CEDAR - COMMERCIAL WOOD There are so many woods popularly known by the name "cedar," that this name conveys little idea of the qualities of the timber referred to. Some of these woods are correctly known as cedar, while entirely different names are applied by botanists to the others. In this discussion, it is sufficient to mention seven species which go by the name of cedar, and which have a considerable commercial usefulness — the Southern white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) of the Atlantic Coast States ; the Northern white cedar or arbor vitae (Thuja americana), chiefly important in New England and the Lake States; the red or pencil cedar (Juniperus virginiana), which is most abundant in Tennessee and Florida; the Western red cedar or giant arbor vitae (Thuja plicata) of the Northern Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest; the Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) of Oregon ; the Alaska or yellow cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) of the North Pacific Coast from Oregon to Alaska; and the incense cedar (Librocedrus decurrens) of Southern Oregon and California. All of these so-called cedars have in common a certain lightness in weight, softness, evenness of grain, and resistance to decay, but in varying degrees.
Both the Northern and Southern white cedars are among the lightest of woods in weight, and are soft and easily worked. They are much used for woodenware and in canoe and boat building, and also for shingles, posts, and poles, by far the larger part of the Northern white cedar being used for the latter purpose. The true red or pencil cedar has always been the standard wood for lead pencils, because it is very soft, with a fine, even grain that whittles nicely. It is also among the most durable of woods when exposed to decay-producing influences.
The Western red cedar is much like the Northern white cedar or arbor vitae, but is a larger tree and produces more red heartWood. At the present time, Western red cedar, in addition to supplying a considerable quantity of lumber, posts, and poles, furnishes about two-thirds of all the shingles made in the United States.
The wood of the incense cedar is considerably heavier and stronger than that of the white or red cedar. In fact, in this respect it compares favorably with Southern yellow pine. Incense cedar wood is close-grained, and has a reddish, durable, heartwood useful for many purposes. Port Orford cedar is a wood which is heavy, strong, and stiff. It has a good figure, and polishes well.
The Alaska or yellow cedar has perhaps the hardest wood of any of the so-called cedars. It is light, stiff, and strong, has a good figure, and takes a good polish.
Without distinction as to species, the factory uses of cedar in the United States are summarized in Table 74.
Table 74 Factory Uses of Cedar ' Purpose Per Cent Mill Work 44 Professional and Scientific Instruments 20 Ship and Boat Building 7 Woodenware and Novelties 6 Caskets and Coffins 6 Laundry Appliances 5 Tanks and Silos 4 Furniture and Fixtures 3 Boxes and Crates 2 Other Uses 3 Total 100 In Table 74 the millwork—that is, the manufacture of sash, door, blinds, interior finish, etc. —takes chiefly the Western cedars; while under the heading of professional and scientific instruments is included much of the Eastern red cedar used in pencil making. Smaller uses of Eastern red cedar are for: Canes Chairs Caskets Chests Fixtures Silos Furniture Tanks Interior finish Umbrella handles Musical instruments Vehicles Sash Woodenware Siding Uses reported for the Eastern white cedars are in the manufacture of : Boat bottoms Planing mill products Boat decking Roof tanks Canoes Rowboats Cigar boxes Shiplap Dairymen's supplies Siding General millwork Signal devices Ice cream freezers Silos Interior finish Tanks Oars Yachts Pails A recent compilation by the Forest Service lists the following uses for Western red cedar: Barrel bungs Carving Battens Caskets Blinds Coffins Boards Coffin boxes Boats Ceiling Cabins Chests Canoes Cigar boxes Ceiling Closet linings Decking Columns Finish Conservatories Launches Sash Planking Stands Rails Trays Roofs Cooperage Skiffs Buckets Trim Tubs Car construction Cores Finish Veneer Roofing Decking Siding Doors Trim Drain boards Drawing boards Pontoon floats Faucets Porch columns Finish Built-up Fixtures Turned Drawers Posts Mirror backs Sash Panels Hot house Shelves Window Show cases Scroll work Flooring Shingles Flume stock Shiplap Framing Shop lumber Furniture Siding Bottoms Bevel Cabinets Drop Drawer bottoms Silos Frames Spigots Panels Spindles Hot house trays Tanks Incubators Covers Interior work Staves Ceiling Tennis rackets Finish Handles Trim Tent poles Lath Ties Lattice Totem poles Lintels Trays Moldings Fruit dryer Organs (action) Hot house Panels Trunk Patterns Turning Foundry Balusters Machine shop Novelties Piano shanks Squares Pickets Veneers (cores) Picture frames Washing machines Piling Window frames Poles Window sills According to the Oregon reports, Port Orford cedar is used for boats (finish, frames, planking, skiffs), columns, fixtures, furniture (cabinets, moth-proof drawers, stools, tables), mothproof chests, matches, sash and doors, and turnery.
Alaska or yellow cedar is used for boat cabins, interior finish, carvings, patterns, and pyrography. In addition to serving many other purposes, incense cedar is now being used for pencil making, because of the shortness of the supply of Southern red cedar.