WoodwoodSoftwood
Cedar (Western Red)
Light, naturally decay-resistant softwood that is dimensionally stable when wet. The default cladding, roofing and outdoor trim material where structure is not carrying the load.
Properties
- Family
- Wood
- Category
- wood
- Species
- Thuja plicata
- Density
- 0.37 g/cm³ · 370 kg/m³
Densityhow cedar (western red) compares
Applicationswhere cedar (western red) is normally specified
CladdingRoofingOutdoor furnitureSiding
Practical notes
- Density is for air-dried stock at about 12% moisture content
- Low strength for its section — cladding, not structure
- Dents easily; fasteners should be set, not hammered flush
Lumber sizeswhat cedar (western red) weighs in each nominal size
Lumber size databaseDressed sizes are the same for every species — a 2x4 is 1-1/2 x 3-1/2 in in oak as much as in spruce. What changes is the weight, and that is derived here from cedar (western red)'s density of 0.37 g/cm³.
Tools used on itmatched on the wood family, not on this page
All toolsCircular SawCountersinkDrillHole SawImpact DriverJigsawMitre SawRandom Orbit SanderRouterTwist Drill Bits
Which tools work a material is a property of the family (Wood), not of the individual species — so this list is the same on every wood page, and changes when the tool data changes rather than when this paragraph does.