Not so fast, friend. There’s actually a lot more to cedar than you might realize. So if you’re a novice in the ways of this aromatic wood, here’s a little bit of Cedar 101 for you.

Western red cedar is botanically known as Thuja plicata, and it’s a softwood native to the western U.S. and Canada, known for its beauty, extreme durability, and natural preservatives. Incense cedar, Port Orford Cedar, and Alaskan (Yellow) Cedar are other cedar varieties that you might see at a lumber supplier. Western red cedar, however, is the largest and most abundant cedar variety available in the U.S. and Canada. It’s great for cedar siding, cedar decking, cedar shakes and cedar shingles.

Even once you’ve made up your mind that you want Thuja plicata, there are still a few things you should know. This species grows primarily in British Columbia, with some found in western Washington and Oregon. However, some Western red cedar grows on the interior slopes of the Rocky Mountains, in Idaho, Montana, and parts of Alberta and eastern British Columbia.

The cedar trees grown on these inland, higher-elevation forests are still Thuja plicata — the same botanical species as the coastal-grown Western red cedar — but there are differences in the wood. So much so that it’s sometimes processed and graded differently. The coast species will normally be labeled “Western Red Cedar,” the other labeled “Inland Red Cedar.”

Paul Mackie is the western area manager of the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association, but he also answers to “Mr. Cedar” for his ability to answer cedar questions—you can check out his skills yourself on the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association website’s “Ask Mr. Cedar” feature. Mackie said that while there is no botanical distinction between the trees grown inland and trees grown on the coast, buyers will see a difference if they examine both Inland Red Cedar and Western Red Cedar.

“The inland fiber is different from the coastal materials,” he said. “The inland fiber will be lighter, striped in appearance, and the percentage of clear is much less.”

AltruWood sources its Western red cedar from trees grown in the coastal climate. These giants grow in rainy forests, located anywhere from sea level to about 4,000 to 5,000 feet in altitude, and in warmer, wetter conditions than the cedars grown on the other side of the mountains. Coastal western red cedars can grow up to 200 feet tall and more than 10 feet in diameter. They also offer a more varied appearance.

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

The coastal cedars also tend to have a higher percentage of “clear” grade material—the high-quality, vertical-grain wood that the best quality siding, decking, and timbers are made from.

In the higher altitude and drier climate, inland red cedar just doesn’t get as big. If you need massive, large-diameter beams or timbers, they’re going to have to come from coastal cedars.

These smaller inland red cedar trees are most often processed into different products than coastal red cedar, Mackie said – smaller dimensional lumber or split rail fencing, for example.

“There’s not nearly as wide of a product range for inland cedar,” Mackie said.

Another difference is the way it’s processed and graded. There are several different lumber grading agencies in the U.S. and Canada, each with its own set of names for different grades.

In general, cedar is usually sorted into “clear” and “knotty” grades. The best and most blemish-free wood is referred to as “clear,” and within the “clear” designation, lumber is further sorted out by just how free from defects it is, with A being the highest and D being the lowest.

According to Mackie, inland red cedar has a lower percentage of clear lumber — so small that most producers of inland red cedar don’t have enough of the highest grade to send to market. Instead, the highest you’ll most likely find is “D and better clears” for inland red cedar. Western red cedar producers have enough volume to offer a wide range of clear grades, all the way up to the very highest grades of clear vertical-grain heart.

Another thing to keep in mind is which grading system different mills are using.

“Many of the coastal mills only process cedar,” Mackie said. “The inland mills might do a run of ponderosa pine, then of white pine, then of cedar.”

Because cedar is just one of many products they offer, their wood is not normally graded according to cedar-specific rules. Mackie said that in the “knotty” grades, inland cedar is often graded according to Ponderosa Pine grade rules. It all depends on where the wood was milled and what set of standards that particular producer was using. That means a “knotty” grade inland red cedar was not necessarily graded according to the same standards as a “knotty” grade coastal cedar.

