The Benefits of Using Cedar Wood for Outdoor Furniture

Cedar wood has been in use back in the days of our grandmothers. Our grandmothers had the wisdom to use cedar wood for all of their furniture. In fact, some of us might still be using one of our grandmother’s cedar furniture as cedar wood is highly durable and the aesthetic design of the furniture stands out.

Now, let’s look at the benefits of using cedar wood for outdoor furniture.

*        Cedar wood is a stable and lightweight wood and has the ability to stay flat and straight. This property makes it resistant to cracks like other wood species.

*        Cedar is an excellent wood for outdoor furniture as it has the ability to dry faster and is generally not susceptible to moisture rot.

*        A lot of outdoor wood furniture today is treated with chemicals. The chemicals used are arsenic, copper and chromium. There are controversies regarding the extent of arsenic exposure in pressure treated furniture. Though arsenic does not get absorbed by the skin, it can enter into our body through ingestion. Children are more vulnerable than adults as they would readily place their fingers into their mouth.

*        The cedar aroma which is caused due to the natural occurring organic compound ‘thujaplicins’ is extremely pleasant for humans but detrimental for pests, moths and insects. This occurs in eastern aromatic red cedar wood only.

*        Cedar wood can be used in all climatic conditions. As it is thermally coefficient, furniture made of cedar wood would be cool even on hot, sunny days and warm in winter. This makes it the best wood for outdoor furniture.

*        Cedar wood needs little maintenance.

*        Cedar wood is highly durable and lasts for years.

*        The craftsmanship also increases in cedar wood as it is lightweight, insulating and sound suppressing. This makes the wood easy to craft and makes it good for both professionals and DIY people.

*        Cedar wood has 80% strength of oak.

*        Cedar wood is bacterial and fungal resistant.

You can also use white cedar wood for outdoor furniture. The only difference between red and white cedar is that white cedar does not last long as it contains less acidic tannins.

Catherine Quel, President

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