The Many Benefits of Western Red Cedar
The Smart Choice For Wood Patio Furniture
By Paul Dunn
Western Red Cedar is native to the northwestern United States in Alaska, southwestern Canada, and down into northwestern California, stretching inland to western Montana. The timber is very highly valued for its resistance to rot and decay and is extensively used in outdoor construction such as patio furniture, posts, decking, shingles, siding, and many more. Western Red Cedar is the ideal choice for outdoor use due to its many remarkable traits. These include:
It Doesn't Warp Western Red Cedar has twice the stability of the most common softwoods. The natural tendency of Cedar is to lie flat and stay straight. This keeps Cedar from warping, twisting, and checking which is common among many other wood species.
It Stays Cool Western Red Cedar is an excellent thermal insulator which keeps it cool even on the hottest days.
It Resists Bacteria and Fungus Western Red Cedar is naturally resistant to bacteria and fungus making it an excellent choice for outdoor use.
It Won't Rot or Decay Western Red Cedars natural oils act as a preservative. This helps Cedar resist rot and decay making it excellent building material for moist or humid climates.
It's Durable Western Red Cedar has been used for generations for roofing and shingles, fences, fence posts, planking for small boat hulls and, of course, for outdoor furniture. A Western Red Cedar fence post will last up to 16 years in the ground. Cedar patio furniture left out year round, untreated and uncovered in rugged winters, will last a minimum of 8 to 10 years. Furniture that is brought inside or covered for the winter will last twice that long.
Its Easy to Finish Western Red Cedar is free of pitch and resin making it the best softwood to paint, stain, or oil.
It Smells Great Naturally occurring organic compounds in Cedar give off that richly distinct aroma that smells so good to humans but makes the wood highly unattractive to insects, moths and other pests.
Its a Natural Alternative to Chemically Treated Wood Much of today's outdoor furniture is soaked in toxic chemical preservatives such as copper, arsenic, and chromium.
Wood patio furniture made from Western Red Cedar has all the qualities needed for surviving the sometimes harsh conditions outdoors, and besides that, it looks and smells great too.
