Western Red Cedar

Thuja plicata

Western red cedar is a lightweight North American softwood with reddish-brown color, straight grain, and a distinct aromatic scent, valued for natural rot resistance and commonly used for siding, decking, fencing, and outdoor construction.

Janka

350

Price Tier

Dent Risk

High

Overview

Western red cedar is valued for its aroma, low weight, and natural resistance to decay, which is why it dominates shingles, siding, and outdoor trim in the Pacific Northwest. It is very soft, so it dents and gouges easily, and it can be brittle across the grain. The wood usually glues and finishes well when you keep surfaces fresh and avoid crushing fibers. If your project lives outdoors and you want a wood that does not require import pricing, western red cedar is the obvious pick.

Key takeaways

At a Glance

Hardness & Heft

Janka: 350 lbf

Dry weight: 23 lbs/ft³ (370 kg/m³)

Color & Figure

Color: Brown/Reddish brown

Grain: Straight; medium texture

Figure: Usually straight; occasional figuring

Stability & Movement

Movement: Medium

Drying: Warp risk

Workability

Plays nice with

Fights you on

Finishing

Best Uses

Great for

Avoid for

Where it comes from

USA and Canada

Buying notes

Look for heartwood-rich boards and choose Tighter grain when you want better dent resistance and cleaner machining.

What to Watch Out For

Practical Alternatives

Shop Notes / Deeper Dive

Western Red Cedar is the ultimate “exterior” softwood, famous for its resistance to decay and its beautiful spicy aroma. It’s very soft and brittle, so use sharp tools to avoid crushing the fibers. It will turn a beautiful silver-gray if left unfinished outdoors, but a good oil-based stain will keep it looking rich and red for years.

Like what you see?

While I occasionally work with some of these species, availability varies widely. If you’re researching woods for a custom project, feel free to reach out.

Reference Notes: Wood grain and color can vary significantly within a species depending on growing conditions, age, and cut orientation. Images on this page are provided as general reference examples and may not represent every possible variation of the species. Geographic distribution maps illustrate typical native or commonly cultivated ranges and may not reflect every region where the species occurs today.

Additional technical data and botanical information may be referenced from sources such as the USDA Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook.