Sourced from North America, Western Red
Cedar is one of the
great renewable resources and is a remarkable timber.
It is renowned for its durability, dimensional stability and ease
of finishing. These qualities make it the obvious choice for all
external areas of a home including:
* Full house cladding
* Feature walls and entrances
* Gable ends and balcony undersides
* Garage doors
* Windows and doors
* Outdoor gazebos, spa enclosures, pool pergolas
* Boat sheds
* Granny flats, workshops, cubby houses
The timber naturally produces a wide range of colours and grain
effects. This lends itself suitable for walls and ceilings.
Thermal Insulation
Thermal insulation depends on the ability of timber
to trap air pockets
in its cellular structure. Woods with a low density have the highest
thermal insulating value. Western Red Cedar with a density of
approximately 368kg/m3 is one of the lightest commercial timbers
thereby giving it the best thermal insulating rating of most timbers
and exceeds most other common building materials.
Durability
The long-term performance of timber in an external
environment is
primarily a function of dimensional stability and resistance to decay
of the timber.
All woods absorb
or discharge moisture to attain equilibrium with the
surrounding atmosphere. This activity is responsible for the seasonal
movement of timber. Western Red Cedar however, has a very low
shrinkage factor and therefore resists the forces that create warping,
twisting and checking.
Western
Red Cedar is rated as Class 1 under the Australian durability
ratings. That is, the timber has a high natural resistance to decay
and termite attack. Timbers of this rating are most suitable for use
in exposed, aggressive environments.
