Eastern Redcedar wood movement, board-foot & weight calculator
- Janka
- 650lbf
- Density
- 32.8lb/ft³
- T/R ratio
- 1.5
- Spec. gravity
- 0.47
Eastern Redcedar is a North American softwood. It has a Janka side hardness of 650 lbf, a specific gravity of 0.47, and an air-dry density near 33 lb/ft³ (525 kg/m³) (mechanical values at 12% moisture content). It shrinks 4.7% tangentially and 3.1% radially from green to oven-dry (T/R ratio 1.5), so a 12-inch flatsawn board moves about 0.11 in (≈ 1/8 in) across a 6-point moisture swing (about 6%→12% MC).
Compute Eastern Redcedar: movement, weight & board footage
Every number below is worked from Eastern Redcedar's own shrinkage and density figures, not looked up from a table — change the width, moisture swing, or board size in the calculators linked alongside.
Cross-grain movement by board width
| Board width | Flatsawn (tangential) | Quartersawn (radial) |
|---|---|---|
| 2″ | 0.019″ (≈ 1/32 in) | 0.012″ (≈ 0 in) |
| 3″ | 0.028″ (≈ 1/32 in) | 0.019″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| 4″ | 0.038″ (≈ 1/32 in) | 0.025″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| 6″ | 0.056″ (≈ 1/16 in) | 0.037″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| 8″ | 0.075″ (≈ 1/16 in) | 0.05″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| 10″ | 0.094″ (≈ 3/32 in) | 0.062″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| 12″ | 0.113″ (≈ 1/8 in) | 0.074″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| 16″ | 0.15″ (≈ 5/32 in) | 0.099″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
Need a different width or moisture swing? Run the movement calculator preloaded with Eastern Redcedar. At a T/R ratio of 1.52, Eastern Redcedar is stable — it moves moderately more across the face than through the thickness — normal behaviour for a furniture hardwood, and predictable if boards are acclimatised before milling.
Board footage & weight, standard sizes
| Nominal size × length | Board feet | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1×4 × 8′ | 2.67 bd ft | 7.3 lb |
| 1×6 × 8′ | 4 bd ft | 10.9 lb |
| 1×8 × 8′ | 5.33 bd ft | 14.6 lb |
| 1×10 × 8′ | 6.67 bd ft | 18.2 lb |
| 1×12 × 8′ | 8 bd ft | 21.9 lb |
| 2×4 × 8′ | 5.33 bd ft | 14.6 lb |
| 2×6 × 8′ | 8 bd ft | 21.9 lb |
| 2×8 × 8′ | 10.67 bd ft | 29.2 lb |
Different length or size? Run the board foot calculator or the weight calculator, both preloaded with Eastern Redcedar.
Seasonal movement by city
| City | Driest month (EMC) | Most-humid month (EMC) | EMC swing | 12″ board movement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | Jun · 4.4% | Dec · 9% | 4.6 pts | 0.086″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
| Chicago, IL | May · 12.3% | Dec · 15.1% | 2.8 pts | 0.053″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| Miami, FL | Apr · 12.2% | Sep · 14.4% | 2.2 pts | 0.041″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| Boston, MA | Apr · 11.5% | Sep · 12.8% | 1.3 pts | 0.024″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| Denver, CO | Jul · 8% | Dec · 10.5% | 2.5 pts | 0.047″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| Seattle, WA | Jul · 12% | Dec · 16.9% | 4.9 pts | 0.092″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
Driven by Eastern Redcedar's tangential shrinkage of 4.7%. These are outdoor equilibrium-moisture figures, so they are an upper bound — a climate-controlled interior swings less. How this is calculated.
How Eastern Redcedar compares
Ranked against the 196 species in the Wood Handbook tables this site carries.
- Hardness: at 650 lbf, Eastern Redcedar is harder than 31% of the 157 species with a Janka figure.
- Weight: at 32.8 lb/ft³ it is heavier than 35% of the 170 species measured — an 8-foot 1×6 board weighs about 10.9 lb.
- Stability: its T/R ratio of 1.52 is more even than 83% of the 196 species here — as humidity changes, 17% of them hold their shape more evenly.
See Eastern Redcedar plotted against every species we carry: the full Janka hardness chart and the full density chart .
Species with a similar working profile
Closest matches on hardness, weight and stability together — useful when Eastern Redcedar is unavailable or priced out.
- Coast Douglas-fir is a common substitute for Eastern Redcedar : 9% harder, about the same weight, and similarly stable in service.
- Black Ash is a common substitute for Eastern Redcedar : 31% harder, about the same weight, and similarly stable in service.
- Spanish-cedar is a common substitute for Eastern Redcedar : nearly identical hardness, 12% lighter, and similarly stable in service.
- True Mahogany is a common substitute for Eastern Redcedar : 23% harder, about the same weight, and similarly stable in service.
| Species | Janka | Density | T/R |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coast Douglas-fir | 710 lbf | 33.5 | 1.58 |
| Black Ash | 850 lbf | 34.2 | 1.56 |
| Spanish-cedar | 600 lbf | 28.7 | 1.5 |
| True Mahogany | 800 lbf | 31.4 | 1.37 |
About Eastern Redcedar
Eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) grows throughout the eastern half of the United States, except in Maine, Florida, and a narrow strip along the Gulf Coast, and at the higher elevations in the Appalachian Mountains. Commercial production is principally in the southern Appalachian and Cumberland Mountain regions. Another species, southern redcedar (J. silicicola), grows over a limited area in the South Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains. The heartwood of redcedar is bright or dull red, and the narrow sapwood is nearly white. The wood is moderately heavy, moderately low in strength, hard, and high in shock resistance, but low in stiffness. It has very low shrinkage and is dimensionally stable after drying. The texture is fine and uniform, and the wood commonly has numerous small knots. Eastern redcedar heartwood is very resistant to decay. The greatest quantity of eastern and southern redcedar is used for fence posts. Lumber is manufactured into chests, wardrobes, and closet lining. Other uses include flooring, novelties, pencils, scientific instruments, and small boats.
Durability & sustainability
Decay resistance: the Wood Handbook rates Eastern Redcedar heartwood resistant to fungal decay . Ratings are for heartwood only and the table's own note cautions that resistance varies substantially within a species; treat this as a general indicator, not a guarantee, especially for ground contact. Wood Handbook, Chapter 14: Biodeterioration of Wood (Arango, Lebow, Glaeser), USDA Forest Products Laboratory, FPL-GTR-282 (2021), Table 14-1. Public domain.
CITES status: not listed on any CITES Appendix — no international-trade restriction applies to Eastern Redcedar.
Properties
| Specific gravity | 0.47 |
|---|---|
| Janka hardness (side) | 650 lbf |
| Density (air-dry, 12% MC) | 32.8 lb/ft³ (525 kg/m³) ovendry-weight basis: 29.3 lb/ft³ |
| Weight per board foot (air-dry) | 2.73 lb |
| Radial shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 3.1% |
| Tangential shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 4.7% |
| Volumetric shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 7.8% |
| T/R ratio (stability indicator) | 1.5 |
Shrinkage is total green-to-oven-dry (Table 4-3); strength values are at 12% MC. Full bases and the derivation formulas are on the methodology page.
Data: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 (2021), public domain.