Northern White-Cedar
Thuja occidentalis · softwood · Northeastern North America · low movement
- Janka hardness 320 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 22 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.31 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 4.9%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 2.2%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 2.2 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes The lightest common softwood — canoe ribs, shingles, fence rails. Exceptionally stable; exceptionally easy to dent.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for northern white-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″ (0.063″) | 1/32″ (0.028″) |
| 12″ | 1/8″ (0.126″) | 1/16″ (0.057″) |
| 24″ | 1/4″ (0.252″) | 1/8″ (0.113″) |
| 36″ | 3/8″ (0.378″) | 5/32″ (0.170″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to northern white-cedar:
Typical swings:
Northern White-Cedar questions
How much does northern white-cedar move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn northern white-cedar board moves about 1/8″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 1/16″. Its tangential shrinkage is 4.9% and radial 2.2% (green to ovendry) — a low-movement wood.
How hard is northern white-cedar?
Northern White-Cedar rates about 320 lbf on the Janka scale — soft enough to dent in daily use (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 22 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is northern white-cedar good for wide panels and tabletops?
Carefully. Its tangential-to-radial ratio of 2.2:1 makes flatsawn boards prone to cupping — choose quartersawn stock for wide glue-ups, alternate growth rings, and fasten tops so they can slide.
Similar species
Atlantic White-Cedar · Western Redcedar · Eastern White Pine · Sugar Pine · Engelmann Spruce · Balsam 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.