Reclaimed wood often gets tagged as worn-out. Nothing could be further from the truth. Much of today’s reclaimed wood kept structures together for 100 years before being torn out for discard or reuse. Reclaimed wood is not worn if it still performs, which is why wood vendors deconstruct old warehouses and barns in the first place.

FSC® certified wood may not be the best choice for a renovation or new construction project for several reasons. Budget constraints, extensive supply needs, and reusing preferences are three common reasons. So, reusing wood such as reclaimed western red cedar is ideal. However, reclaimed cedar doesn’t have to look old, which is important when new-looking wood is needed to meet aesthetic preferences and design builds.

Reclaimed cedar can be repurposed into new-looking lumber that’s as stable as, well, 100-year-old wood. There are extra steps and time involved to repurpose reclaimed cedar to fit your project needs. These steps may include: Cutting down planks for fitting purposes, re-sanding to remove surface blemishes, and refinishing to polish off the job.

AltruWood recommends the following when shopping for reclaimed western red cedar slated for repurposing and reusing projects:

- Ask for professional grading when reclaimed cedar is slated for structural purposes.
- Ask your vendor for their reclaimed wood buyer’s guide.
- Ask about warping, rot, splitting, and loose knots, characteristics that can affect reclaimed wood’s structural integrity.
- Ask to see the wood or pictures of it, if possible, before purchasing.

It’s worth mentioning that using reclaimed western red cedar keeps our forests healthy. You help sustain our forests be decreasing the demand for new wood, including new FSC® certified wood products.

Check out Altruwood’s blog for more of the wood-stuff, including FSC® Certified & Reclaimed Western Red Cedar and FSC® Certified Wood: Recycled and reclaimed wood products.

- Nicole Morales

Western red cedar is a popular choice for siding, shingles, and shakes. Western red cedar is lightweight, naturally resistant to moisture and decay, and resin-free. The same properties that help make western red cedar resist moisture and decay also keeps the bugs away – this natural preservative gets stronger with age.

Natural properties aside, it’s still important to prime and pre-stain western red cedar for exterior applications, especially if you want it to weather naturally into grey. Priming and staining sustains the wood’s performance and maintains its natural properties.

Priming western red cedar

Priming western red cedar helps the wood’s natural properties stay put. Without a primer, tannins from within the cedar mix with moisture and seep to the wood’s surface, naturally staining and discoloring the surface. This is called extractive bleeding, a naturally occurring process that does not affect western red cedar’s properties. However, extractive bleeding does affect the properties of finish-stains and paints. These extractive bleeding stains can discolor some paints and compromise the intended performance of finish-stains.

Primer prevents this from happening – be sure to use a western red cedar stain-blocking primer or one formulated for extractive bleeding. Ask about Altruwood’s factory-priming option when ordering FSC® certified cedar siding, shakes, and shingles.

Staining western red cedar

After priming western red cedar siding, shingles, and shakes, you can stain the wood’s surface. A stain protects the cedar from weathering, discoloration, and moisture damage.

Walk into any home do-it-yourself paint and supply store and you’re bound to be inundated with finish-stains. These products provide protection and also dress up the wood’s surface, enhancing cedar’s natural colors and textures or changing its face altogether. Three common choices are solid-color stains, semi-transparent stains, and transparent stains.

Solid-color stains act as a barrier between the elements and the wood, forming a film around the wood. Semi-transparent stains are ideal when you want to maintain western red cedar’s natural finish without weathering. Semi-transparent stains penetrate the wood’s pores, to varying degrees based on product. Transparent stains enhance the wood’s color and act as an invisible protectant, especially transparent stains with fungicide.

Read and follow the manufacturer’s label to prevent unwanted surprises, such as coat discoloration and cracks, down the road.

Things to think about

The best time to prime and stain western red cedar siding, shingles, and shakes is before installation. Waiting to prime and stain western red cedar after installation is risky and can compromise the performance of paints and stains, especially when overlap is a part of installation. You may not see it, but weathering happens immediately – even the smallest amount of sun, wind, rain, and moisture weathers wood. The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association (WRCLA) says, “the longer the period the Western Red Cedar is left to weather, the more rapidly the finish may fail,” because you are left with a degraded surface that will need to be refinished – sanded, brushed, and washed – before a finish is applied. The WRCLA recommends finishing western red cedar within two weeks of installation.

It’s a dirty job, but applying primer and stain to all sides of western red cedar siding, shingles, and shakes increases the performances of the primer and stain.

A note about paint: Paint provides good protection against natural weathering, discoloration, and water damage, but it’s not a preservative.

- Nicole Morales

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/

Climate
Where in the world will your western red cedar go? In the rainy Northwest? Under the sun in the Southwest? In the hot and humid South? You may sense what we’re getting at here: climate is an important factor when buying western red cedar, or really any wood.

Temperature, moisture, aridness, and even wind all affect the performance of wood over time. Cedar shakes and cedar shingles, though stable, do weather naturally over time. Weathered western red cedar turns grey, more rapidly when installed unfinished. A classic and charming beach front house comes to mind with cedar shakes and shingles that take on a puzzle-like, grey piece here, grey piece there, exterior. In drier climates, unfinished western red cedar takes on a shiny silver appearance. Natural finishing aside, western red cedar is susceptible to premature weathering from water stains, dirt, and mildew. Routine washing and cleaning is important.

To preserve the warm reds and golden hues of newly installed western red cedar, apply a finish application that meets the needs of your cedar’s end use. We won’t lie, it’s tedious and time-consuming to apply a finish the first time around, so consider ordering pre-finished siding, shingles, and shakes to make installation easier. Then there’s the routine maintenance required to keep the color in the cedar. And it’s the climate that determines how fast your cedar weathers, what color grey it’ll weather to, and just how routine your maintenance will become–all things to think about.

