The cedar family includes several different species, all from the conifer family, such as Himalayan cedar, Lebanon cedar, and Atlas cedar. It is a softwood, weighing less than pine.
This tree is most abundant in Central and South America, Algeria, and Lebanon. It grows in mountainous areas or places with a monsoon climate, where rain and snow can be abundant.
Generally, cedarwood is light, easy to work, reddish, and has a characteristic fragrance. These are general characteristics of the species. However, we must consider that the name cedar refers to several subspecies, each with its particularities. Depending on the species, this tree can measure between 50 and 20 meters in height, and some specimens have exceeded 2,000 years of age.
Cedar has so many advantages that it is one of the preferred species for housing construction, especially in the USA and Canada. In addition, thanks to its non-impregnation properties, it is a wood that can be transported from one country to another, even to different continents, without the need for treatment.
According to Nortex Fence. Co, cedarwood is naturally resistant to attack by fungi and insects and is therefore classified as durable. This is due, as is the case with the smell, to the resin. As a result, it is suitable for outdoor use. Here are some of the many advantages of cedar as construction timber.
- Low density, between 550-580Kg/m3. It is considered semi-hardwood but light in weight.
- Light pink and lighter sapwood, yellow tone, heartwood can vary from reddish-brown to yellow. Visible and marked growth rings, resulting in good quality and elegant appearance. Good staining properties, making it a wood with many shades.
- It can be given an extra drying treatment with results in very original and beautiful grayish colors.
- This is an aromatic wood thanks to the resin it contains. In addition, it has a natural oil with a very characteristic fragrance that also serves as a protector against fungi and termites.
- Straight and fine fiber, or sometimes intertwined.
- Medium grain.
- In its natural state, it is pretty resistant to insect and fungal attack and is considered durable. In addition, thanks to the cedar oil found in its interior, it is resistant to rot, ideal for exterior use.
- Mechanical properties. It is a wood that is easy to work with, both with tools and manually.
Nortex Fence. Co experts say another advantage of this wood is that it is possible to obtain boards of a much greater length than with other varieties thanks to the system of laminated cedar logs, which is 70% stronger than a standard wooden board. In addition, these logs do not warp and show hardly any cracks, so they are more durable.
However, before the logs are laminated, they will go into a kiln to dry. The advantage of this is that the wood will be drier and therefore hardly subject to any warping during processing or later after installation, which means that you will not have doors or windows that close badly when using our logs. Other advantages of this drying method are:
- It eliminates insects that are sporadically present in the wood;
- The lumber is less heavy so that transportation costs will be lower and the pieces will be easier to use on the job site;
- Kiln-dried and laminated lumber provides greater flexibility because it is much easier to process.
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