Cedarwood, particularly western red cedar, is a popular choice for outdoor woodworking projects due to its natural resistance to decay and insects. Its rich, woody scent, often reminiscent of saunas, cigar boxes, and sharpening a pencil, makes it an ideal choice for decks, furniture, and outdoor entertainment spaces.
Cedar wood is highly resistant to decay and insects, making it an ideal choice for outdoor projects. Its natural oils act as a protective barrier against moisture, preventing rot and decay from taking hold. Cedar is also versatile and easy to work with, featuring softwoods like Western Red Cedar, Siberian Larch, Alaskan Yellow Cedar, and Douglas Fir.
Cedar is highly resistant to rot and termites due to its natural resins, allowing the wood to last for many years without any maintenance or treatment. It does not warp or sag and is highly resistant to humidity, making it a great choice for outdoor settings.
Cedar, teak, and acacia are among the best choices for outdoor furniture due to their natural resistance to rot, insects, and weathering. Cedar, along with Douglas fir and other types of wood, can be used for exterior use, creating beautiful siding, fences, decks, and patios.
Inland Red cedar is rot and insect resistant, making it a great choice for siding, fencing, decking, and outdoor entertainment spaces. Cedar doesn’t break as easily as other types of wood, making it a durable furniture option.
In summary, cedarwood is a popular choice for outdoor woodworking projects due to its natural resistance to decay, insects, and weather changes. Its versatility, ease of work, and resistance to extreme weather conditions make it an excellent choice for outdoor settings.
📹 A Beginners Guide to Cedar – One of the Most Versitile Woods Around!
I love working with #Cedar. It is a beautiful and versatile wood and smells AMAZING, It is also really misunderstood. In this video I …
How to seal cedar for outdoor use?
To protect your cedar wood from the elements, apply two coats of clear stain. The first coat serves as a protective seal, protecting the wood from external forces. The second coat is applied afterward. Cedar wood is a popular choice for outdoor projects due to its long-lasting charm and resilience. To enhance its beauty and longevity, apply a wood sealer. This simple yet effective measure helps to protect the wood from moisture damage, mildew, and pests.
When selecting a wood sealer, opt for a top-notch one crafted for outdoor use, as these types enhance the wood’s protective capabilities. This professional treatment will help you unlock the full potential of your cedar wood project.
What is the cheapest wood for outdoor use?
Pine lumber is a budget-friendly option for outdoor wood furniture due to its softness and resistance to rot and insect damage. It is also well-suited for stains and paints. Fir and cedar offer slightly higher quality but are also budget-friendly. Lauren Greene, a writer and editor with over four years of experience, has worked on topics such as plant care, home decor, and home improvement. She resides in Raleigh with her Shih Tzu and enjoys spending time with her puppy, greenway, and gym workouts.
Lee Ann Merrill, a Chicago-based writer and editor, has decades of experience in writing and editing across technical and scientific subjects. She enjoys DIY, gardening, and making, and enjoys exploring her city by bike and planning international adventures.
Should cedar be treated for outdoor use?
Preservative treatment is crucial for outdoor projects to protect cedar wood from weather elements and rot, decay, and pest invasions. Prioritize preservative-treated options to ensure resilience. Always check the preservative label to confirm its purpose. Protecting cedar wood siding from moisture is essential, as accumulated moisture can promote mold and mildew growth, causing irreversible damage.
What wood holds up best outdoors?
Outdoor furniture is a popular choice for various purposes, including patio sets, porch swings, and tree houses. However, not all wood species are suitable for outdoor use. Some species, like Black Locust and Bois D’Arc, rot slower than others due to their physical barriers called tyloses, which prevent moisture from penetrating the wood and block insects and organisms from penetrating it. When working with wood for outdoor projects, heartwood is recommended over sapwood, as heartwood is the stronger inner-most wood of the tree and often consists of the majority of a stem’s cross-section.
Acacia is a thick, strong hardwood with high oil content, resistant to elements, rotting, and insects. Acacia is abundant and affordable, making it an excellent option for those considering the environmental impact of their furniture. It is durable, resists the elements well, and is often used in boat-building due to its abundance and resistance to water. Once sealed, acacia is a rich, dark, golden brown. However, it should be kept off the grass or ground as it may absorb moisture.
