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Western red cedar, botanically known as Thuja plicata, is one of the world’s largest and finest cedars. It is unique to the west coast of North America. In British Columbia it comprises almost 21% of the coastal forests. Once called the giant arbor-vitae—the “tree of life”—because of the everyday use made by the West Coast Indians of its stringy roots, shreddy bark and fragrant timber, the wood is noted for its exceptional durability, light weight and remarkable beauty of color and texture. Fine and straight grained, it is completely free from pitch. Its low density and unique cellular structure give the wood an insulation value superior to most other species. Western Red Cedar is suitable, and in many cases the preferred material, for nearly all purposes where attractive appearance, resistance to the elements, dimensional stability, insulation value, or an exceptionally good surface for painting and staining is required. It is unmatched as an exterior siding. No wood
is in greater demand for roof decking and outdoor construction such
as garden fences, tool-sheds, green-houses and patio furniture where
durability and stability are prime requirements. It is also widely
used for interior wall and ceiling paneling where its rich color,
even texture and variety of tone are used to excellent advantage.
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