WESTERN RED CEDAR - Naturally Western Red Cedar in its natural unfinished state has a richly textured tactile grain combined with a glowing palette of warm, mellow tones ranging from light amber to deep honey brown. No man-made material can duplicate the depth of cedar's natural luster. WRC remains subtly aromatic, and the characteristic fragrance of Red Cedar just adds another dimension to its universal appeal. CEDAR FINISHING OPTIONS AND TREATMENTS Natural Weathering   Because of the inherent nature of Western Red Cedar to withstand insects and outdoor elements Cedar does not require a finish to keep its structure over the years. Many folks prefer to allow their Adirondack furniture to "naturally age" outdoors without a stain or finish. Over time the colorful tones of the wood slowly weather to a handsome silver-gray and the grain of the wood will become slightly raised. Left completely natural this silver-gray color will eventually be highlighted by darker streaks formed from the reaction between the Cedar Resin and the zinc hardware. If the dark streaks are not for you I suggest using a simple wood sealer as described below. Wood Sealer New on the market are wood sealers that contain Ultra Violet inhibitors that can be used to preserve the fresh tones of the wood. A good wood sealer such as Thompsons Wood Sealer or MinWax Clear Shield are useful by blocking the pores of the wood. This inhibits the grain from becoming raised yet allows the natural fading of the wood to a gentle silvery-gray patina. Olympic Maximum Waterproof Sealant and Natural Look Protector are good products and come with 2 year warranty against color change. They are available in clear or tinted. Staining Read the direction carefully to be sure you are getting the effect you want. House and deck stains, for instance, come in semi-transparent and solid colors. These contain a lot of pigment. If you would like to preserve the colorful tones of the freshly sanded cedar this might not be for you. On the other hand it can be a good alternative to paint. Sikkens Cetol 1 (natural) has a good reputation as a preservative. But I don't have any first hand experience with it. 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 like on any exterior surface, 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. Olympic and Behr both have good products. Both have semi-transparent and solid colors. ALL ABOUT CEDAR Ground Application Western Red Cedar should be preservative treated if intended for use in applications where it is dug into the ground. i.e. Garden Arbor Posts. Rot Resistance Western Red Cedar fibers contain oils that act as natural preservatives to help the wood resist rot and decay making it exellent furniture material for moist or humid climates. These properties also make Cedar a very popular material for hot tub and sauna areas. Western Red Cedar has been used for generations for roofing and shingles, fences, fence posts, planking for small boat hulls and, of course, for outdoor furniture. We have found that left out year round, untreated and uncovered in harsh northern latitudes, the furniture will last a minimum of 8 to 10 years. Furniture that is brought inside or covered for the winter will last twice that long. It Smells Great Naturally occurring organic compounds called (thujaplicins) give off that richly distinct cedar aroma that smells so good to humans but makes the wood highly unattractive to incects, moths and other pests. This is why Cedar is a choice material for closet liners and blanket storage chests. A Natural Alternative to Chemically Treated Wood Much of todays outdoor furniture consists of chemically treated materials. These materials hold up outdoors because they are soaked in a  that are strong enough to require warning labels for those who handle it. The three primary ingredients in pressure-treated woods are: copper, arsenic and chromium. A controversy exists on the extent of arsenic exposure due to physical contact with CCA wood surfaces. Such surfaces include playground equipment, decks and picnic tables built using CCA treated wood. Studies have shown that virtually no inorganic arsenic is absorbed through the skin, but is readily taken up by ingestion. Thus, the potential exposure is hand to mouth, and therefore, children are considered the most vulnerable to this potential risk. CEDAR THE TREE From Northern British Columbia, Canada, to California, a rugged spine of mountains stretches for almost 1,500 miles parallel to the Pacific coast of North America. Along the slopes and in the valleys of these mountains, the humus-rich soil nourishes mixed softwood forests in vast abundance. The majority of Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) grows in coastal forests. Western Red Cedars grow also in the drier interior forests of British Columbia, Washington, Idaho and Montana where they are smaller in stature with a tight knotted growth characteristic. Cedars rarely grow in pure stands but are generally found in association with other species. Western Red Cedar forests are predominantly managed forests, in which controlled harvests, natural regeneration and reforestation programs ensure a perpetual harvest. A Wood Of Warmth And Beauty Whether used in patio furniture, panelings, ceilings, doors, windows, posts or beams, the presence and prestige of cedar enhances the estethic structure of any type or design. The Gift Of Durability Western Red Cedar contains natural oils that act as preservatives to help the wood resist insect attack and decay. Cedar is also a dimensionally stable wood which means that it lies flat and stays straight. Properly finished and maintained,Western Red Cedar ages gracefully and endures for many years. Aside from being the choice material for Outdoor Patio and Garden Furniture, Cedar is the preferred material for all outdoor applications that seek visual harmony with the landscape combined with stability and durability. Various uses range from various furniture products to siding and patio decking to fences, planters, screens and shelters. Indoors, cedar's dimensional stability makes it perfectly suited to a variety of uses in high moisture areas such as kitchens, bathrooms and saunas. Natural Benefit Beauty aside, the purely practical, dollars-and-cents value of cedar offers other benefits: the wood's cellular structure creates interior air spaces that give it an insulation value higher than most woods and much higher than brick or concrete. Buildings which feature cedar paneling, ceilings or siding tend to stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Cedar also has excellent sound suppression and absorption qualities. Consider the Advantages of Using Cedar Unlike Plastic or Resin furniture Western Red Cedar will not bow or sag over time and you won't come out to find your new patio set blown across the yard. Your Cedar furniture will not become dull sun scorched and faded, but rather will hold its handsome appearence year after year. Cedar is an all around safer/healthier choice for patio furniture and outdoor dinning sets than other wood materials that have been treated with preservatives. A Wood For Craftsmen The same structure that gives cedar its excellent insulating and sound suppressing qualities makes it a lightweight wood, easy to handle and craft for both the professional and do-it-yourselfer. Cedar is a pleasure to work using either hand or machine tools. The wood can be cut, shaped, planed, sanded, nailed and glued easily. It is free of pitch and resin and it finishes to a richly glowing surface that can be enhanced with semi-transparent or full-bodied stains or with paints. Cedar at 80% the strength of Oak, makes it the most desirable wood to use for building outdoor furniture.

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