Black Locust is one of the strongest and stiffest domestic woods, competing with Hickory for the title of strongest but offering more stability and rot resistance. It is moderately easy to work with, with a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges and good weathering characteristics. It responds well to both lathe turning and steam bending, glues and finishes well, and can be an affordable wood with great uniform patterns for tables or benches.
In summary, there are many wood species available for outdoor furniture, but only a select few are suitable for outdoor use. Acacia, Black Locust, Cedar, Cypress, Douglas-Fir, Ipe, Redwood, and Teak are some of the most popular and suitable wood species for outdoor furniture projects.
Can all cedar be used outside?
Cedar is a popular wood for outdoor use due to its resistance to moisture, rot, decay, and insects. It can be used for various woodworking projects like siding, decking, trimming, and flooring. Cedar is also rot and decay-resistant, suitable for humid environments. It repels bugs and insects, making it suitable for outdoor furniture, benches, flooring, fences, and wood carving without issues.
Is cedar better than pine for outdoors?
Pine and cedar are softwoods, but cedar is a tougher variety suitable for outdoor and patio furniture due to its durability, rot- and pest-resistance. Pine is generally cheaper but may have fluctuations in price due to the cost of craftsmanship. Pine has a lighter color range from white to golden to cream, while cedar has a warmer, richer reddish tint. Both types can be customized to suit individual tastes by selecting a finish for the wood’s surface. Both types can be used for furniture and interior decorating, but the choice depends on the specific needs and preferences of the user.
Will cedar turn grey if sealed?
To preserve the original color of your cedar fence, you can take several steps. First, apply a high-quality wood sealant or finish to protect it from UV radiation and moisture, preserving its natural color for a longer period. Second, regularly clean your fence to remove dirt and grime that contributes to greying. A gentle scrub with mild soap and water followed by a rinse can help. Third, provide shade or cover to reduce direct sunlight exposure.
Greying is a natural process driven by exposure to the elements, and understanding why cedar fences turn grey and taking appropriate steps to protect or embrace the change can help you make the most of this natural transformation in your outdoor space. The charm of a cedar fence, whether in its original color or aged, adds character and personality to your home’s exterior.
What is the best wood to use for outside?
The best types of wood for outdoor use and garden furniture include teak, Iroko, African teak, Western Red Cedar, Alaskan Yellow Cedar, Douglas Fir, and European Oak. Timber is a versatile building material that can be used for cladding, fencing, decking, and DIY garden furniture. However, it requires specific characteristics and qualities, especially in the UK, where it needs to withstand a punishing combination of elements. Therefore, no ordinary wood will suffice for outdoor furniture, benches, tables, and more.
Does cedar wood last outside?
Cedar wood is a popular choice for outdoor use due to its natural resistance to rot, decay, and pests, as well as its durability and rustic charm. It is suitable for decks, furniture, and fences, and can be extended its lifespan and preserved in color with regular maintenance. Cedar’s reputation for exceptional durability and natural beauty has made it popular for outdoor projects like furniture and fencing.
What are the disadvantages of cedar wood?
Despite its resistance to rot and insect damage, cedar wood is a costly material with a strong, unpleasant aroma. Furthermore, if not handled correctly, it may also be susceptible to splitting and splintering.
Does cedar rot when wet?
Western Red Cedar is a softwood species native to North America, known for its water and rot-resistant properties, making it popular for outdoor projects like decking, siding, and fencing. Its natural oils and resins protect it from moisture damage and decay, giving it a distinctive aroma and color. The wood is lightweight, easy to work with, and ideal for carving and shaping intricate designs. Its low density makes it an excellent insulator, keeping heat inside and outside during cold and hot weather. With a lifespan of up to 40 years or more when properly maintained, Western Red Cedar can be left untreated or finished with oil or stain to enhance its color and protect it from UV rays.
📹 Best Outdoor Wood? Teak, Cedar, something else?!
