Western Red Cedar has been a prized building material for thousands of years due to its versatility, longevity, and natural beauty. In more recent years, it has been identified and praised for its use in “green building”. All-natural wood products, including Western Red Cedar, have been shown to have the least impact on the environment through their life cycle. Western Red Cedar building materials require less energy to produce than man-made alternatives, biodegradable, and completely renewable and sustainable.
For interior, as well as exterior use, Western Red Cedar tongue and groove (T&G) paneling can be installed vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. It is commonly used as an exterior siding and cladding, in soffits and for ceilings, and either interior or exterior accent walls or paneling.
In clear grades, Western Red Cedar T&G is commonly supplied in thicknesses of 7/16” or 1” in either 4 or 6” widths, while knotty T&G is commonly supplied in 1” thickness in either 4, 6, or 8” widths. Either are available in a variety of profiles.
The various grades and thicknesses of T&G are designed for specific appearances and uses. Our sales team is happy to discuss these with you to ensure you receive the correct product for your intended use. Upon receipt of your Cedar T&G, it should be inspected to ensure it is the correct product that you and your salesperson discussed and that it is not damaged or visually unacceptable in any way before beginning installation. Please note, however, since Western Red Cedar is a natural material, color variations, as well as some defects, are allowable within each chosen grade.
Be sure to choose a fastener with a high level of corrosion resistance recommended for use with Western Red Cedar. Should your Cedar T&G be installed near salt water or in another area with high condensation, a severe level of corrosion-resistant fastener should be selected. We recommend using stainless steel ring shank nails in the appropriate grade for where the product is to be installed. The nails used need to penetrate at least 1 ¼” solid wood. Plywood, sheetrock and/or particleboard, or similar sheeting is NOT considered solid wood.
HORIZONTAL or DIAGONAL INSTALLATION: Start at the bottom and work up with the groove edges facing downwards and the tongues up. Cedar T&G up to 6” wide can be “blind nailed” through the tongue at an approximate 45-degree angle with one nail into each framing member. Should the framing be covered by sheetrock, plywood, or house wrap, before beginning installation, snap a chalklike or mark a line over the covering to ensure you nail at least 1-1/4” into the framing each and every time during installation. T&G wider than 6” and those starter pieces and ending pieces will need to be nailed to the framing through the face. As you move up the wall, be sure to tap each piece into place with a rubber mallet and check to be sure you are staying level.
We supplied the Clear, Mixed Grain Western Red Cedar Tongue and Groove Paneling for this stunning accent wall of the newly constructed Craft Stove in Mount Vernon, WA.
VERTICAL INSTALLATION: Since framing generally runs up and down, you will need to provide “nailers”, horizontal blocking lines, or furring strips for the T&G to be installed properly. Each piece of Cedar T&G will need to be secured to solid wood with at least a 1-1/4” penetration approximately every 12”. Once the nailers are in place, use a level or plumb line to ensure the first board is installed plumb. As with horizontal installation, pieces up to 6 inches in width can be blind nailed. Wider pieces, as well as those in the beginning and the end, will need to be nailed directly through the face of the T&G into the solid wood behind. Lightly tap each piece into to place and be sure to you are staying plumb throughout your installation.
We supplied the knotty Western Red Cedar T&G that was installed vertically on this cute little cabin on Guemes Island, WA.
Should you have more questions or concerns about how to install your Western Red Cedar Tongue and Groove paneling, please do not hesitate to discuss this with your salesperson before installation of your product to ensure your Cedar T&G will perform at its best for you.
Before your next project, be sure to visit us!
360.757.6343
950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA
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[…] Tongue and groove siding, commonly referred to as “T&G”, is created by boards that have been manufactured to have one protruding rib (tongue) on one edge and a groove on the other edge, so that the tongue from one board fits into the groove on the next board. By far the most versatile siding option, Western Red Cedar Tongue & Groove siding can be installed horizontally, vertically or diagonally. It is available with rough or smooth faces in various widths and thicknesses, as well as grades and patterns, including ones that when installed create a slight groove between the two pieces. […]