Cedar information and finishing tips.

Benefits of Cedar Outdoor Furniture

Western Red Cedar provides a unique look for your outdoor furniture in shades of amber, red and honey brown, and has the same superior qualities that other types of cedar have.

Cedar is an exceptional wood for outdoor furniture for many reasons. First, it is a lightweight wood with incredible strength, so it tends to keep its shape, and resist warping. Second, red cedar doesn’t crack like many other types of wood do. Red cedar has what is called a good “thermal co-efficient”, which means that it doesn’t radiate heat, no matter how long it has been in the sun on a hot day.

Western red cedar is estimated to be 80 percent as strong as oak, but not just for its durability. It has strong tendencies to be resistant to both bacteria and fungi, and the natural oils in cedar work as a natural insect repellent.

Western red cedar outdoor furniture is resistant to rotting, because of the natural oils contained in the cedar’s fibers. These oils protect the cedar wood from moisture and humidity, which makes red cedar a great choice for use near pools and hot tubs.

Finishing your cedar outdoor furniture

Natural Weathering

Because of the inherent nature of Western Red Cedar to withstand the outdoor elements and insect attack cedar does not require a finish to keep its structure over the years. Many owners allow their cedar furniture to "age naturally" outdoors without any finish at all and achieve that weathered, rustic look. Over time the colorful tones of the wood will weather to a handsome silver-grey highlighted by darker streaks, and the grain of the wood will become slightly raised.

Wood Sealer

A good wood sealer such as Minwax ™or WOODRx ™is useful by blocking the pores of the wood. This stops the grain from becoming raised yet allowing the natural fading to a gentle silvery-grey color.

Staining

Red Cedar accepts a wide range of stains in your choice of tinted transparent finishes for a natural effect, or lightly pigmented semi-transparent finishes. The latter are available in a spectrum of colors. We recommend 2 coats of a semi transparent stain such as " Sikkens Cetol 1 (natural) to preserve the look of your outdoor furniture. Every 2nd year you might re-apply a coat of stain to freshen the finish. Little or no sanding, preparation or primer is needed when you use a stain. Look for a stain that offers good fungicide and ultraviolet shielding properties as well as additional preservatives to protect your cedar furniture's youthful complexion. Varnishes and other film-forming coatings which can crack and peel are not recommended for use on Cedar.

Wood Oil

We do not recommend using oil finishes on your outdoor furniture, as dust particles in the air will stick to the finish.

Paint

Paint will work fine, but over time will begin to flake and will eventually need scraping and refinishing. Stain, however, is "breathable" and will not trap moisture, therefore - no blistering, no peeling.

Ground Application

Western Red Cedar should be preservative treated if intended for use in applications where it is dug into the ground. i.e. Fence Posts or Garden Arbor Posts.