So, just because two pieces of wood both look like cedar, smell like cedar, and may even be botanical brothers, doesn’t mean that they are identical.

Know your source, and you’ll be sure of getting exactly the kind of cedar you’re looking for.

Many thanks to Mr. Cedar for his time and knowledge!

- Jennifer Rouse

Image source: rachel_thecat, http://www.flickr.com/photos/23209605@N00/542151129/

Because, unless you’re a lumber professional, “mixed grain” sounds like a loaf of bread, and “tight knot” sounds like a complaint to take to your masseuse.

Keep reading. We’ll help you out.

First of all, you’ve taken a step in the right direction by choosing western red cedar for your project. Western red cedar is known as one of the most durable of woods. Within its fibers, naturally-occurring chemical compounds give it unique preservative qualities. It’s resistant to rot and decay, and it has tight growth rings that give the wood extra durability.

When it comes to purchasing western red cedar, your lumber supplier will offer a variety of different grades, depending on what you’re using it for. If it’s for a load-bearing wall or timber, for example, it may be graded by “structural” standards, whereas if it’s paneling, siding, or trim, it will be graded based on “appearance” grades. That doesn’t mean appearance-graded products aren’t tough–it just means that they’re also judged based on how they look.

Clear vertical grain is generally considered to be the highest grade wood. “Clear” means that the wood is virtually free from knots or other imperfections. “Vertical grain” refers to the way the Western red cedar board was cut. Vertical grain is cut perpendicular to the tree’s annual growth rings.

According to the Western Wood Products Association, a national lumber grading agency, vertical grain is the most durable choice. Why? For one thing, vertical grain holds its shape well, and as it expands and contracts naturally in response to moisture in the air, it will do so evenly. It won’t warp or bend. It also stains more evenly and has a clean, elegant look, without a lot of variation in tone.

Mixed grain is another option when it comes to purchasing western red cedar lumber. This means that when you shipment of wood comes, it will include a mixture of different types of boards. Some of it will be vertical grain (you might see it referred to just by initials: VG); and some of it will be flat grain (FG). Flat grain means that when the board was originally cut from a log, it was run through the saw the other way–parallel to the annual growth rings of the tree. Instead of thin vertical lines running up and down the length of the board, you’ll see a wavy pattern of wood grain, also sometimes called cathedral grain.

Within the mixed grain (MG) designation, you run into still more letters, such as A, B, C, and so on. In general, the closer the letter is to the beginning of the alphabet the better the appearance grade of western red cedar. “A” grade cedar has a few more imperfections than clear vertical grain. It allows up to two small, tight knots in a board, but that doesn’t detract from its structural stability. Mixed grain shipments of A and B quality are still going to be a highly durable material, but they won’t have quite the same clean, perfect appearance or dimensional stability of clear vertical grain.

Other varieties of cedar product include Select Tight Knot (STK) and Knotty. Again, these words refer more to appearance than to strength. Some builders and designers prefer the more rustic, casual look of western red cedar that displays natural knots and variations within the wood. The knots in these grade are referred to as “sound and tight”–they’re not going to fall out and leave you with a hole in your cedar siding or cedar paneling.

If you’ve got the budget for clear vertical grain western red cedar, then go for it–it’s a beautiful material that meets the highest quality standards. If you want something that’s still durable but more affordable, then consider mixed grain, select Tight Knot and/or Knotty. These tend to be more economical than the highest-quality grades, but they still provide all the benefits of western red cedar–beautiful color, wonderful natural aroma, and superb durability.

- Jennifer Rouse

Before the advent of mill houses, farmers, settlers, and builders used whatever wood they could get their axes on to construct their dwellings. A good piece of wood, back then, was one that had been felled to clear land for the barn or silo. People were practical – many didn’t have the money or the means to secure their top choice of timber. Lucky for us, their resourcefulness has turned up some surprising finds during deconstructions of old barns, warehouses, dwellings.

