Cedar Suppliers

[derek labian]

I need to acquire enough cedar for a 600sqft ceiling. I plan to mill it to T&G as thin as possible. My hardwood vendors have cedar (I assume western red cedar) for $5 per bf which seems high. I am looking for Western Red Cedar I can get delivered. Any additional tips about T&G ceilings are appreciated too.

[John K Jordan]

Knowing your location might be helpful. You can add it to your profile.

My house uses T&G ceilings but they are 2x6 fasten to the top of exposed beams.

[Mark Bolton]

I need to acquire enough cedar for a 600sqft ceiling. I plan to mill it to T&G as thin as possible. My hardwood vendors have cedar (I assume western red cedar) for $5 per bf which seems high. I am looking for Western Red Cedar I can get delivered. Any additional tips about T&G ceilings are appreciated too.

Your location is going to be the issue. 2.50/lf (your $5/bf) wouldnt be unreasonable for clear western red cedar here in mid-atlantic but elsewhere it would be a buck or so high for 4/4 T&G...

[derek labian]

Knowing your location might be helpful. You can add it to your profile.

My house uses T&G ceilings but they are 2x6 fasten to the top of exposed beams.

Hi John, Houston Texas area. I assumed I was going to have to have it shipped in.

[John Goodin]

A deck material supply house in the area maybe an option. Timber Town in Austin Has a wide selection of cedar material it just may not be the grade you want.

[Sam Puhalovich]

Derek ... I'm guessing that your likely to make-out best by finding a near-to-you sawyer and eliminate the retailer. You'll be able to 'negotiate' the thickness of the material ... getting-it home might still be problematic. I think that I paid $3.50/bd-ft the last time I bought cedar from a sawmill and I had to haul-it.

[Mark Bolton]

Derek ... I'm guessing that your likely to make-out best by finding a near-to-you sawyer and eliminate the retailer. You'll be able to 'negotiate' the thickness of the material ... getting-it home might still be problematic. I think that I paid $3.50/bd-ft the last time I bought cedar from a sawmill and I had to haul-it.

You had a local mill in TX with western red cedar logs?

[Phillip Mitchell]

Are you talking about clear WRC or a knotty #2 type grade of cedar? Also, I would look for a supplier than can do the T&G milling and then sell it to you ready to go unless you’re looking to do something non standard. There is no way that you can do that part of the job more efficiently than a big lumberyard/supplier/mill.

WRC is expensive and that price is not out of line for even low grade material. Clear cedar could certainly be more than $5 bd/ft when outside of the PNW. You are not getting WRC “locally” unless you’re in PNW, western CA, Alaska.

Just my thoughts.

You probably don’t want to go much thinner than 5/8-11/16 thick as that does not leave much thickness for the actual tongue and groove joint to provide any real strength / effectiveness. I actually had to make a run recently of about ~150 LF of WRC tongue and groove to match some existing interior T&G for a project and finished at around 11/16” thick and would not want to go any thinner.

[Malcolm McLeod]

You had a local mill in TX with western red cedar logs?

Texans are prone to refer to the miles of native evergreens in the Hill Country as "mountain cedar" and collectively, "cedar breaks". I believe it is more scientifically accurate to call them Ashe Juniper, but traditions die hard.

(Pollen season is called "cedar fever".:()

[derek labian]

Thanks for all the helpful information.

John, I will check Timber Town out, I could pick up from Austin.

Phillip, I used knotty cedar for a pergola that is attached to a deck, I'm not sure at those sizes you could get clear. The underside of the patio is currently bead-board and I was thinking clear, but thinner than 1", perhaps 1/2". I guess it doesn't have to be T&G, it could simply be a rabbet since its a veneer. Its not exposed to any direct elements and I believe my closet has something similar to 1/2 on the ceiling.

[Sam Puhalovich]

Derek ... you might want to check-out some of these places that'll easily be up-to-an-hour less drive-time. Hillbilly Sawmill in Smithville (closest) ... Wampler Mfg, North Bastrop ... Berdol Sawmill, Cedar Creek ... Hahn and Hahn, Red Rock.

[Tom Bender]

What are you attaching it to? There may be ways to use thinner material depending.