Species Overview

For over a century, Eastern White Cedar has been the species of choice for roofing and exterior cladding in Eastern Canada and the United States. This warm and beautiful wood species is extremely durable and requires very little maintenance. It contains natural preservatives which protect it from rot and insect attack. Eastern White Cedar ages well. If left in its natural unfinished state it will take on a distinctive silver grey appearance. It has a good adhesion capacity for finish and stain, so different architectural effects can be achieved by applying a suitable exterior wood finish.

Why use Eastern White Cedar Shingles for Roofing or Cladding?

Canadian Eastern white cedar is ideal for exterior construction because it is naturally durable and resistant to moisture, decay and insect damage.

There are examples all over the world of white cedar shingles lasting well over 100 years. With its richness of grain, texture and colour, white cedar offers a timeless complement to any architectural style, from traditional to contemporary.

Appearance
Eastern White Cedar shingles are fine grained and are light to pale brown in colour.

Natural Durability
Eastern White Cedar shingles contain natural preservatives that protect them from decay.

Dimensional Stability
Eastern White Cedar has exceptional dimensional stability. It lays flat, stays straight and retains fasteners due to the fact that it ages and dries without contracting.

Workability
Eastern White Cedar is popular with craftsmen because it can be easily worked by hand or with power tools. It has an even grain, fine texture and a low density enabling nails to be easily driven through it without it splitting.

Thermal Conductivity
Eastern White Cedar has a unique cell structure that traps tiny pockets of air and provides excellent insulation helping to reduce home heating costs.

Finish Retention
Eastern White Cedar shingles have a good adhesion capacity for finish and stain.

Sustainability
Our Eastern White Cedar shingles have excellent 'green' credentials: They come from a renewable resource with full FSC Chain of Custody Certification.

Why Buy Your Eastern White Cedar Shingles From Silva Timber Products Ltd?

Our supplier is North America's leading producer of Eastern White Cedar shingles. They have spent the last 40 years improving the way White Cedar shingles are made. Today, they are engineered to be so durable, you might even consider them to be high tech.

Shingles are cut with stellite-tipped saws to ensure precise cuts and minimise raised grain. They are then resquared and rebutted. Resquared means that they are cut parallel which saves time on installation as it eliminates the need for trimming. Rebutted means they are trimmed at the butt to provide smoother, smarter ends and create an impeccable final finish. They are then kiln-dried for greater stability and durability.

The Silva Timber difference:

• Choice of three grades
• FSC Certification
• Huge stocks for immediate nationwide delivery
• Kiln dried to 14 - 18% moisture content

Interesting Facts about Eastern White Cedar

It can be a very long-lived tree in certain conditions, with notably old specimens growing on cliffs where they are inaccessible to deer and wildfire; the oldest known living specimen is just over 1,000 years old, but a dead specimen with over 1,500 growth rings has been found. These very old trees are, despite their age, small and stunted due to the difficult growing conditions.

Although not listed as endangered, wild Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) populations are threatened in many areas by the very high deer numbers encouraged by hunting associations; deer find the soft evergreen foliage a very attractive winter food, and strip it rapidly.

The essential oil within the species has been used for cleansers, disinfectants, hair preparations, insecticides, liniment, room sprays, and soft soaps.

There are some reports that Native Americans made a soup from the inner bark of the soft twigs. Others have used the twigs to make teas to relieve constipation and headache.