Incense-Cedar
Calocedrus decurrens · softwood · Western US · low movement
- Janka hardness 470 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 26 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.37 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 5.2%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 3.3%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 1.6 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes Pencil wood — whittles like a dream, resists weather, and barely moves. Soft; not for wear surfaces.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for incense-cedar across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 1/16″ (0.067″) | 1/32″ (0.042″) |
| 12″ | 1/8″ (0.134″) | 3/32″ (0.085″) |
| 24″ | 9/32″ (0.267″) | 5/32″ (0.170″) |
| 36″ | 13/32″ (0.401″) | 1/4″ (0.255″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to incense-cedar:
Typical swings:
Incense-Cedar questions
How much does incense-cedar move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn incense-cedar board moves about 1/8″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 3/32″. Its tangential shrinkage is 5.2% and radial 3.3% (green to ovendry) — a low-movement wood.
How hard is incense-cedar?
Incense-Cedar rates about 470 lbf on the Janka scale — soft enough to dent in daily use (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 26 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is incense-cedar good for wide panels and tabletops?
Yes, with normal precautions: its 1.6:1 tangential-to-radial ratio is unusually balanced, so panels stay flatter than most. Still fasten solid tops so they can move across their width.
Similar species
White Fir · Ponderosa Pine · Lodgepole Pine · Redwood · White Spruce · Grand Fir
Shrinkage, specific gravity, and hardness from the Wood Handbook, FPL-GTR-282 (2021 edition), USDA Forest Products Laboratory (public domain). Values are species averages — individual boards vary with growth conditions and how they were dried.