One of the most elegant and durable woods you can consider for building is cedar lumber. It is surprisingly versatile, with is used for building furniture (i.e. foot lockers and chests), as well as bigger structures, like homes. You can purchase the material from a reputable supplier that carries the best grades of cedar timber at competitive prices. Five factors make it popular with builders:
- Responsibly harvested – Buy cedar lumber only from a supplier that sources from sustainable forests in British Columbia. Only one-third of a percentage of BC cedar wood is harvested annually. Although imported, the materials should be shipped directly to your job site or home.
- The characteristics – Cedar produces long pieces of timber with consistent, true, straight grain and a uniform texture, which makes it easy to saw, cut, and nail with ordinary building tools. Boards are highly resistant to splitting, which typically occurs on some types of wood when fasteners are attached. Moreover, the wood naturally resists decay, and is pitch-free. Despite its low density, cedar lumber provides sufficient insulation.
- Easy to work with – Cedar’s versatility is attributed to its light weight and minimal hardness, which is rated 900 on the Janka scale. However, these features make the material easier to work with. You do not need any special tools and heavy-duty saws to build with it, and it is easy to finish, too.
- Durable – Cedar lumber may not be that hard, but it has superb structural stability and shock resistance. So, it should still be able to hold well and last long, especially with proper care and maintenance down the line. Its heartwood contains substances that are toxic to fungus and other elements that could cause decay.
- Available in different types – Reputable suppliers carry a wide array of cedar wood for many different applications. Products include timbers, shingles, decking, flooring, beams, and boards. Each product comes in different sizes and specifications to suit your project.