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Canadian cedar is named by the species name of a coniferous heat-loving tree that grows in Asia Minor, in the east and south of the Mediterranean, perhaps because of its gigantic size and the same durability. Among biologists, the plant is known as Thuja plicata. In Russia, this type of large cypress tree is called giant thuja or folded thuja.
What does Canadian cedar look like and where does it grow?
The tree, legendary among lumberjacks and builders as red cedar, belongs, like all thujas, to the Cypress genus. Distribution area: Pacific coast of North America. In places where Canadian cedar grows, damp and swampy, slightly acidic soils predominate. Precipitation is plentiful all year round, winters are mild. The forests in this part of the continent are dense, shady, and consist of powerful conifers: pine, hemlock, larch, and fir. There are also different types of thuja.
Canadian cedar is an evergreen tree with a dense columnar crown. The trunk is up to 20-30 meters or more. The diameter of the butt is more than a meter, in some surviving specimens it reaches 2.5-5 m. Horizontally raised branches extend from the trunk, forming a slender pyramidal silhouette of the tree. The lower branches descend to the ground.The plant lives for centuries, acquiring a majestic appearance. Largely for this reason and due to the strength of the valuable wood, the pioneers called thuja cedar.
Many varieties of thuja grow in gardens up to 10-16 m, but with a compact crown they occupy only 3-5 m in diameter. The tree is fast-growing, growth is 25-28 cm per year, in diameter - 9-11 cm. The soft brown bark was used by the Indians as fiber. The dark green needles of Canadian cedar are scaly, hard, shiny, and have whitish stripes underneath. The oval-shaped cones, 10 cm long, green in summer, turn brown by winter. Now breeders have developed dwarf varieties of Canadian cedar, which are in great demand among landscape designers.
Characteristics of wood
Canadian cedar has unique properties:
- considered one of the most durable wood raw materials, which is equivalent to metal;
- famous for its resistance to rotting;
- not affected by mold;
- the boards are painted in a pleasant reddish, sometimes yellowish, color with shades of amber, pink or chocolate, which depends on the age of the tree and the part of the trunk from which they are taken;
- The product is characterized by a remarkable feature - the specific refreshing smell of red cedar wood, which lasts for more than 3 years.
Use of Canadian cedar in construction
The specific qualities of the thuja folded material determine its popularity, first of all, in the construction of luxury housing. The most expensive yachts are also made using durable and water-resistant red cedar wood. The undeniable value of imported material from giant thuja determines its high cost.
Canadian cedar for baths
There is a tradition in the world to build baths and individual infrared cabins from red cedar boards, as well as to line bathrooms with them. Rooms lined with a profile made of this material heat up 3-5 times faster than others lined with hardwood boards.
Canadian cedar is perfect for a sauna:
- the boards have excellent thermal insulation properties;
- weakly absorbs moisture;
- the cladding is resistant to the peculiarities of the room - temperature changes and high humidity;
- the hot shelf does not burn the skin upon contact;
- walls lined with red cedar will give bathhouse visitors an invigorating aroma of essential oils, which not only have a beneficial effect on the respiratory system, but also relieve fatigue and anxiety;
- at the same time, the material does not emit a lot of resin, like conifers;
- The finish has a wonderful fine-grained smooth texture and a wide range of shades.
When installing finishing in bathhouses made of red cedar, it is not recommended to use iron nails, staples and screws, but fasteners made of stainless steel or aluminum.
Canadian cedar houses
Residential buildings built from red cedar are as durable as the trees. Durable lining is used to cover the facades and interiors of houses; it also adds an aesthetic component to its practical value, creating elegance and a certain refined style with its texture.It is used to lay durable floors in ordinary residential buildings. But due to its low density, Canadian cedar is not used to build stairs and floors in office buildings, where there is a constant influx of people. In Canada, shingles and shingles made from thuja are used to construct roofs.
Among the advantages of giant thuja material are mentioned:
- thermal insulation properties that preserve the atmosphere of the room for a long time, superior to brick and concrete;
- red cedar wood slowly succumbs to fire, so the material cannot be specially treated;
- resistance to insects and pests of wooden products;
- the ability to exude the fresh smell of the breed for a long time.
Joinery
In its homeland, red cedar serves as durable blanks for power line supports and poles in the construction of fences. This is the most popular material for creating objects that are susceptible to atmospheric influences: piers, terraces, balconies. It is also suitable for making outdoor furniture. Products and three-dimensional structures for finishing inside buildings are made from boards of thuja wood:
- frames;
- door frames and leaves;
- handrails;
- railing
Wooden parts made from Canadian cedar glue well. This method is recommended for use in the manufacture of tables and cabinets. There is an opinion that in wardrobes made of thuja wood, which is not susceptible to borer pests, moths do not grow.
Operational features of wood
Red cedar wood has a successful combination of valuable technical and aesthetic qualities. The material is used without restrictions for outdoor objects, creating original street furniture. Indoors, boards are used for all kinds of furniture designs and finishing in any room.But wood clearly demonstrates its ability to resist exposure to humid air as cladding for bathrooms, baths or saunas. The practical advantages of Canadian cedar are complemented by the elegance of the design of the finishing panels and the forest aroma that lasts for many years.
When using houses and products made from thuja, some other points are taken into account:
- wood is slightly impregnated during processing;
- due to their low density, the boards are unsuitable as steps for stairs, since they wear out quickly, like floors in public buildings;
- The active release of red cedar essential oils may cause allergic reactions in people prone to such diseases.
Application in landscape design
Slender pyramidal giant thujas, or red cedars, as they are otherwise called, fit organically into a well-kept garden with a large area of lawns. Landscape designers have many options for compositions with this majestic plant, even in its dwarf form:
- creation of strict alleys;
- impressive solitaires or groups of 2-3 specimens;
- landings in the entrance area;
- picturesque hedges.
Interesting compositions with variegated needles. Dwarf specimens look best when planted in groups. Thuja folded successfully combines with its original neighbors: different types of pines, hemlock, fir, and cypress trees. They tolerate haircuts well and grow back quickly. The most popular varieties:
- Excelsa;
- Kornik;
- Zebrina;
- Atrovirens;
- Daniellow;
- Goldy;
- Can-Can;
Red cedar is quite frost-resistant, but in the first years you will have to cover the seedlings, because the climate of central Russia is harsher than on the Pacific coast of America.All plants are sold acclimatized, grown in domestic nurseries from seeds.
Conclusion
Canadian cedar and its varietal varieties are an original solution for a bright focal point in a garden composition. Real imported giant thuja wood is the most valuable material in construction.