Mixing different species of reclaimed wood beams is best when a combination of grain patterns, patinas, and preconditions are desired in the aesthetic application. An eclectic mix of old timbers above the stairwell, along the corridor, or wrapped around the doorway is a modern twist on the traditional matchy-matchy of one wood species hugging the ceiling or lining the walls. For those looking to replicate woodwork of the past, mixing reclaimed hand hewn beams for a decorative purpose is an ideal option – it was a common practice 100 to 200 years ago.

If the thought of an eclectic mix of grain patterns and shades makes you dizzy, it is possible to re-manufacture the beams for a more uniform appearance. Different wood timbers can be re-hand hewn, sanded, or milled. However, any character marks – chisels, checks, cracks – will appear less impressive or be effaced entirely. Check out AltruWood’s Buyer’s Guide to Reclaimed Beams to find out what to expect on the surface of recycled lumber, including metal content, nail holes, and splitting.

There’s more work involved if mixed timbers are slated for structural use. Each reclaimed beam, regardless of species, needs a professional grading. Additional barn beams may need to be ordered to account for any reclaimed beams that are unfit for structural use, increasing cost and perhaps extending the project’s time frame. Yet, using a mix of reclaimed wood beams can also help alleviate costs for large-scale projects – it’s expensive to secure a large supply of reclaimed beams identical in nature and condition.

Mixing reclaimed hand hewn beams is a viable option, especially for aesthetic applications where an assorted display of old woods is desired and a nod to the past is more than welcomed. Here’s to the builders of the past!

- Nicole Morales

Just what are decorative beams, and how do they differ from structural beams? Decorative beams are designed for easy installation and are cut to fit the needs of your particular ceiling. The biggest difference between decorative and structural beams is size: in order to support the ceiling of your home, structural beams require a great amount of thickness and density. With decorative wood beams, the opposite is desired – a light-weight alternative that won’t compromise the integrity of your ceiling or roof. Often, decorative beams are half the size (or less) of structural beams, and may be hollowed-out to reduce weight (and therefore the strain on the ceiling).

A popular choice for ceiling adornment is reclaimed wood beams. Decorative reclaimed lumber is often manufactured from the structural beams of abandoned and demolished antique homes, barns, businesses, or warehouses. These giant beams are cut (typically in half) and refinished to fit the design needs of the new space. A common trait of reclaimed lumber is hand hewing. Hand hewn beams were shaped from the log by hand, using a set of axes. Hand hewn lumber is valued for its characteristic score marks, which result from the squaring of the original log. These marks lend a rustic quality to the surface of the wood, which, when paired with an exquisite finish, can make for beautiful decorative beams. When using reclaimed wood beams, it is essential to sand down score marks where the beam is to be adhered to the ceiling.

A common shape for decorative wood beams is the box design. Box beams are three-sided with a large channel running through, where the fourth side was cut. The box design has several advantages over solid wood beams. First, the weight is dramatically reduced by hollowing out the wood. Second, the space created in the wood beam can be used to hide electrical wires from light fixtures or flaws in the surface of your ceiling.

Many lumber manufacturers use faux timbers for their decorative beams. While this is an affordable alternative to real wood, there is no comparing the quality of old-forest wood to the polyurethane imitations. As mentioned, reclaimed wood is valued for its aesthetic qualities. Furthermore, using reclaimed and antique wood beams is a green practice, as it reuses previously milled lumber from a tree felled many years ago. The old-forest structural and stylish quality of reclaimed wood beams is exemplified by antique pines and firs, particularly the Douglas Fir.

- Ian Friedman

Not all reclaimed beams started out this way. Old-world woodcrafters hewed only the wood available to them in any one region. So just what woods were used for hand hewing beams back in the day? And, which woods were better suited for structural purposes compared to aesthetic applications? The quick answer is all wood species.