So you want to build an outdoor wood project and don’t know which wood to choose? Never fear, we get asked this question all …
Instead of epoxy for capping the end grain on the bottom of the legs, have you considered CA glue? I often use thin CA glue to saturate the end grain and have had good luck with that technique. My thought for using it is that it actually absorbs into the structure of the wood from the ends which would prevent in my mind the water from seeping in that same area.
I’m a repeat customer. In fact, I recently purchased some African Mahogany as my first big-boy hardwood project. A 3′ by 5′ Cross for the Church. And it came out nice, if I do say so myself. Next up is the wine rack. I wish you were a YT’er instead of a HW dealer 😁 You have a great way of presenting the information and clearly chock full of knowledge. Love your company, love your articles.
My favorite outdoor furniture timber is Silver Ash from Australia. It turns grey, as most unimproved timbers are, but there is a feature about that timber that is not shared amongst ordinary wood. Silver Ash develops a metallic sheen that is wonderful. It adds depth to that timber that cannot be beat. Teak, Birdseye Maple and Champher Laurel have the same effect. They do not easily rot, and are immune to wood borers. Shipwrights know of these beautiful timbers.
I’ve been building live edge slab furniture (mostly outdoor pieces) with California Incense-cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) for 25 years. I either leave it raw or use Minwax tongue oil finish. This wood is soft, but if you use all heartwood, it lasts many years. I’ve also built a lot of pieces using heart Redwood, and it also lasts a very long time and can be left raw. Leaving either of these woods raw will allow natural weathering to turn them grey. After about three years the pieces look like driftwood found on a beach. For hardwood try Locust. This wood is so hard that when I mill it, I typically go through a regular Woodmizer blade on one log. It has so many natural preservatives in it that settlers made their fence posts and rails from them. I read somewhere that Abe Lincoln used to split locust fence rails and posts by hand as a job when he was young. It is quite beautiful, and leaving it raw or just hand-rubbed with a light penetrating oil is all that it is needed.
spar urethane is a really good coat for outdoor stuff, I made a little ramp from the concrete of the back porch down to the grass for my mom cuz she doesn’t handle steps very well. I live in Florida and it’s position right underneath the edge of the roof means when it rains it comes down like a waterfall on the ramp and after a year on the grass in the Florida humidity, rain and sun it looks and is as sturdy as the day it finished drying. it’s made outta some live oak from a tree I cut down in the woods out back. if I had the money though I would have made it outta Ipe or Brazilian tigerwood for the looks although the live oak looks nice too
Great article. You now have a new subscriber. I’m making an Adirondack chair out of Spanish and Western Red cedar. I’m only using the Spanish because of the cost of WR. Is this ok? What other wood would you recommend? I’m going to use a home made combination of Mineral Spirits, Linseed oil and wax, followed by a sealer. I’d like your thoughts on this. I will seriously consider your recommendations. Thanks, Paul
How often do you expect to have to refinish the tables and what is involved with that using the oil finish you used? Stripping the old finish first, etc? I live just down I-10 from your Tucson store in Cochise county. You sold me all the hardwoods to make all of the cabinetry and moldings when building our home a few years ago and I am gearing up to build an outdoor table for my Big Green Egg BBQ grill in the next couple months. My plan was to just use SPAR varnish, but I absolutely HATE working with it! If the option you used is easier and will hold up to the AZ sun at 5000 feet…
Great article as always! I would like to see for the more exotic species is a discussion of the reactions that you can develop from the dust and exposure to them. The last teak project I worked on was probably 20 years ago (a gift for my father in law’s boat). What I didn’t realize is that teak is a sensitizer. For me I got a allergic reaction that developed over the course of the time that I was working with the wood. By the time I finished the project I had to wear gloves taped up to a long sleeve shirt and wear a respirator because I was breaking out from the dust. Teak is notorious for this as I found out later. Can you comment on the potential for sensitivities for the other species? Thanks!
That table looks great! Not my style with the angles but great construction, great final color and I love the slats. Thanks for the vid. One question: was the choice to go with oak purely because you’re familiar with it, color, and it’s relatively inexpensive or are there some performance benefits over the others you had?
