Website design By BotEap.comYou need wood for your construction project and you have decided on cedar. You might think that the buying process would be simple from now on: go to the building supply store and grab some cedar, right? Not so fast, friend. Actually, there is more to cedar than you might think.

Website design By BotEap.comWestern Red Cedar and Inland Red Cedar are two similar but not identical wood products on the market. So if you’re a beginner to cedar, here’s a Cedar 101 crash course for you.

Website design By BotEap.com1. Know your background

Website design By BotEap.comThe scientific name for western red cedar is Thuja plicata. It is a variety of softwood that grows in the western US and Canada, known for its extreme durability, natural preservatives, and of course its natural beauty. Western Red Cedar’s innate characteristics make it ideal for the finest cedar siding, decking, shakes, and shingles.

Website design By BotEap.comEven once you’ve decided that Thuja plicata is what you need for your construction project, there are still a few things you need to know. Most western red cedar comes from British Columbia, western Washington, and western Oregon. However, some western red cedars also grow inland. You’ll find it on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, in Idaho, Montana, as well as parts of Alberta and eastern British Columbia.

Website design By BotEap.comThe cedars of the easternmost and higher altitude forests are still Thuja plicata, the same botanical species as the cedars that grow to the west, but there are differences in the wood. In fact, the two varieties are sometimes processed, graded, and even labeled differently: lumber from trees that grow in coastal forests as “Western Red Cedar,” lumber from trees that grow farther east as “Inland Red Cedar.” “.

Website design By BotEap.comNow that you know the background on these wonders of the woods, here are things to consider when trying to determine which type to buy.

Website design By BotEap.com2. Take a closer look

Website design By BotEap.comPaul Mackie is the western area manager for the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association, but he also answers “Mr. Cedar” for his ability to answer questions about cedar.

Website design By BotEap.comMackie said that while botanists may not make a scientific distinction between trees that grow inland and trees that grow on the coast, you’ll see a visual difference if you examine both types side by side.

Website design By BotEap.com“Inland fiber is different from coastal materials,” he said. “The interior fiber will be lighter, with a striped appearance, and the percentage of clear is much lower.”

Website design By BotEap.comCedar decking and siding specialists seeking the highest quality products source their Western Red Cedar from trees grown in the coastal climate. These coastal trees are giants, growing up to 200 feet tall and over 10 feet in diameter. Its natural habitat is from sea level to about 4,000 to 5,000 feet in elevation, and in warmer, wetter conditions than the cedars that grow on the other side of the mountains. They also offer a more diverse appearance.

Website design By BotEap.com“In coastal fiber, you’ll see a wide range of colors in the tree,” Mackie said. “You’ll have everything from a dark chocolate to a light straw color, and all of those colors can occur within the same piece.”

Website design By BotEap.com3. Does size matter?

Website design By BotEap.comLarger coastal cedars also tend to have a higher percentage of “clear” grade material than better quality cedar siding, cedar shakes, and large beams. In regions of higher altitudes and drier climates, Inland Red Cedar just doesn’t grow as big. If you need large diameter beams or lumber, it will need to come from western red cedar that was grown in coastal forests.

Website design By BotEap.comSmaller inland trees are better suited to different products than coastal trees, Mackie said. Split rail fences or smaller pieces of wood are two common uses for interior red cedar.

Website design By BotEap.com“There’s not as wide a product range for inland cedar,” Mackie said.

Website design By BotEap.com4. Making the grade

Website design By BotEap.comThe two types of cedar are also processed and graded differently. Cedar is generally classified into “clear” and “knotty” grades. “Clear” is the most visually perfect wood, while “knotty” is what it looks like: it’s quality wood that is structurally sound, but has some knots or other visual imperfections. Within the “clean” designation, lumber is classified in grades from A to D, with “A and better clears” being the highest grade and “D” being the lowest.

Website design By BotEap.comAccording to Mackie, Inland Red Cedar has a lower percentage of light wood, so small that most Inland Red Cedar growers don’t even sell A grade materials. “D and better light” is usually the highest grade available for Inland Red Cedar. It is still quality wood, but it is not as free of knots and stains as “A” or better. Western Red Cedar growers have enough volume to offer a wide range of light grades, up to the highest vertical grain light heart grades.

Website design By BotEap.comAlso, two different pieces of wood could be similarly labeled even though they were actually graded according to different standards. According to Mackie, different lumber producers grade according to different rules. Western red cedar growers grown in coastal regions classify under cedar-specific rules, houseplants do not.

Website design By BotEap.com“A lot of the coastal mills just process cedar,” Mackie said. “Inland mills might make a ponderosa pine chuck, then white pine, then cedar.”

Website design By BotEap.comBecause cedar is just one of many products that inland sawmills offer, they are not governed by cedar-specific rules. Mackie said that in the “knotty” grades, interior cedar is often graded according to Ponderosa pine grade rules. It all depends on where the wood was harvested and what set of standards that particular producer was using.

Website design By BotEap.com5. Make the choice

Website design By BotEap.comSo just because two pieces of wood look like cedar, smell like cedar, and may even be botanical siblings, doesn’t mean they’re identical. If you’re looking for a smaller piece of cedar where durability matters but appearance isn’t as crucial, Inland Red Cedar might fit your needs. If you’re looking for a really big beam or lumber and need the highest quality cedar available, Western Red Cedar is your best bet.

Website design By BotEap.comKnow your source, consider your project needs, and you’ll be sure to get the type of cedar that’s right for you.