Tag Archives: cedar wood

Best Wood for Your Sauna

You guessed it: Western Red Cedar

Due to the phenols and other natural properties of Western Red Cedar against rot and decay, it is great for use in damp areas, including bathrooms and saunas. It is also very flexible and resists warping under heat and humidity. Because it is a low-density wood, it is a great insulator and heats quickly. And, it smells great!

Clear Western Red Cedar is the ideal wood choice for use in saunas

Pro tips:

Because your sauna will reach high temperatures and cool off when not in use, the Cedar will expand and contract a great deal. To reduce the chance of cupping, we recommend using narrower dimensions of materials, such as a 4” tongue and groove (T&G) product for the walls for optimum stability.  And while knotty grades are easier on the pocketbook, we recommend using clear grades of materials, as the knots tend to heat up faster and get hotter and may become uncomfortable to the touch. 

When shopping for your materials, keep in mind, that because a sauna is generally a small space, shorter lengths of materials can be used and sometimes come with a discounted price.

Narrower dimensions of Western Red Cedar is our recommendation for using in saunas to reduce cupping and warping

Special “Thanks” for Michael S from Arizona for sharing these gorgeous photos of the Western Red Cedar sauna he built using materials he purchased from us.

We ship nationwide!

360.757.6343

950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA

Custom Milled Alaska Yellow Cedar

Grown only in the Pacific Northwest from Alaska south to Oregon, and west of the Coast Mountains, where cooler temperatures and abundant year-round precipitation is found, Alaska Yellow Cedar is a highly prized and sought-after building material choice.  Yellow Cedar lumber can be difficult to find outside the growing region, as supply is limited.

custom milled clear, Alaska Yellow Cedar cladding

Because we are located in the heart of cedar country, where both Alaska Yellow Cedar and Western Red Cedar are natively grown, we can source top-quality Cedar lumber for indoor and outdoor construction projects. If we don’t stock what you are looking for, chances are we have a relationship with a mill that can make it for you.  With shipments of specialty building materials leaving our warehouse daily to all over the US, our customers value the quality of our products and honest business practices, combined with excellent customer service and superior product knowledge.

We recently shipped a custom milled package of surfaced, knotty Alaska Yellow Cedar lumber to New Jersey for this stunning deck and railing crafted by Paradise Knoll Builders of Oakland, NJ.

Knotty Alaska Yellow Cedar decking and railing materials

“Thanks for the awesome lumber you sent us Michele. The job turned out great. People love it.”

Yellow Cypress building materials for sale

“Thanks and thanks again for your seamless delivery of some very nice lumber.” – Steven Del Colliano. Pres. ~ Paradise Knoll Builders, LLC

Before your next project, be sure to visit us!  We ship direct from the Pacific Northwest to homeowners and contractors nationwide!

360.757.6343

www.CedarCountryLumber.com

950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA

Cedar and Fir for a Cabin in the Woods

One of the greatest joys of helping people with specialty building materials is working with our customers and guiding them to products that help them build their dream home.  Located on scenic Guemes Island in the San Juan Islands of Washington state, this Pacific Northwest style custom home is nearing completion.

Clad with our hand-split Western Red Cedar shakes, this “cabin in the woods” shows excellent craftsmanship with thoughtful and creative touches, inside as well as out.  Used for many years in the Pacific Northwest, our Western Red Cedar shakes will provide many years of carefree service for this home’s exterior.

western red cedar shakes and knotty cedar soffit

Western Red cedar shakes and soffit

western red cedar shakes used as exterior cladding is perfect for any cabin in the woods

The interior is clad with Douglas Fir tongue and groove, which adds to the feeling of being right at home in the trees on this secluded island, which is only accessible by boat or ferry.

clear vertical grain douglas fir for interior paneling and trim

douglas fir interior paneling is perfect for this cabin in the woods

Douglas Fir Interior wood paneling

A special “Thank You” to the Casey family for allowing us to participate in your project and for sharing these fantastic photos!  So beautiful!

customer testimonial from Jim Casey about Cedar Country Lumber

Before your next project, be sure to visit us! We specialize in providing customers all over the United States with Pacific Northwest, coastal grown Western Red Cedar, Alaska Yellow Cedar, and Douglas Fir building materials.

We ship nationwide!

360.757.6343

www.CedarCountryLumber.com

950 B Fountain Street, Burlington WA