Northern White Cedar.....The Superior Wood
Things to know about what makes it the best choice for building your home, weekend getaway, commercial structure and furnishings.

• Northern white cedar produces oil, within the tree itself that naturally resists insects and decay. This is the primary reason White Cedar is considered by the United States Department of Agriculture as the wood to use where a high degree of durability and resistance to the elements is necessary.

• Heartwood within the tree will last for generations, sapwood easily decays and discolors. White Cedar has a minimal amount of sapwood (approximately 3/4" on a 10" diameter log). Through the sawing process, the majority of the sapwood is removed. During the shaping process, nearly all sapwood is removed. The mill will then Hand Hewn the exterior products to provide a virtually sapwood product. The mill maintains a piece by piece Hewning system to ensure each piece is visually inspected, insuring quality and sapwood removal.

• Northern White Cedar has a closed cell structure. The cell structure resembles that of a cork. This cell structure combined with the natural oil provides protection against internal mold and mildew, naturally. This is also important in that if properly kiln dried, it will resist the absorption of moisture from the environment. The process of absorbing moisture from rain, air, etc and then the resulting drying effect from wind and sun, is a key component of "Checking" and deterioration. (Northern Saunas uses nothing but White Cedar).

• The insulation factor of Northern White Cedar is among the highest of any wood. Rated at over 1.4 R-factor per inch, white cedar will provide additional protection for you and your home.

• Naturally environmentally safe for you and your family.

• As the sapwood is removed from the log, you are left with the heartwood that contains no sap from the tree. The sap, or pitch, from pines and other species, are one of the reasons you will see a black discoloration form on the exterior. This also contributes to the "yellowing" discoloration over time on pine interior products.

• White cedar is very stable dimensionally. If kiln dried properly, it will not twist, warp or shrink. This helps to reduce or eliminate any additional checking after it has been applied.