Western Red Cedar is the most popular timber for external cladding, and there are a whole host of reasons why. We’d be here all day trying to list them all, so here are just six of Western Red Cedar’s most compelling benefits.
- Attractive Appearance
Since cladding is going to be exposed along the exterior of your property, it should go without saying that looks are important. Use the wrong cladding material and you’ll negatively rather than positively affect your property’s value. Western Red Cedar is an excellent choice thanks to its knot-free grain.
- Low-Maintenance
Most people assume that Western Red Cedar, as a softwood, isn’t terribly durable. In fact, this isn’t something you need to worry about. It boasts a handy natural resistance to moisture absorption and decay. It’s so low-maintenance, you can install it without any treatment if you so wish.
- Excellent Sound and Heat Insulation
Cladding is meant to improve a property’s sound and heat insulation properties, and Western Red Cedar does an excellent job. This species has an open cell structure that helps absorb sounds. It’s low density also helps cut down your heating costs in the winter and keeps your home cool during the height of summer.
- Easy to Work
If you want to apply a finish to your Western Red Cedar, you’ll be happy to find that its low resin content makes the task easy. It can also be worked in a variety of profiles, and it takes nails and screws without splitting.
- Exceptionally Stable
Some woods move quite a lot when left exposed to the elements – again, softwoods often suffer from this issue. However, Western Red Cedar is one of the most stable softwoods, so expect minimal movement after installation.
- Available from the UK
Western Red Cedar can be sourced from plenty of countries, but there’s no need to look beyond our borders. British Western Cedar is just as durable as North American Western Cedar, and you can have it without facing the financial and environmental costs associated with transatlantic transportation.