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On Your Deck and Around Your Yard
Today's Cedar - The Natural Choice for Your Great Outdoors
  
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From the arrival of the Northwest's earliest inhabitants, Western Red Cedar has been a cherished, even revered, part of our outdoor heritage. And while the Old Ones invested this wood with supernatural attributes, the reasons for its supremacy as an all-weather building material are entirely natural.
Cedar is naturally resistant to decay and insect damage. Its unique "grown-in-the-wood" preservative oil means that no further chemical treatment is needed, unless the lumber is in direct contact with the ground. Stability? Nature favors Cedar. With less than half the swelling and shrinking tendency of other domestic softwoods, it lies flat, stays straight, retains fasteners and provides a firm base for paints and stains. So your Cedar projects age gracefully through decades of Western weather.
But Cedar isn't just these sturdy virtues. It's also downright beautiful, with a rich grain, texture and color that complement any architectural style, from traditional to post-modern. Build with today's Cedar and enjoy the lasting prestige that imitators can only hint at.
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 Planning Your Outdoor Living Room
Whether your space is a downtown condominium, a country retreat, or something in between, outdoor living projects built with Western Red Cedar will add immediate enjoyment and lasting value to your investment. With versatile Cedar, the possibilities are endless. Many homeowners begin with the deck, then as time and budget permit, add complementary additions - railings and stairs, fences and gates, benches and planters. And to complete the "yardscape", a touch of romance: arbors, trellises and a gazebo. For idea-starters, plus planning and construction tips, browse this site or ask your building supply dealer for more details.
 Deck Grade Choices Made Simple
No more puzzling over decking grades. Members of the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association have reduced the mumbo-jumbo to four easily understood choices - a category for every taste and budget.
(a) WRCLA Architect Clear - The ultimate in durability and appearance, when only the finest will suffice. Usually manufactured to individual order.
(b) WRCLA Custom Clear - Stability, durability and urbane good looks to please the most discriminating. For custom residences requiring fine woodwork.
(c) WRCLA Architect Knotty - Slightly knotty - but very nice. Charming rustic characteristics will not affect durable performance.
(d) WRCLA Custom Knotty - Combines hole-free knotty appearance with high manufacturing standards to provide economy and lasting enjoyment.
The Friendliest Wood You Can Work With
Along with all its virtues of beauty, stability and endurance, Cedar is naturally easy-going. Its ultralight weight makes transporting and handling a snap. Its soft texture and straight grain mean quick, clean sawing and shaping. It takes nails and other fasteners without cracking or splitting.
 A Growing Choice Of Shapes And Sizes
In addition to the decking grades described earlier, Cedar is produced in a range of patterns and sizes that can let you personalize any project. Ask your building materials dealer for details on the full selection of today's Cedar products. Pre-cut items include fencing, lattice, balustrades and decorative accessories. And for the ultimate in do-it-yourself simplicity, check out the ready-to-assemble kits (with all pre-cut Cedar lumber, fastenings and hardware included) for projects ranging from trellises and arbors to gazebos and storage sheds.
Express Yourself With Cedar
Cedar is Nature's own mix-and-match material. Starting with any of the basic project designs listed below, you can let your imagination loose with your choice of individualized add-ons: ornate or simple post caps, latticework, arches, "fluted" columns...with timeless Cedar, the options are endless, whether your tastes run to turn-of-the-century Craftsman or strictly contemporary.
The Finishing Touch
While Cedar can be left unfinished for a rustic weathered look, the use of a quality finish recommended by your building supply dealer can enhance both its good looks and its natural durability. It responds beautifully to oil-based stains in your choice of tinted transparent finishes for a natural effect, or lightly pigmented semi-transparent finishes. Both are available in a spectrum of colors. Look for a coating that offers good mildicide and ultraviolet shielding properties as well as additional preservatives to protect your project's youthful complexion. Varnishes and other film-forming coatings which can crack and peel are not recommended for use on Cedar.
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