Cedar - Strong Durable Timber

A strong and durable timber species, Cedar comes highly recommended for external applications. Make sure yours is sourced sustainably with FSC or PEFC certification from EcoChoice.

What is Cedar?

At EcoChoice, we supply Canadian Western Red Cedar, British-Grown Cedar and even Alaskan Yellow Cedar to projects around the UK – most as cladding boards. All are durable, dimensionally stable timbers, meaning they will not easily warp in humid environments. They are also lightweight so easier to work with than some heavier timbers, such as Oak or Cumaru. For external applications like cladding, they do not need pre-treating and can withstand well the exposure to harsh conditions such as wind and rain.

As with any timber species, when the same species grows in different regions it develops different characteristics because of varying climates and soil conditions. Although Canadian Western Red and UK-Grown Western Red Cedar are in the same family and share some properties, they will not bring identical benefits to your construction.

Canadian Western Red Cedar

Canadian Western Red Cedar is tougher than its British counterpart, mostly due to the harsher winters it grows under. It also has fewer knots and is a denser timber, both of which contribute to increased durability. This makes it more hard-wearing for external products – e.g cladding – where its resistance to humidity, decay and insect infestation makes it a lower maintenance choice.

In terms of appearance, Western Red Cedar lives up to its name with red, orange and cream hues across the boards. However, the overall colour can shift depending on the timber you select, with heartwoods ranging from a deep and rich red to a lighter, more golden amber.