Cedar Fencing

Cedar is a wonderfully versatile wood used in many different exterior applications. Most cedar is sourced in Canada, with smaller amounts in Washington and Oregon states. Current production in British Columbia, Canada is using only 1/3 of 1% in annual harvest. Western Red Cedar (WRC) (Thuja plicata) is one of North America’s great renewable resources. Slow growing and naturally durable. Western Red Cedar has one of the longest life spans of any North American softwood. It produces long lengths of timber with true, straight grain. It is free from pitch and its heartwood has natural decay resistance. Its low density gives it an insulation value superior to most other species. Cedar is lightweight, easy to work, easy to finish, possessing outstanding dimensional stability. Western Red Cedar is a preferred wood for nearly all purposes where attractive appearance or resistance to weather is important.

Cedar wood products are a natural and very common choice for fencing due to its long life, natural appearance, cost–effectiveness and availability. Most cedar fence components are relatively similar with the exception of pickets. Please consider the relative costs of options as a guide to their equating quality. Less expensive pickets will be thinner (down to 3/8” thick), allow for open knotholes &/or loose knots. Conversely, better quality pickets will have fewer knots that must be tight in the wood, up to 7/8” thick and will be some variation of a dried product. As with all wood products, pickets are graded on just one side.