Cedar is a wonderfully versatile wood.

Cedar is used in many different exterior applications. 

Most cedar is sourced in Canada, with smaller amounts in Washington and Oregon states. Current production in British Columbia, Canada is using only 1/3 of 1% in annual harvest. Western Red Cedar (WRC) (Thuja plicata) is one of North America’s great renewable resources. Slow growing and naturally durable. Western Red Cedar has one of the longest life spans of any North American softwood. It produces long lengths of timber with true, straight grain. It is free from pitch and its heartwood has natural decay resistance. Its low density gives it an insulation value superior to most other species. Cedar is lightweight, easy to work, easy to finish, possessing outstanding dimensional stability. Western Red Cedar is a preferred wood for nearly all purposes where attractive appearance or resistance to weather is important. The cedar lumber mill association has a great website that covers product, installation, finishing, grades and more: www.wrcla.org

Grades of Cedar
Cedar is one of the most confusing woods to purchase since beyond clear and vertical grain, most other grades are proprietary. This translates to the mills or distributors assigning whatever name they choose. Cedar, like all wood boards, is graded to one side and two edges only. In the specific case of cedar, it is graded to the rough side only (ie s1s2E). 
However, a few general terms are universal:
Clear – no knots, cedar is graded to the rough sawn side (as applicable). All grading applies to just one side and one or two edges.
Select Knotty – or STK (Select Tight Knot) is not in any grade book. It refers to boards that are chosen for their general good appearance with solid, tight knots that should not fall out.
Rough Sawn – Milling process leaving the wood rough–typically the treatment most people identify with cedar.
Smooth Sawn – Milling boards to a smooth appearance
S1S2E–One side and two edges are smooth, leaving the opposing side “rough”.
“No Hole”– generally refers to pickets where the picket—when graded—had no open knotholes, although with no gauranty the knots could fall out in the future, leaving a hole.
Green – Wood of any specie that has not been dried during the milling process.
Dried – Wood of any specie that has been allowed to give up the moisture in the cell structure. The processes include kiln dried, heat treated, air dried and partially air dried

Species of Cedar
Western Red Cedar – the most common and readily available.
Alaskan Yellow Cedar – is actually a type of Cypress.
Inland Red Cedar – is a form of WRC growing in different locations. Log quality and size are limited for consistency.

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Cedar added some much needed warmth to this urban space.

Check out this show-stopping pool & spa in a very tight space.

A beautifully proportioned, two-story addition completely clad in Western Red Cedar. 

See more beautiful photos of this hip urban outdoor space in Australia.
Project of the Week

Treated Cedar...a Contradiction of Terms

We often asked for “treated cedar,” which is a contradiction of terms. Cedar already has the natural chemicals in the wood to resist rot/decay and insect damage. To then apply additional chemicals into the wood is an unnecessary step. 
Cedar is the natural choice for many exterior applications like fencing, trim, pergolas raised garden beds and decks.

On a related note, the chemicals now used to treat lumber are much “better” in every way – safety, health/environment and longevity; however they are still chemicals. Treated lumber should not be used in contact with drinking water or food, including vegetable garden beds.
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May The 4th Be With You‬

‪#‎MayThe4thBeWithYou TIP

How to lower the cost of fencing: 

USE 4” PICKETS instead of 6”; while the narrower size adds to some more installation effort, they are usually far less expensive on a per foot of fence basis.

Stop in a find what you need for that upcoming project!

Front Range Lumber Company is your full-service lumber yard and building materials supplier. 

We stock quality products in the most popular sizes and styles, plus many hard-to-find items you can't get from a big box store.

And, we can custom order just about anything available, and deliver it all to your home or jobsite quickly.

Front Range Lumber has a Western Red Cedar 4” picket.

Does your yard need a new fence?

Front Range Lumber has Western Red Cedar 4” picket supplementing our 7/8” dry “Supreme” Inland Red Cedar picket in stock!

This new item is ¾” thick, rough sawn on both faces. This is not a truly graded both sides picket, but may better satisfy customer demands of an even better looking picket – meaning both sides of the fence look the same (although one side will have the posts and rails. Remember virtually ALL lumber is graded to only one face and side edge.

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A Full Selection of Cedar!

We stock a full selection, including longer lengths of boards, timbers, decking, dimension sized lumber, lattice, post caps and so on. The quality we’re seeing is excellent, some of the best we’ve seen. Watch availability and pricing. As of June, the mills are having difficulty logging; the wet spring and early summer are hampering access to the trees. This tightens the supply side dramatically creating some spot shortages and higher prices.

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