Grain
Grain is good. Grain is great. And grain determines your western red cedar’s fate. And for the most part, western red cedar offers long lasting performance, thanks to its roots – its long lean trunk generally produces long straight grain lumber.

When knots are present in the lumber, they are tight and do not affect the performance of western red cedar – many manufacturers and vendors sell the highest knot grades – select tight knot – to consumers who desire a knotty, more rustic look. Always ask about the grade to ensure it meets your project’s requirements and end-use.

Consider the grain pattern you need to meet your project guidelines and end-appearance. Opt for clear vertical grain – the grain to withstand the elements – for exterior projects, such as siding, shingle, and shakes. AltruWood offers Premium, Number 1, Number, 2, and Number 3 western red cedar grades.

Type
Like grain pattern, the type of western red cedar siding, shingles, and shakes is important. Take siding, for example, which comes in a variety of types: bevel, lap, and the vertically-placed board-and-batten sidings. Each of these siding types has their own defining widths and thicknesses – with a range of sizes specific to each type – used to achieve a certain aesthetic.

Bevel siding is thicker at the butt, adding surface dimension with its shadow lines (this thickness helps protect buildings from the elements). The thickness of board-and-batten siding, on the other hand, stays the same throughout the length of the board, creating this siding type’s signature channeling effect.

Note that the lumber industry uses the term nominal when it measures lumber. The nominal size is really the actual size rounded up. For instance, a 1 inch nominal thickness has an actual thickness of 7/8 of an inch.

- Nicole Morales

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

AltruWood‘s cedar comes from the highest-quality Canadian fiber. Its tight growth rings make it durable, and its low density makes it easy to work with. What’s more, cedar fibers contain natural compounds called thujaplicins. These are more than just a word you can use to impress your friends. Thujaplicins give western red cedar natural preservative qualities. It will stay in good condition for years, and it requires minimal treatment–no chemical preservatives needed.

Tight, vertical-grain cedar is a popular choice for siding. It comes in wide variety of profiles, so no matter what you have in mind, AltruWood can help you out. You want a clean, contemporary look? Tongue and groove cedar siding is great choice. You’re thinking of something more rustic? Board and batten siding can give your house a Western flair.

Cedar shakes and cedar shingles are something you might associate with beach houses, but they’re popular for inland-dwellers as well. What’s the difference between the two? Cedar shakes are traditionally hand split. That means the pieces vary slightly in size and shape, giving them a natural charm.

Cedar shingles are precision-cut to whatever size you prefer, giving your home a more sophisticated look. Both cedar shakes and cedar shingles can be left untreated, to weather to silvery grey–the traditional beach house look. But western red cedar also accepts stains easily, so you can wind up with whatever hue your heart desires.

What if just buying a quality product isn’t enough for you? What if you want to make sure that the materials used in your home were produced in an ethical and environmentally sustainable way?

AltruWood has got you covered. We are committed to providing sustainable materials and specialize in products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council®. The FSC® is an international non-profit agency dedicated to promoting responsible forestry. When you buy FSC®-certified western red cedar from AltruWood, you can be sure of the following:

• that the logging was done in a way that maintains the integrity of the forest
• that all applicable laws and treaties were followed when producing the lumber
• that the people logging the forests had permission to do so
• that no hazardous chemicals were used and no habitat of endangered plants or animals was destroyed
• that the workers were treated fairly

Those principles hold true all the way up and down the supply chain; if it says FSC®-certified, you can be certain that the most stringent standards were met.

What if you’re so committed to recycling that you want even the wood you use to build your house to be of post-consumer origin? No problem. AltruWood also sells reclaimed cedar. This is material that was previously used for another building, or sometimes salvaged fallen logs. When that building is torn down, lumber dealers like Altruwood can find new life in the old wood, re-milling it into beautiful siding, shakes, decking material, or whatever other use you have in mind.

Whatever you decide to do with your cedar–and whether you decide to use new, FSC-certified, or reclaimed cedar–you can be sure that it will stand the test of time.

- Jennifer Rouse

Western red cedar is a great insulator too. Because it’s less dense, there are more air spaces packed into its fibers compared to other softwoods. According to the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association, it’s this property that makes western red cedar a superior thermal insulator.

Another stellar property of western red cedar is its lack of pitch or gooey sap. Since it’s relatively clean, this wood holds paints, stains, and glues well. Cedar is easy to cut, fasten, and nail, making it perfect for siding. Did you know that many homes built in the early to mid-1900’s in the soggy Pacific Northwest still have their original cedar siding? With routine homeowner maintenance, cedar house siding can stand the test of time.

Advantages aside, western red cedar is beautiful. From its golden yellows to rich reddish browns, cedar adds warmth to any exterior.

Western red cedar siding

Choices abound when it comes to cedar siding products. So if you’re in the market for cedar house siding, vertical cedar siding, or beveled cedar siding, ask yourself these questions to make siding shopping easier:

• What product dimension does your project call for?
• What product profile are you looking for? Plain? Board & batten? Or, tongue & groove micro bevel? Check out AltruWood’s profile chart to help you decide.
• What product grade does your project need? Is clear grade cedar, called B & Better Clear, needed? Or, can you opt for STK, select tight knot grade?
• How about the face? Not your pretty mug, but your cedar’s? Two common cedar surfaces are rough sawn and smooth (which is finish-ready).
• Are there other cedar siding specifics your project needs, such as a fire treatment or kiln drying?

Want to do your part to practice green building and help keep our forests healthy? Invest in FSC® Certified cedar siding and ask your vendor about their FSC® wood products. AltruWood is proud to offer FSC® Certified western red cedar sourced from our neighbors up north in British Columbia, Canada.

- Nicole Morales