Awesome Mark brother, great article. I really enjoy the detail in each step you went through. Nicely done, once I get into a better spot financially, I’ll be placing an order for sure, and I can’t wait. I digress, I really just wanted to say that you’re articles are very informative. Had a lot of really great information. Great work, how you went through each step, picking material, picking glue, building, finish, the all the way around article start to finish in under ten min. Awesome my friend. Alright sorry about the novel! Keep it up! Till next time. Take care!
If you are actually wanting the best wood for outdoor furniture it wasn’t even included on your list. You are looking at Osage Orange (also known as hedge). Granted this is not typically able to be sourced from many lumber yards. However its natural properties have resistance to rot, bugs, mold, etc… Osage orange has a stunning look as well.
Cool vid. Yuppp teak is great but there are about 10+ types of Teak and its not cheap. If its lower grade Teak, its not all that great for the price, its just the Tree name your paying for. Burmese Teak A – heart wood…that’s the good stuff, it has a great strong distinct aromatic scent to it. Its also the kind used for Yachts because of its natural oily wax that repels water from the ocean and rain. That grey has a mold to it and needs to be scrubbed off more than people think, its just alot of work. Its tough wood to hurt. Gluing it is tricky. I got tired of being told alot of furniture was made of ” Teak ” and it wasn’t or it was very low grade Teak. I Have not seen too much Burmese Teak furniture, but there is alot of Indonesian Teak stuff around. Why people Stain it… is stupid…. it hides the natural beauty of it. Once stained…anything can be Teak. White rustic Oak is also a very good outdoor alternative. White oak is used for wine Barrels, boats and ships and on the USS Constitution ( Old Ironside ), where the cannon balls would bounce off because of the toughness of the Oak.
Hi Mark, do you ship your wood also to my door? In Germany? No, just a joke. Nice wood in your shop. Its really hard to find such wood here in europe. You all can call yourself lucky for such a beautifull selection of wood in the US. Even the european species of walnut and oak a most lame in color and structure compared to you local species. And its way more expensive… But great articles, thanks, keep going!
just a crazy thing I do with exterior wood projects is use little blocks of pvc/azek for under leg areas so no wood is sitting in water…if the project is painted paint them and they blend in or paint them black for stained wood. usually 1/4 – 3/8″ in ht gives it enough clearance without showing them off to help a lot of water soak during rain.
There’s some bad information in this article. Anything made of ipe and many other tropical hardwoods definitely won’t need to be rebuilt for decades if done well with or without being refinished. Grayed out teak or Ipe may not look like you want but it’s not deteriorating. Also I’ve never heard of oil being extracted from teak trees. It’s what you said, a mix of different oils and you can’t really know what it is exactly.
Mark……..looking at the article, I noticed you were wearing a respirator while handling and applying the wood finish. Were you using something more than just a dust mask? So I’m curious about what safety measures you undertook with that highly volatile stuff? The SDS for the material carries a lot of precautions: avoiding breathing fumes, ventilation, avoiding skin contact, avoiding eye contact, and handling of contaminated clothing. I have two tables built and now am ready to apply finish; thus the question about safety. Thanks.
Super Storm Sandy blew up the Long Beach Long Island Boardwalk. The rebuild selection was IPE. The wood is dense…won’t float….if another Super Storm rolls in and undoes the Boardwalk, the wood will sink in place or close by and can be reused to build the boardwalk back. Thanks for the article. You’ve got this figured out.
You should also try Vitex / Molave wood. its also called as Malayan Teak, Pacific Teak, New Guinea Teak, etc. its native in south east asia. Most Indonesian wood workers now mostly working with this wood rather than using Teak, because old teak just getting hard to find the price getting higher. this also came from same family with Teak. its durable and dense
Hi. Thanks for doing these useful articles. I have a question – my new entrance door has been made of solid wood, but I need to finish it with nice walnut for outside and white colour for inside. I know you have used Danish Oil for walnut before, but what would be the best finish for exterior side? It won’t be exposed to rain or snow, but to hot/cold temperatures.
I’ve inherited a Burma teak bench from my great grandparents. Its over 100 years old, made of very rare Burmese teak and its still going fairly strong, its still in use at least. After scrubbing all the algae off and adding a brace underneath using a scrap piece of oak and then some osmo exterior oil. It looks great! Fairly solid when sitting on it, joints are still pretty loose though since they’ve weathered away over the years. Teak sure is a winner though! Amazing!
