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Yellow Cedar

ITI NZ

Yellow Cedar is a bright timber, ranging in colour from soft yellow to light brown. Sapwood occurs as a very narrow band and is almost white to yellowish-white. Heartwood is a bright clear yellow, darkening upon exposure. The grain is typically very straight with a fine an even texture. The timber is quite light, being only slightly heavier than WR Cedar. It is also highly aromatic, due to the presence of naturally occurring oils. 

Yellow Cedar has exceptional natural durability - resistance to weather, insects and contacts with soil - as well as dimensional stability and ease of tooling. Timber stands up to constant wear and load impacts without forming ridges and splitting. Yellow Cedar resists splintering and wears smoothly over time. The timber is easily worked by hand or machine, turns and carves well, and finishes beautifully. It readily accepts standard fittings and fastenings, though resinous glues are recommended for bonding.

Details
Specifications

Botanical Name
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis

Other Names
Nootka false cypress, Alaska cypress, Alaska cedar

Origin
Northwestern North America

Features

Appearance
Yellow Cedar sapwood occurs as a very narrow band, being almost white to yellowish white. Heartwood is a bright clear yellow, darkening upon exposure. The grain is typically very straight with a fine and even texture. Growth rings are close together and not prominent. 

Workability
Yellow Cedar is easily worked by hand or machine, accepts coatings well and finishes beautifully. Bonding is best achieved with resin-type adhesives. 

Common Applications
Flooring, decking, panelling, exposed ceilings, roofing shingles, custom woodworking, carving and millwork. The timber has been used since ancient times for boat building, and racing boat enthusiasts often use it for high-performance shells. The timber resistance to splintering makes it a popular choice for stadium seating, sauna and indoor pool areas, and outdoor furniture.

Basic Info

Durability Above Ground Durable 

Density Air Dry 431 kg/m3
Density Green 419 kg/m3 

Shrinkage Radial 2.8 %
Shrinkage Tangental 6.0 %

Mechanical Properties

Janka Hardness 2.6 kN
Modulus of Rupture 76.6 MPa
Modulus of Elasticit 9.79 GPa
Max Crush Strength 43.5 MPa
Comp Strength Perp to Grain 4.74 MPa
Comp Strength Parallel to Grain 45.9 MPa
Shear Strength Parallel to Grain 9.21 MPa

Overview

Seasoning
Dries fairly easily and without undue degradation. 

Working Qualities
The timber is easily worked and finishes excellently. It can be glued, stained, polished and varnishes well. 

Uses
Carving, boatbuilding, siding, flooring, decking, outdoor furniture, musical instruments (flutes, soundboards on guitars), boxes and chests, and various utility/construction applications

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About the
Seller

ITI NZ, formerly known as ITI Timspec, began as Timspec, a specialist timber wholesaler committed to providing quality timber products with reliable service, value, visuals and versatility. In March 2019, Timspec Ltd was acquired by ITI NZ Ltd, becoming ITI Timspec, before later rebranding to ITI NZ Ltd.

As part of the wider ITI Group, ITI NZ continues to grow its product range and service offering across New Zealand. The acquisitions of Rosenfeld Kidson and Hermpac have further strengthened the business by adding respected industry knowledge, trusted timber brands and a wider range of premium timber solutions.

These acquisitions have also helped expand our offering across cladding, cedar products, flashings, external corners and related timber accessories, allowing us to support architects, builders and merchants with a more complete solution.

ITI NZ sources timber from trusted mills and suppliers around the world and works hard to provide quality products, reliable service and strong relationships across the building industry.

Verified ArchiPro Member10 years · Since 2016