Get the Facts: Incense Cedar vs Western Red Cedar
Here’s one of the least known facts in the wood products industry:
Incense Cedar offers all the durability, strength, workability, and beauty as Western Red Cedar. What’s more, many people prefer the color of Incense Cedar. Top that off with a more competitively priced product and Incense Cedar offers an excellent solution for those who want the well-known benefits of Western Red without the typical orange cedar look.
Don’t limit your options. Incense Cedar is a very good choice when you’re in the market for unique characteristics coupled with eye-catching appeal. Here are some reasons why:
Incense Cedar is non-resinous.
Both species offer the same dimensional stability: dried from a green state down to 12-15% moisture content, they both shrink 3.8% (by volume).
Incense Cedar is highly durable under all weather conditions and in all climates.
When exposed to the weather without a protectant, Incense Cedar holds up better than Western Red.
Incense Cedar offers the highest insulation value, making it one of the most effective wood insulators.
Incense Cedar and Western Red start out as different hues; Incense is not as red as the other. But they both weather to an appealing driftwood gray with a silvery sheen.
Both species are easy to work with. (The Forest Products Lab rated Incense Cedar in the top group of three in workability with hand tools.) They both machine easily, resulting in a smooth, silken surface.
Merchant Magazine found Incense Cedar outperformed Western Red in the following categories: machining, resistance in nailing, and holding ability for nails and screws.
Incense Cedar blunt nails easily and glues using a wide variety of glues and in a wide range of conditions.