Western Red Cedar?

[Sparky Paessler]

I'm getting ready to try my hand at making a canoe and was thinking of using Western Red Cedar. I will need about 50 to 60 board feet of 4/4 and would like at least half of the boards to be 10' long or so. The problem I'm having is finding it locally. Does anyone know of a good source that I could order it from? I don't want the precut canoe strips as I want to cut them myself.

Thanks

Sparky

[Dave Richards]

You might want to post your question at the WoodenBoat sponsored forum. You might even find someone close to you who can help you out.

I hope that doesn't violate the TOS.

[Joseph N. Myers]

Sparky,

Try doing a search on canoe, kayak and/or cedar - you'll find quite a few hits. The names David Wilson and John Bailey come up a lot and sounds like they would be great of information. You may also want to consider white cedar - quite poplar for woodworking on the East coast and you can get it in longer length (again on e. coast).

Regards, Joe

[John Bailey]

Sparky,

Myself and a friend are in the process of building a couple of 17'9" Kayaks. We considered white cedar, but here in Northern Michigan, we couldn't get it in long enough lengths. So, we're going to go with western red. Our local sawmill has plenty for decks and other outdoor uses. While it's not clear, it doesn't have too many defects and they'll let us pick through to find the pieces we want. I haven't used it to build a boat yet, but I've used it for kayak paddles many times. I believe most places have this type of wood available, even in TN. It's quite a bit cheaper than clear, and we feel we'll be able to find enough pieces to make it work for us. We need about 50 bd/ft each. By buying 1x stock and cutting it ourselves, it will cost us under $100 for the wood. Pricing clear stock was going to cost around $400.

Make sure you let us see your progress.

John

[Robert Waddell]

Sparky,
I have bought western red cedar twice from a place in Lenior, NC called Boone Lumber. They are wholesaler's who bring it in on rail cars from the west coast. Great prices, service and will have any length/sizes you need. I don't have their number handy but you should be able to get from switchboard.com. If you call ask for Andy.
Robert

[Jeff Horton]

You should be able to find at most local building yards. It's sold for exterior siding. Now finding decent boards is a problem but they do have it long lengths at least.

[Ben Grunow]

Must be a regional thing because my lumber yard has tons of it for decks etc.. 2x4 20'-probably 50 on the rack, mostly clear too. Shop around, you should be able to find it locally.

[Sparky Paessler]

Thanks Guys. The lumber stores around here seem to only carry Fir, Southern yellow pine and treated lumber (which is what they use here for decks and fencing).

Robert, Lenior is only a few hours from here over the mountains. I will have to give them a call.

Thanks

Sparky

[John Bailey]

Sparky,

According to Lynn Pardey's book, "Classic Boatbuilding," both fir and yellow pine are good choices, at least for building yachts. I suspect western red would be light however.

John

[Scott Banbury]

Sparky,

The best deal your going to find is 6x6 - 10x10 cants (posts) from your local outdoor building supplier. If you can't find one, call Bolen Brunson Bell in Memphis 901-327-8190 and ask them.

This material will often come in clear lengths up to 28'. Have them resaw it what ever thickness you want for the width of your strips.

[Andy Hoyt]

These guys are wholesalers, but you could probably find a local source through them.

http://www.bostoncedar.com/

[tod evans]

sparky, cedarcreek wholesale in springfield mo. has western red in stock up to 6x12x 32` your local yard can buy from them but they don`t sell to the public...02 tod

[David Wilson]

Sparky
When I built my kayak I used red cedar that all started as 2 by material. Mostly 2X6's. You don't have to use full length bords as with a good scarf joint and paying attention to color your joints will hardly be noticable. I used mostly 6' lengths, to build my 14' kayak.

[Jeff Horton]

I am surprised since we live reasonable close that someone doesn't have cedar siding in stock.

As for yellow pine and spruce, assuming Sparky has the same options I have available, the spruce is what is called white wood. Probably not spruce and it can be any number of different light colored pines. And most of it is full of knots too.

Pine is heavy, much heavier than the Cedar. Would add a lot of weight to his boat. And not that attractive, at least to me.

In my area WRC in anything but 1x's is hard to find. Heck, I have never seen anything but 1x's at the yards. When I remodeled our last home I had saved a couple of WRC 4x4's. First I had ever seen around here. And I had a diving board on the pier made from a 8/4 plank 10 ft long. I had put them in the barn and forgotten about them till recently. Drug them out and hope to make my kayak this winter from them.

[John Bush]

Hi Sparky,
The WRC used in the 5/4 radiused deck planks is usually cut from newer growth, less resinated logs. It tends to be lighter in color and is good as decking in those dimensions but in 1/8" thick planking I would be suspect of its strength. Clear old growth WRC in long lengths is spendy, even out here in the Pacific NW, but it would be a better choice for an heirloom canoe. JCB.