CEDAR FACTS
Northern White Cedar grows in Eastern part of the United States, Northern New York and Canada. The hartwood of white cedar is light brown, and the sapwood is white or nearly so. The sapwood is usually thin. The wood is light in weight, rather soft and low in strength, and low in shock resistance. It shrinks little in drying It is easily worked, holds paint well, and the hartwood is resistant to decay, white cedar turns silver-gray as it ages; it can be treated with a good quality clear finish to help retain its colour. All Log Rail systems and Log Furniture are subject to the natural process of checking. This occurs naturally as wood dries, and normally occurs across or through the annual growth rings. Checking does not affect the structural performance or integrity of the wood and is not grounds for a return. Checking is not a manufacturing defect. All Rustic style rails and furniture are subject to imperfections in the wood, checking and knots are to be expected. We believe these characteristics add to the individuality and uniqueness of our rustic style products.
Luxury Log Houses specialises in log homes that are made from high quality Northern White Cedar logs. Northern White Cedar is generally considered by many as one of the finer grades of wood, typically available in smaller diameters in the north-eastern United States. Northern White Cedar has a very pleasant odour and appearance with its natural blonde colour. Cedar has smaller, tighter knots and attractive array of growth ring patterns.
Cedar is naturally resistant to insect infestation and decay, and has less shrinkage, settling and checking than any other wood species. Also, Cedar has a higher R-value per inch than any other wood species. These features make a home built with Northern White Cedar a very low maintenance home. Generally most contractors find building a Cedar log home easier and less labour intensive than building with any other species of wood.
This certain type of Adirondack cedar shields your log home's interior elements against heat and cold. This characteristic alone implies that cedar logs are better than any other commonly used wood for log homes. Furthermore, the cedar log homes contain an R-value of 1.41 inches of thickness and a Thermal Mass Factor of 3.78. Thus the northern white cedar leaves other woods in the cold.
Cedar wood is considered to be more durable than other woods, even when it is in contact with the ground. This was proven by an independent study undertaken by the University of Maine which studied the natural durability of common species of wood used in construction. It involved evaluation of the corner posts and rail fences by the surveyors. It was found that the posts and fences made of cedar wood were still in good condition even after more than fifty years! So a cedar log home can really last a lifetime. Apart from this, cedar wood has architectural and artistic benefits over other types of wood.