Another wood to use for outdoor projects is goncalo alves – usually called tigerwood in the US. It is used for decks quite a bit. It’s super durable and dense – not as dense as ipe, but nearly so. A deck made from tigerwood will weather and turn gray, but will last on the order of 25 years, or even more, if the end grain is sealed properly. If it is cared for, re-stained every few years, and the end grain kept sealed, it should last several decades. It is really heavy, so if you use it to make outdoor furniture, it isn’t going to be easy to move around, but it will last a long, long time and look great. Because it is so dense, many stains will not penetrate the wood. Penofin stain/protectant made for tigerwood works well, and it’s just about the only finish I would trust for it. I had bad, bad experiences with other stains on my tigerwood deck.
As always, a great article with fair presentation of factual information avoiding slant based on your business, or general speculative throwaway opinion. Thank you. I’ve worked with marine architecture and fittings from ocean cruise ships down to small coastal boats, and yes, Teak really should be stopped from being used. Much the same could be said of Iroko and many others on the list, but that’s a whole other conversation. Regrading Titebond II/III. Titebond II is not for direct water contact, and I’ve always termed it “porch” or for workpieces that see outdoor environmental moisture but not in direct contact. Out of the rain and snow. III is still not entirely waterproof, but works very well with direct water contact. In addition, it’s made to be more flexible to allow for wood movement in reaction to environmental moisture. II also, but less so. Here in Europe I always go to the spec sheets, or going by known standards like “D3” glue, etc. I love Owatrol D1 and D2 as finishes….D1 is a penetrating marine oil and D2 is a compatible building finish for marine.
Hola…hermosos acabados que das a la madera…una pregunta y si usara la cera FEED AND WAX DE HOWARD me serviría para exterior?… mi plan es ponerle a una casita que hice para mi perro, ponerle aceite de teka de WATCO y luego podría poner el FEED AND WAX para no tener que gastar en el HOWARD para exteriores?…Muchas gracias!!!!
You were right about everything but saying paint is the best thing for outdoor wood. That’s wrong. The best thing for protecting outdoor wood is solid stain. It will look like paint but it will go in the wood instead of just on the top. If you need to redo the stain there is no prep work needed. it should last about eight years. And since all the soft wood comes with a lot of moisture stain will let the water come out, paint won’t.It will flake off. I have been sealing outdoor wood for 37 years it’s my profession. But what he said was right about everything else.
I am glad to hear that you have found this book to be very informative and helpful for your woodworking project youtube.com/post/UgkxbnOKZBE4evMO5V2vroHeCjq6d_MV6wJO It sounds like you are well prepared and confident to build furniture for your house. I commend you and your friend for your enthusiasm and willingness to learn new things from this book. I hope you enjoy your woodworking journey and create some beautiful pieces.
Very nice Mark, I have had good luck using Teak oil on my outdoor builds I live in the northeast so our summers are short but I have a bench I built 25+yrs ago & I just re coat it every couple years. My next project is to build 2 outdoor rocking chairs, Do you have any 6/4 or 8/4 stock I only need enough for both curved legs the rest I can use 4/4. Thanks
Mark hi, good morning, is teak the most quality wood they make for outdoor furniture in Florida? Also, by the sounds of your beautiful article here, teak wood 🪵 is a way to impress ( if that is what people’s tastes are 😉)wouldn’t you agree? A great way to dress up an outdoor area by utilizing this particular wood right? Cool! I am considering this! You’re the best for helping us, thank you!
I’m sorry, 3-4 years before you may need to REBUILD the project? Are you crazy? If I pay the premium price for teak, eucalyptus, ipe, or some other exotic hardwood for outdoor use, I would be outraged if it needed rebuilding after 15 years with no care whatsoever. Three to four years is for untreated softwoods and hardwoods that are NOT suitable for outdoor use. Untreated and unprotected pine, hemlock, maple, yeah maybe 3-4 years is reasonable. Maybe you dropped a zero and meant to say 30-40 years? HUGE gaffe!