Cedar wood has a long history of use in decking and housing and many other things. Cedar is a durable wood that is naturally resistant to rot, decay and insect attacks, and resists moisture absorption, so it tends to last longer. It needs less maintenance, and doesn’t warp or split as easily. For these reasons cedar wood is a great choice for carving that permanent outdoor bear, duck, eagle, chair, or other piece.
Types of cedar trees.
There are four types of true cedar trees; trees that belong to the Cedrus genus. All of these trees are evergreen and coniferous and are found growing in mountainous regions around the world. They belong to the Pine family, and produce a strong, reliable wood that is usually a shade of red.
Cedar trees typically reach great heights. They have needle-like foliage that can vary in color depending on the species and often emit an aromatic scent. Cedar trees require well-draining soil as they are native found in areas with high rainfall but do not cope well with wet roots. However, as long as the soil is well-draining, then cedars will thrive in a variety of soil types, including clay or poor soil.
Cedar also has a beautiful grain and a strong pleasant odor.
Cedar wood is also considered a natural pesticide. The alcohols and the terpenes in cedar wood oil have a strong pleasant odor and naturally repel insects.
Cedar wood is also considered one of the essential oils and has been widely sold recently for use around the home.
Cedarwood Uses
Information from the EPA. Cedar wood oil is a natural component of wood from the tree, Juniperus virginiana L. It is an active ingredient in five pesticide products that are used as repellents and feeding depressants to control moths and fleas and retard the growth of mildew. Three of these products are solid cedar wood blocks used to repel moths from clothing and retard mildew growth on fabrics. The other two products, which contain extracted cedar wood oil, are a pet tag or collar and a liquid sprayed on animal bedding. Both are intended to repel fleas from household pets. Cedar also is a major component of many non-pesticidal consumer products currently marketed in the United States.
Cedarwood oil is a mixture of organic compounds. It is considered
Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) as a food additive by the Food and
Drug Administration. As a pesticide, it repels insects by a non-toxic mode
of action.
A laboratory study using mice and a study of workers in saw mills
suggest that cedarwood oil may cause liver and pulmonary toxicity.
However, these effects were associated with long term exposures to
relatively high levels of cedarwood oil. EPA does not expect such effects to
occur among users of currently registered cedarwood oil products because
their exposure is intermittent and at a low level.
Cedar is a great choice for carving, for the reasons listed above, its grains are a beautiful red, the carving will last and you are unlikely to run into pest damage in the wood with your chainsaw or knives. Or even down the road after your carving is placed outdoors.