Both hardwood and softwood types were hand hewn into timber frame beams for barns, warehouses, and dwellings. Both wood types have aged for hundreds of years, making them remarkably dry and dense and stable for all decorative applications, including fireplace mantle beams, wall posts, and even wall art. However, using reclaimed hand hewn timbers for structural purposes, including half structural + half aesthetic, does require research into the histories of reclaimed beams and also professional grading of each beam.

Softwood frame beams may be hewn from Douglas fir, redwood, or hemlock. Softwoods are characteristically stable and straight wood types. Douglas fir, with its clear vertical grain pattern, has been favored for years in framing for its stability and is a popular choice in reclaimed beam structural applications because of its tight vertical grain. AtlruWood offers graded Doug fir timbers for structural purposes. Reclaimed Douglas fir timbers, recovered from 100 to 200-year-old sites, exude exquisite patina.

Oak, maple, and elm are common hardwood hand hewn beams. Antique hardwood beams are often used in decorative applications. As with all structural purposes, professional grading of reclaimed hardwood hewn hand beams is recommended, especially when weight bearing loads require certification. Check out AltruWood’s Buyer’s Guide to Reclaimed Beams to learn more about what to expect from using reclaimed hand hewn beams in renovation projects.

- Nicole Morales

Antique wood beams are both an impressive sight and a responsible consumer choice. Antique timbers are reclaimed lumber, taken from old warehouses and barns and used as is, re-hewn or sawn to fit the specs of their new end-use. However, not all timber frame beams are created equal. There’s a difference between hand hewn reclaimed beams and mill sawn reclaimed beams. Read on to find out which beam is best for you.

Hand hewn reclaimed beams

Hand hewn wood beams are handmade. From the broad-axing and adz-axing of each timber to flatten its sides to the custom fitting of each beam on site, the craftsmanship of hand hewn beams is second to none. They have the rich, rustic aesthetic that hand hewn beam lovers admire, letting the lumber’s history speak for itself.

The condition of hand hewn timbers determines their end-use. Hand hewn timbers are popular in aesthetic applications. Nail and bolt holes add to the authenticity of reclaimed timbers as do surface cracks and splits known as checking (from the wood having dried out over time). However, excessive moisture damage, internal splitting, and rot & warping issues negatively affect the wood beams’ structural integrity, sometimes making them unfit for structural applications. If shopping for hand hewn beams for structural applications, AltruWood recommends having the wood beams professionally graded – building codes may require you to do so before installation.

Mill sawn reclaimed beams

Despite the numerous recycled beams in old barns across the Pacific Northwest, AltruWood’s mill sawn reclaimed beams are hand-picked from big-building deconstruction projects. This ensures that the beams are dry, stable, and free of structural issues caused by high levels of moisture in the damp Northwest.

Structurally speaking, a recycled beam is stable and strong, having toughened up over the years in their prior setting. They are an excellent choice for exposed structural applications, when stability and aesthetic are equally important. AltruWood also recommends professional grading on reclaimed fir beams if intended for structural purposes.

When it comes to looks, a mill sawn reclaimed beam of Douglas fir shows off an exquisite rich and honey-hued patina. Unlike hand hewn beams that are axed and chiseled by hand, the texture is finer on reclaimed fir beams, giving the, a more blended and even appearance compared to the heavy surface marks characteristic of hand hewn timbers.

No matter how you beam it, both hand hewn and mill sawn antique timbers put a traditional spin on contemporary construction and can also offer structural support when needed. To boot, reclaimed beams give new life to old wood, decreasing the demand for new wood.

- Nicole Morales

First comes a potentially tough choice: whether or not you want to stain the wood. While staining can help blend hand hewn beams into the décor of your home, many buyers choose to leave the wood’s natural colors intact. For outdoor use, you can compromise with a dye-based stain, which penetrates, rather than covers, the wood. This prevents weather damage while accentuating the natural colors of the wood.

