Gabarro

Pacific Red Cedar

Scientific name: Thuja plicata D. Don

Geographic origin: West coast of north America.

Pacific Red Cedar
Description

  • Sapwood: white.
  • Heartwood: from reddish to reddish brown and brown.
  • Fiber: straight.
  • Grain: medium size.
  • Characteristic defects: small healthy knots.

Capacity of being impregnated

  • Sapwood: low capacity of being impregnated.
  • Heartwood: no capable of being impregnated.

Mechanization

  • Sawing process: easy and with no difficulties.
  • Drying process: slow, with risk to collapse and crack formation.
  • Planing process: no difficulties.
  • Gluing process: no difficulties.
  • Nailing and screwing process: no difficulties.
  • Finish: no difficulties.

Physical properties

  • Apparent density at 12% humidity 370 kg/m3 light wood.
  • Dimensional stability
  • - Volumetric contraction coefficient 0.32 % highly stable wood.
  • - Relation between contractions 2.5% high tendency to deformity.
  • Hardness (Chaláis-Meudon) 1.3 softwood.

Pacific Red Cedar
Mechanical properties

  • Resistance to static flexion 530 kg/cm2.
  • Elasticity module 80,000 kg/cm2.
  • Resistance to compression 310 kg/cm2

Pacific Red Cedar
Observations

  • It usualy has strong colour variations within a single piece.