Benefits of Western Red Cedar

It Won't Warp
Cedar is a lightweight and dimensionally stable wood that lies flat and stays straight. Which means it resists the natural tendency to crack and check, as you might find in many other wood species.

It Stays Cool
Western Red Cedar has an incredible thermal co-efficient, meaning even on hot days, it is cool to sit in. In addition, its bacterial and fungal resistance coupled with the fact that cedar is 80% the strength of oak, makes it the most desirable wood to use for building outdoor furniture.

It Won't Rot
Western Red Cedar fibers contain oils that act as natural preservatives to help the wood resist rot and decay making it excellent furniture material for moist or humid climates. These properties also make cedar a very popular material for hot tub and sauna areas. Western Red Cedar has been used for generations for roofing and shingles, fences, fence posts, planking for small boat hulls and, of course, for outdoor furniture. A Western Red Cedar fence post will last up to 16 years in the ground. We have found that left out year round, untreated and uncovered in winter, the furniture will last a minimum of 8 to 10 years. Furniture that is brought inside or covered for the winter will last twice that long.

It Smells Great
Naturally occurring organic compounds called (thujaplicins) give off that richly distinct cedar aroma that smells so good to humans but makes the wood highly unattractive to insects, moths and other pests. This is why cedar is a choice material for closet liners and blanket storage chests.

A Natural Alternative to Chemically Treated Wood
Much of today's outdoor furniture consists of chemically treated materials. These materials hold up outdoors because they are soaked in a toxic stew of chemical preservatives that are strong enough to require warning labels for those who handle it. The three primary ingredients in pressure-treated woods are: copper, arsenic and chromium. A controversy exists on the extent of arsenic exposure due to physical contact with CCA wood surfaces. Such surfaces include playground equipment, decks and picnic tables built using CCA treated wood. Studies have shown that virtually no inorganic arsenic is absorbed through the skin, but is readily taken up by ingestion. Thus, the potential exposure is hand to mouth, and therefore, children are considered the most vulnerable to this potential risk.

It Won't Bow or Sag
Unlike plastic or resin furniture Western Red Cedar will not bow or sag over time and you won't come out to find your new patio set blown across the yard.

It Won't Fade
Your cedar furniture will not become dull sun scorched and faded, but rather will hold its handsome appearance year after year.

It's Safe
Cedar is an all around safer & healthier choice for patio furniture and outdoor dining sets than other wood materials that have been treated with preservatives.