---
title: "Western red cedar — density, melting point and properties"
description: "Western red cedar has a density of 370 kg/m³ (320–420). Melting point, strength, conductivity, what it is used for, and whether it floats, rusts or is magnetic."
url: https://atoneplace.net/material/cedar/
site: "At One Place"
---

# 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

*Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything below that floats.*

| 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?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-float/cedar/)
- [Pine](https://atoneplace.net/material/pine/)
- [Plywood](https://atoneplace.net/material/plywood/)
- [MDF](https://atoneplace.net/material/mdf/)
- [White oak](https://atoneplace.net/material/white-oak/)
- [Red oak](https://atoneplace.net/material/red-oak/)
- [Balsa](https://atoneplace.net/material/balsa/)
- [Spruce](https://atoneplace.net/material/spruce/)
- [Hard maple](https://atoneplace.net/material/maple/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)