British Western Red Cedar is the ideal choice for those where either budget is a deciding factor or you value a locally grown low carbon footprint product.

British Western Red Cedar wood offers the same durability and ease of working as its Canadian counterpart, although does present a more rustic, knotty finish that is paler and more even in colour.

Ease of sourcing, immediacy of dispatch and consistency of price also favour British Western Red Cedar.

The attractiveness of Canadian Western Red Cedar is its completely clear finish (i.e. no knots and smooth grain), although limited availability of supply, exchange rate fluctuation and the distance travelled to import all make it significantly more expensive than British. What’s more, the cost of Canadian will continue to rise whereas the price of the British alternative will remain low and stable in comparison.

So, in summary, British Western Red Cedar would be the best choice for your project if:

• You value a local, British grown, low carbon impact product
• Budget is a deciding factor
• You are looking for a consistent, paler colour across all boards
• You do not want a patchy look whilst your Cedar weathers
• You want character – i.e. knots and grain to show that it is a natural product

Read about Canadian Western Red Cedar wood.