Wood Species in Detail: Western Red Cedar

When it comes to home decor, wooden elements contribute to a warm and inviting atmosphere that exudes natural beauty and charm. If you’re looking for softwood furnishings and decorative elements to enhance your interior design, western red cedar has several benefits. What can you expect when you select this species for your project?

What Is Western Red Cedar Wood?

Western red cedar wood can be found primarily in two regions. It grows throughout the northern Rockies from Alberta and British Columbia down into Idaho and Montana, as well as an area of the Coast and Cascade Ranges extending from southern Alaska to northern California.

Preferring moist but well-drained soil, this long-lived tree can reach heights of up to 200 feet, with a growth rate of about two feet per year, and it can live for hundreds or perhaps even thousands of years.

Characteristics of Western Red Cedar Wood

Prized for providing a balance of softness and durability, western red cedar wood is lightweight and easy to work with but has double the stability of many other softwoods. The beautiful appearance of this reddish wood brings warmth and personality to interior and exterior applications, with uniform graining that lends itself to a tranquil ambiance.

What can you expect when you choose western red cedar for furnishings and decorative applications?

Color

Western red cedar wood offers a rich, warm palette, with variable coloration. The sapwood is a delicate shade of pale, yellowish-white. However, the true beauty lies in the heartwood, which features pinkish-brown to reddish coloration with darker streaks of red and brown throughout. Coarse, straight graining offers relatively uniform patterning across planks.

Physical Properties

Western red cedar wood is known not just for its beautiful color but also for its distinctive fragrance. As expected, it emits a sharp, fresh, pine scent but with subtle undertones of sweeter pear and pineapple.

Lightweight and soft, this wood is easy to work with and finishes to a smooth, satin luster. The open-cell structure reduces weight and makes it a good choice for vertical applications like paneling.

Uniform density, consistent grain, and a lack of resin are ideal for most environments as the planks have a low likelihood of swelling and warping.

Mechanical Properties

Is western red cedar a hard or soft wood? On the Janka hardness scale, it’s rated at 350, making it one of the softest and least dense wood varieties used for construction purposes. As a result, it is most often seen in finishes, rather than structural applications.

Durability

Although this wood is soft and lightweight, it still offers outstanding strength and durability. Western Red Cedar is naturally resistant to wear and tear, making it ideal for indoor applications. Its stability helps prevent warping or shrinking, ensuring long-lasting performance in environments where temperature and humidity fluctuate.

Workmanship

There are several benefits to choosing this lovely and versatile species. Because it is not only soft and lightweight but also strong and stable, the wood is easy to work with and suitable for many applications.

It is most often used for crafting furniture and decorative elements like interior paneling, trim pieces, corbels, and cabinet doors. Common western red cedar wood uses also include functional structures like table legs and furniture feet, as well as wooden boxes.

Advantages of Western Red Cedar for Furniture

Why is western red cedar wood a great choice for furniture construction and decoration? It offers a range of practical and aesthetic benefits.

Workability

Soft and workable, this wood is ideal for furniture crafting because it’s so easy to cut, shape, and sand to an attractive, satiny finish. It accommodates nails and screws well, but care is required to ensure that splits don’t occur near delicate edges of paneling and decorative pieces.

Aesthetic Appeal

The appealing colors and grain patterns of western red cedar wood need little coaxing to catch the eye, which is why pieces are often treated with clear sealants. However, you can enhance natural characteristics with a variety of stains and finishes, thanks to the absence of pitch resins. Cut surfaces also take paint well.

Environmental Benefits

Unlike many hardwood counterparts, western red cedar is a sustainable choice for furniture and interior decor. Stable populations from well-managed forests make it a renewable option.

Because this wood is relatively lightweight, the fuel required for transportation is less than for denser hardwoods. It’s also among the most insulative softwoods, helping regulate interior temperatures when used as paneling.

How Do You Properly Care for and Maintain Western Red Cedar Furniture?

When properly finished and sealed, western red cedar is easy to care for, requiring only periodic dusting and perhaps hand washing with a mild cleanser and a damp rag to eliminate dust and grime.

Pieces that are stained but not sealed may need periodic coats of stain, especially in items that may be exposed to the elements or susceptible to UV fading.

Ordering Western Red Cedar Wood at Osborne

Osborne Wood offers an expansive selection of western red cedar wood products, including table and chair legs, furniture feet, benches, and decorative items like corbels, brackets, and finials. These items are sanded and ready for paint or stain, ensuring that you will end up with the right product regardless of project and preference.

Collaborate with experienced drafting professionals to craft your singular design and request a quote to get your project underway.

Beautify Your Home With Western Red Cedar

Western red cedar wood is a great choice for a variety of home applications. If you’re looking for rich, reddish tones and uniform graining that delivers peaceful vibes, this lightweight and workable softwood is ideal.

Contact us now to speak with a product specialist and transform your home.