Red cedar vs. white cedar siding

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Red cedar vs. white cedar siding The differences between the two woods, specifically, their suitability for use as siding. October 17, 2000

Q.
Can someone please tell me the difference between these two woods?

Here in Wisconsin I have great access to white cedar. I have built a jig to saw beveled siding on my Baker sawmill, and the stuff coming off the saw looks the same as red cedar. With the price of fuel, I'm wondering if I don't have a market right in my back yard for this product.

A.
Northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) is an excellent wood and has been used for lumber, especially in Maine.

It is much weaker than Eastern red cedar; specific gravity (SG) is 0.31, versus 0.47 for red. Strength is 45,000 psi versus 61,000. White cedar is one of the weakest, lightest-weight woods in the USA.
Gene Wengert, technical advisor

From the original questioner:
What I failed to ask is this: My customers are questioning if the white cedar will weather and perform as well as red cedar in outside conditions?

A.
The decay resistance of the heartwood is just as good, but the strength is much lower, including nail-holding ability, strength as a leg (in furniture), etc.
Gene

Have you reviewed the related Knowledge Base areas below?

KnowledgeBase: Lumber & Plywood: Wood Identification

KnowledgeBase: Primary Processing: Lumber Grading

KnowledgeBase: Wood Engineering: Wood Properties

KnowledgeBase: Knowledge Base

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