Indoor or outdoor, your hand hewn beams will need a finish to ensure quality over a lifetime. Choosing the right finish will put an end to needless reapplications. Before applying liquid finish, some choose to smooth the surface with abrasives. Commonly, a grit blaster is used. Grit blasters use compressed air to propel abrasive material at a surface. This technique creates an even surface on the wood, without sacrificing the unique, rustic qualities of reclaimed lumber. Furthermore, grit blasting provides a better exterior for applying a liquid finish.

For indoor use, linseed oil is your best bet for protecting antique wood beams while retaining the beautiful surfaces typical of reclaimed lumber. Linseed oil comes in two varieties – raw and boiled. Each has its own advantages and drawbacks. Boiled linseed oil contains driers, which allows for easy application. The raw variety, on the other hand, soaks into the wood, retaining the exterior appearance. However, it takes much longer to dry, and doesn’t hold up well in intense heat. Consider the environment of your house when choosing between raw and boiled linseed oil. These finishes are also available in colors, if so desired.

Your choice of finish for outdoor projects will depend on both the weather in your home town and the amount of surface gloss you want. Lacquer, shellac and polyurethane finishes offer a range of gloss combined with excellent protection. For environmental considerations, you may also consider water-based finishes for your hand hewn timbers.

- Ian Friedman

Reclaimed wood is any wood used for building or furniture that’s already served a purpose in a previous life. That means it comes from a wide variety of places, each with its own unique history.

Many of the reclaimed timbers Altruwood sells are hand-hewn beams from century-old barns that have fallen into disrepair. Rather than send the aged wood to a landfill, deconstruction specialists take the building apart piece by piece, saving timbers that are still useful for another life in another building.

Some pieces are then re-milled into new boards, turning the historic lumber into reclaimed floors or reclaimed siding.

Wood sometimes comes from old commercial or municipal structures. An article in Hardwood Floors magazine refers to America’s collection of dis-used factory buildings and warehouses as an “industrial forest,” each with its own collection of recycled timbers with story to tell.

Tank stock is another unique source of recycled lumber. Antique water tanks or the storage tanks from old wineries and breweries, even pickle plants, can be a source for reclaimed wood. Because the vessels were required to be water-tight, these storage tanks yield very durable vertical-grained wood, with a unique patina from its previous life.

Some reclaimed wood doesn’t come from buildings at all. Railroad ties and old wooden fences don’t yield recycled timbers of the same size as barns and factories do, but wood from these sources has been used to make doors, windows, mantelpieces, furniture, and other pieces where an entire floor worth of wood isn’t needed. Any type of previous use by consumers qualifies wood as being of post-consumer origin, which can qualify it as FSC® Certified lumber. The Forestry Stewardship Council is the leading agency for certifying that wood comes from sustainable sources, so choosing FSC® certified wood for your building project adds to the structures “green” credentials.

Other sources have never had a prior consumer use, but the wood from them is still called “salvaged” or “reclaimed” because it originates from trees that are dead and would otherwise not be usable. Altruwood’s Naturally Dry Beams are milled from trees that have died naturally, while still standing, due to firekill or damage. Because these timbers begin the drying process while still standing in the forest, Naturally Dry Timbers are very stable, with less twisting and warping than green timber.

Some salvaged wood is pulled out of rivers; divers search America’s waterways for trees that have fallen and been washed downstream. The logs are then pulled out and milled into lumber for a variety of uses.

The multitude of sources for reclaimed wood means that no two lots of reclaimed lumber—and probably no two individual boards—will be exactly alike. Each timber bears marks from its previous life, whether it’s slivers of fading barn paint or staining from gallons of wine. These marks don’t just add beauty; they add character.

Conventional wood floors might be lovely, but walking on wood that came from a 150-year-old brewery just feels cooler. That—along with unique aesthetics and un-matched eco-friendliness—is what you get when you choose reclaimed lumber. It’s not just wood. It’s a wooden slice of history.

- Jennifer Rouse

Hand hewn timbers display characteristic and highly valued score marks, which are the result of removing the rounded edges from the logs by hand. This only occurs in wood hewn with axes, rather than on a machine. Given the unique qualities of each log, hand hewing can give a more tailored fit to lumber.

