures, whereas composite materials go straight to landfill. 0000002737 00000 n One of these is the Western Red Cedar, also called the giant cedar tree, which can grow to well over 200 feet tall! Western Red Cedar Harmful Properties May cause respiratory problems Western Red Cedar Interlocked Grain No Western Red Cedar Kiln-dried Shrinkage Low Western Red Cedar Machine Tools Average Western Red Cedar Mortising Good Western Red Cedar Movement after drying Low Western Red Cedar … Western Red Cedar offers the advantages of natural beauty, design flexibility, exceptional dimensional stability and long term durability. In this article, I describe forty facts about the plant and the importance of the “tree of life” in the local culture. Smoke developed classifications reflect the amount of smoke released by burning material. Cedar produced by the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association includes specialty end use grades as well as products graded to National Lumber Grading Authority (NLGA) rules. 0000001473 00000 n Materials are burned in a test furnace for a relative assessment of flammability. 0000018317 00000 n Of all available softwood species, cedar tends to be one of the best thermal insulators. Detailed product information is available from the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association. Span Tables Spans for Western Red Cedar dimension lumber used as joists and rafters in residential and commercial structures are available from the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association, the Canadian Wood Council and the National Association of Home Builders. (Special publication, ISSN 0824-2119 ; no. For structural applications, Western species readily combine into six Species Groups, shown below. Click here to request a quote - we offer VERY competitive pricing! produces cedar of Lebanon, a native of the Middle East. 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