Northern White Cedar - Information and Benefits

Northern White Cedar has many benefits and is very popular for log furniture because of its many aesthetic and molecular advantages. The USDA Forestry Division ranks it as one of the best woods to use in exterior building. Northern White Cedar has the lowest shrinkage factor, lowest moisture content, and requires very little maintenance. Northern White Cedar is one of the most versatile woods available. In fact, Northern White Cedar is one of only three woods allowed by National BOCA Code to be used to build a deck or porch without pressure treating for rot, decay, fungi, and wood infesting insects. Northern White Cedar is one of only a few woods that can be used for outdoor log furniture instead of pressure treated lumber because of its long life, durability, stability, and resistance to rot, insects, and fungi. Northern White Cedar is produced in the greatest quantities in Canada, Maine, and the Great Lake States. Although it is a difficult tree to harvest, its many aesthetic and structural advantages make up for this. Northern White Cedar grows in damp swampland and can be harvested only when the winter’s chill freezes the ground sufficiently to support the weight of the loggers and their heavy equipment. Even with the most determined effort and the longest winter, loggers manage to fell barely half the Northern White Cedar trees that are ready to harvest each year. Northern White Cedar is an extremely slow growing tree with very tight growth rings. The trees that are mostly harvested are from 25 – 75 years old. The cedar wood is one of the most versatile. It is nearly impervious to insects, rot, and fungi. It requires little maintenance, it is easy to handle, dimensionally stable, and as durable as it is beautiful. The heartwood is light brown, and the sapwood is thin and white. Northern White Cedar is a superior choice for log furniture because of its beauty, practicality, and durability. The Northern White Cedar used in log furniture is a creamy white color that gracefully weathers to a silver-gray color when left out in the sun. Cedar is naturally resistant to decay and insect damage. Because of this, cedar log furniture can be used indoors or out, and may be left completely unfinished, treated with protectants, even stained or painted. Whether finished or not, each piece of log furniture will be a durable, beautiful addition to any home, cabin, outdoor setting or garden. The information above was provided by our knowledge as well as our friends at Timber Ridge Furniture