There are many popular varieties of reclaimed wood beams. Barn beams are a popular source for antique lumber; they are plentiful in larger barns, and were cut to stand the test of time. Their rustic look is extremely popular, as the lumber has a less uniform appearance, with flaws in the wood highlighted rather than cut away. Hand hewn beams are typically made of a softer wood, as they are easier to manipulate with smaller axes and other tools.

There are few craftspeople who still hew lumber by hand. And for good reason – it’s a long and tiring process, which can be done in a mill in much less time. In addition, hand hewn timbers that are used in construction often need to be hewn again to fit against other pieces. Luckily, there is a vast amount of antique lumber across the country, which can be reclaimed at a fraction of the price of hand hewing new beams. The environmental impact of using recycled lumber is tremendous, and is certainly worth the price of tearing down unused barns and houses. The aesthetic qualities of hand hewn beams will always keep the product in style.

Reclaimed lumber is prized both for its unique aesthetic properties and its eco-friendly qualities. It has fast become a highly sought-after item in the design world. As it has soared in popularity, artisans and designers around the nation are using recycled lumber to craft an array of items, from the most utilitarian to the most fanciful. Name a household item that can be manufactured from wood, and someone has probably used recycled lumber to make it.

Let’s start with the basics: the materials that make up the place you call home.

Flooring is one of the most common uses of reclaimed lumber. Large timbers salvaged from old barns, industrial buildings–any large wooden structure that’s no longer been used–can be re-milled into large, wide-plank flooring with character that can’t be matched by newer woods. Reclaimed floors such as Altruwood’s antique oak flooring feature details like nail holes from the hundred-year-old nails used the first time around. These tiny marks are prized by enthusiasts for the character and interest they add to recycled flooring. Depending on the quality, original flooring can also be reclaimed and recycled in a new space.

Siding is another extremely popular use for recycled wood. In particular, wood that comes from old barns can be turned into unique reclaimed siding. In some cases, all the paint has been worn off to create a silvery, weathered gray, while in others remnants of the original paint color remain–red or white were popular barn paint choices. Homeowners and designers can mix and match their recycled siding to create an extremely unique look.

Larger reclaimed timbers, when they are in good condition, can be re-used as ceiling beams. In home design, they add an old-world feel to a structure, reminiscent of a mountain lodge or old Tuscan farmhouse. These recycled timbers come from the kind of old-growth trees that aren’t cut down in the U.S. lumber industry any longer, which means that salvaging them from old structures is one of the only ways to get timbers of this type. What’s more, the sustainability inherent in re-using an already-cut tree and keeping good lumber out of the landfill means that recycled wood can be certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council™ (FSC®). Reclaimed wood is of post-consumer origin, which means that FSC® certified flooring, FSC® certified siding, and other FSC® certified wood products can qualify building projects for points in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system.

Recycled wood doesn’t have to be limited to a building’s structural and surface components, however. The smaller details in the home can be made from reclaimed wood as well. Jeld-Wen, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of windows and doors, is jumping into the reclaimed market. In Spring 2011 the company began offering windows and doors made from reclaimed woods, including old snow fences from Wyoming.

When it comes to other uses, homeowners can find an entire household worth of reclaimed wood furnishings: coffee tables made out of floorboards from old gymnasiums, complete with free-throw line markings; dining sets made from railroad ties, serving platters made from old wine barrels.

In Texas, artists are printing photographs on wood flooring and selling them as wall hangings; even the latest incarnation of the Planters Peanut-mobile features reclaimed oak flooring inside. For enthusiasts who love the look and feel of reclaimed wood so much that they want to literally wear it around their neck, a San Francisco company has the answer: ties made out of thin strips of reclaimed redwood.

So go ahead. When you’re envisioning what reclaimed lumber would look like in your home, feel free to dream big…or small. Wooden necktie, anyone?

- Jennifer Rouse