Western red cedar
Density of western red cedar
370 kg/m³ (320–420)
0.37 g/cm³ · 23.1 lb/ft³
Light, soft, and naturally rot-resistant without any treatment thanks to its extractives — which is why untreated cedar cladding lasts decades outdoors and silvers rather than rotting. Those same extractives are acidic and corrode ordinary steel fixings, staining the wood black, so cedar must be fixed with stainless or hot-dip galvanized nails. It moves very little with humidity, another reason it is chosen for cladding.
Properties
- Density
- 370 kg/m³ (320–420) — 0.37 g/cm³
- Young's modulus
- 7.7 GPa
- Floats in water
- Yes
- Magnetic
- No
What it is used for
- Cladding, shingles and fencing
- Garden furniture and greenhouses
- Saunas and hot tubs
- Moth-resistant chest and wardrobe linings
How it compares
Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything with a shorter bar than water floats in it.
air 1.2 kg/m³
expanded polystyrene foam 20 kg/m³
rigid polyurethane foam 40 kg/m³
western red cedar 370 kg/m³
Water — the float line 1,000 kg/m³
tungsten 19,250 kg/m³
gold 19,300 kg/m³
platinum 21,450 kg/m³
| Material | Density | Relative to water |
|---|---|---|
| rigid polyurethane foam | 40 kg/m³ | 0.04× |
| expanded polystyrene foam | 20 kg/m³ | 0.02× |
| air | 1.2 kg/m³ | 0.00× |
| western red cedar ← | 370 kg/m³ | 0.37× |
| platinum | 21,450 kg/m³ | 21.45× |
| gold | 19,300 kg/m³ | 19.30× |
| tungsten | 19,250 kg/m³ | 19.25× |
Does it rust?
Western red cedar contains no iron, so it cannot rust. Whether it degrades depends on the material, not on oxidation.
Is it magnetic?
Western red cedar is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.
Common questions
- What is the density of western red cedar?
- 370 kg/m³ (320–420), or 0.37 g/cm³.
- Does western red cedar float?
- Yes. At 370 kg/m³ it is less dense than water's 1,000.
- Is western red cedar magnetic?
- Western red cedar is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.
Related pages
- Does western red cedar float? Yes
- Pine 500 kg/m³
- Plywood 600 kg/m³
- MDF 750 kg/m³
- White oak 755 kg/m³
- Red oak 700 kg/m³
- Balsa 160 kg/m³
- Spruce 430 kg/m³
- Hard maple 705 kg/m³
Sources
- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place