| White Cedar |
Why White Cedar?
White Cedar clearly represents the best choice for durable outdoor
furniture. It is the best material for its physical properties and also for its
ecological footprint.
Physically, White Cedar is durable, resists checking and splitting, the
grain remains flat and smooth, and requires no maintenance. It is light and
has a high strength to weight ratio. The smooth soft surface weathers to an
elegant silver grey patina.
Ecologically, White Cedar is a regional North Eastern US and
Canadian forest product. My current supplier is a small single owner
mill near Plattsburgh NY. The trees are harvested on non public land by
independent foresters. Most of the harvest is sustainable, in that, the
timber is coming from local people who have lived and farmed and hunted on
their land for generations. Remember, White Cedar is unique in that the
best lumber is harvested from younger growth. The old giants inside the
protected park area are actually less desirable as
lumber.
Jeff tallies up The band mill
-
Her name is "Cedar" The timber yard
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Other Materials
Common Pine. It rots, bleeds sap and the grain becomes rough.
Pressure Treated Pine It's pumped full of poison and the grain becomes rough. Most suppliers are
multinational corporations.
Western Red Cedar Prone to split, ages somewhat rough. Most suppliers are multinationals.
Expensive, therefore most factory made furniture is under built and fails structurally. A waste of money
Cypress A protected species until recently. Moderate tendency to split. Weathers similar to White
Cedar, but is oily and doesn't take varnish and paint as well. Expensive, therefore factory made
furniture can be under built. If so, it will fail structurally long before its time.
Teak and other tropical species Durable, but sits a little hard. An ecological disaster. Both clear
cut and mono culture plantations are ecologically unsound. Containers travel 10,000 miles to market.
Land and labor practices exploit the indigenous peoples of South Asia.
Plastic Decking Boards OK for decking, but it lacks the grain structure of wood and has a very low
strength to weight ratio. It tends to wobble and is heavy. It is also relatively expensive. It's good that it's
recycled, but furniture is not a proper use.
White Cedar clearly represents the best choice for durable outdoor
furniture. It is the best material for its physical properties and also for its
ecological footprint.
Physically, White Cedar is durable, resists checking and splitting, the
grain remains flat and smooth, and requires no maintenance. It is light and
has a high strength to weight ratio. The smooth soft surface weathers to an
elegant silver grey patina.
Ecologically, White Cedar is a regional North Eastern US and
Canadian forest product. My current supplier is a small single owner
mill near Plattsburgh NY. The trees are harvested on non public land by
independent foresters. Most of the harvest is sustainable, in that, the
timber is coming from local people who have lived and farmed and hunted on
their land for generations. Remember, White Cedar is unique in that the
best lumber is harvested from younger growth. The old giants inside the
protected park area are actually less desirable as
lumber.
Jeff tallies up The band mill
-
Her name is "Cedar" The timber yard
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Other Materials
Common Pine. It rots, bleeds sap and the grain becomes rough.
Pressure Treated Pine It's pumped full of poison and the grain becomes rough. Most suppliers are
multinational corporations.
Western Red Cedar Prone to split, ages somewhat rough. Most suppliers are multinationals.
Expensive, therefore most factory made furniture is under built and fails structurally. A waste of money
Cypress A protected species until recently. Moderate tendency to split. Weathers similar to White
Cedar, but is oily and doesn't take varnish and paint as well. Expensive, therefore factory made
furniture can be under built. If so, it will fail structurally long before its time.
Teak and other tropical species Durable, but sits a little hard. An ecological disaster. Both clear
cut and mono culture plantations are ecologically unsound. Containers travel 10,000 miles to market.
Land and labor practices exploit the indigenous peoples of South Asia.
Plastic Decking Boards OK for decking, but it lacks the grain structure of wood and has a very low
strength to weight ratio. It tends to wobble and is heavy. It is also relatively expensive. It's good that it's
recycled, but furniture is not a proper use.
