Western Redcedar wood movement, board-foot & weight calculator
- Janka
- 350lbf
- Density
- 22.4lb/ft³
- T/R ratio
- 2.1
- Spec. gravity
- 0.32
Western Redcedar is a North American softwood. It has a Janka side hardness of 350 lbf, a specific gravity of 0.32, and an air-dry density near 22 lb/ft³ (359 kg/m³) (mechanical values at 12% moisture content). It shrinks 5% tangentially and 2.4% radially from green to oven-dry (T/R ratio 2.1), so a 12-inch flatsawn board moves about 0.12 in (≈ 1/8 in) across a 6-point moisture swing (about 6%→12% MC).
Compute Western Redcedar: movement, weight & board footage
Every number below is worked from Western 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″ | 0.02″ (≈ 1/32 in) | 0.01″ (≈ 0 in) |
| 3″ | 0.03″ (≈ 1/32 in) | 0.014″ (≈ 0 in) |
| 4″ | 0.04″ (≈ 1/32 in) | 0.019″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| 6″ | 0.06″ (≈ 1/16 in) | 0.029″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| 8″ | 0.08″ (≈ 3/32 in) | 0.038″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| 10″ | 0.1″ (≈ 3/32 in) | 0.048″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| 12″ | 0.12″ (≈ 1/8 in) | 0.058″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| 16″ | 0.16″ (≈ 5/32 in) | 0.077″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
Need a different width or moisture swing? Run the movement calculator preloaded with Western Redcedar. At a T/R ratio of 2.08, Western Redcedar is moderately unstable — it moves substantially more tangentially than radially, so flatsawn stock is noticeably cup-prone and quartersawn stock is worth the extra cost in wide panels.
Board footage & weight, standard sizes
| Nominal size × length | Board feet | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1×4 × 8′ | 2.67 bd ft | 5 lb |
| 1×6 × 8′ | 4 bd ft | 7.5 lb |
| 1×8 × 8′ | 5.33 bd ft | 10 lb |
| 1×10 × 8′ | 6.67 bd ft | 12.4 lb |
| 1×12 × 8′ | 8 bd ft | 14.9 lb |
| 2×4 × 8′ | 5.33 bd ft | 10 lb |
| 2×6 × 8′ | 8 bd ft | 14.9 lb |
| 2×8 × 8′ | 10.67 bd ft | 19.9 lb |
Different length or size? Run the board foot calculator or the weight calculator, both preloaded with Western 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 | 0.092″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
| Chicago, IL | May · 12.3% | Dec · 15.1% | 2.8 pts | 0.056″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| Miami, FL | Apr · 12.2% | Sep · 14.4% | 2.2 pts | 0.044″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| Boston, MA | Apr · 11.5% | Sep · 12.8% | 1.3 pts | 0.026″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| Denver, CO | Jul · 8% | Dec · 10.5% | 2.5 pts | 0.05″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| Seattle, WA | Jul · 12% | Dec · 16.9% | 4.9 pts | 0.098″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
Driven by Western Redcedar's tangential shrinkage of 5%. These are outdoor equilibrium-moisture figures, so they are an upper bound — a climate-controlled interior swings less. How this is calculated.
How Western Redcedar compares
Ranked against the 196 species in the Wood Handbook tables this site carries.
- Hardness: at 350 lbf, Western Redcedar is harder than 1% of the 157 species with a Janka figure — one of the softer woods here, easy to work and easy to dent.
- Weight: at 22.4 lb/ft³ it is heavier than 3% of the 170 species measured — an 8-foot 1×6 board weighs about 7.5 lb.
- Stability: its T/R ratio of 2.08 is more even than 26% of the 196 species here — as humidity changes, 74% of them hold their shape more evenly.
See Western 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 Western Redcedar is unavailable or priced out.
- Butternut is a common substitute for Western Redcedar : 40% harder, 19% heavier, and similarly stable in service.
- Obeche is a common substitute for Western Redcedar : 23% harder, about the same weight, and more stable in service.
- American Chestnut is a common substitute for Western Redcedar : 54% harder, 34% heavier, and similarly stable in service.
| Species | Janka | Density | T/R |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butternut | 490 lbf | 26.6 | 1.88 |
| Obeche | 430 lbf | 21 | 1.8 |
| American Chestnut | 540 lbf | 30.1 | 1.97 |
About Western Redcedar
Western redcedar (Thuja plicata) grows in the Pacific Northwest and along the Pacific Coast to Alaska. It is also called canoe cedar, giant arborvitae, shinglewood, and Pacific redcedar. Western redcedar lumber is produced principally in Washington, followed by Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. The heartwood of western redcedar is reddish or pinkish brown to dull brown, and the sapwood is nearly white. The sapwood is narrow, often not more than 3 cm (1 in.) wide. The wood is generally straight grained and has a uniform but rather coarse texture. It has very low shrinkage. This species is lightweight, moderately soft, low in strength when used as a beam or posts, and low in shock resistance. The heartwood is very resistant to decay. Western redcedar is used principally for shingles, lumber, poles, posts, and piles. The lumber is used for exterior siding, decking, interior woodwork, greenhouse construction, ship and boat building, boxes and crates, sashes, and doors.
Durability & sustainability
Decay resistance: the Wood Handbook rates Western 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 Western Redcedar.
Properties
| Specific gravity | 0.32 |
|---|---|
| Janka hardness (side) | 350 lbf |
| Density (air-dry, 12% MC) | 22.4 lb/ft³ (359 kg/m³) ovendry-weight basis: 20 lb/ft³ |
| Weight per board foot (air-dry) | 1.87 lb |
| Radial shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 2.4% |
| Tangential shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 5% |
| Volumetric shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 6.8% |
| T/R ratio (stability indicator) | 2.1 |
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.