Alaska cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis)
Family: Cupressaceae
Common names: Alaska cedar, Alaska cypress, Alaska ground cypress, Alaska yellow cedar, Canoe cedar, FALSE cypress, Nootka cypress, Nootka false cypress, Nootka Sound cypress, Pacific coast cypress, Sitka cypress, White cedar, Yellow cedar, Yellow cypress
Distributed in: Canada, United States (North America)
Distribution overview: Alaska-cedar is found in the Pacific Coast mountain ranges from south-central Alaska to southwestern Oregon with isolated groves in the Siskiyou Moutains of northern California.The eastern edge of Alaska-cedar's range is defined by two disjunct populations:one in the Selkirk Mountains of southeastern British Columbia and one in the Aldrich Mountains of central Oregon.
Common uses: Barge fenders, Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boat building: decking, Boat building: planking, Boxes and crates, Brush backs & handles, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Carvings, Caskets, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Cooperages, Decks, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Docks, Dockwork, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Drawing boards, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Greenhouses, Harbor work, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Light construction, Living-room suites, Marine construction, Millwork, Moldings, Musical instruments, Naval architecture, Oars, Office furniture, Paddles, Paneling, Piling, Plywood corestock, Poles, Posts, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Raft floats, Rafts, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Shingles, Shipbuilding, Sporting Goods, Stools, Tables , Toys, Utility furniture, Vats, Veneer, Veneer: decorative
Product sources: Alaska cedar is in little demand in the U.S. It is exported in the log form to Japan, at a price of $3,000.00 to $5,000.00 per thousand board feet. Many wood dealers located on the U.S. west-coast are reported to stock Alaska cedar.
Environment profile: Widespread
Tree size: Tree height is 40-50 m
Colors: the heart isYellow, Yellow to golden-yellow to orangeand the sapwoodWhite to yellow, Yellow.The grain isStraight, the textureMediumand the lusterLustrous
Natural durability: Very high natural resistance, Very suitable for exterior applications
Odor:
The freshly cut wood has a characteristic odor which has been described as similar to that of raw potatoes. It also has a faint, bitter and somewhat spicy taste.
LightInduced Color Change: Darker
Kiln Schedules: UK=J US=T10D5S/T8D4S Fr=4
Kiln Drying Rate: Naturally dries quickly
Drying Defects: Distortion, Slight surface checking
Ease of Drying: Rapidly
Tree Identification: Bole/stem form is unknown
Comments: General finishing qualities are rated as good
Blunting Effect: High to severe
Boring: Excellent (95+ pieces out of 100 will yield excellent results)
Carving: Good carving qualities
Cutting Resistance: Easy to saw
Gluing: Very good properties
Mortising: good
Moulding: Good finishing
Movement in Service: Good finishing
Nailing: Good nailing qualities, Holds nails well
Planing: The planing finish is excellent
Resistance to Impregnation: Resistant sapwood
Resistance to Splitting: Good
Response to hand tools: Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work
Routing recessing: Routing yields good results
Veneering qualities: Difficult to veneer, Suitable for peeling
Steam bending: Poor
The wood tends to rupture and buckle severely
Screwing: Good screw holding properties, Screwing yields good results; Turning: Very good
Painting: Satisfactory; Polishing: Very Good to Excellent; Staining: Reacts with Iron to discolour wood; Varnishing: Well defined ;
- Numerical data Metric
- Numerical data English
- Strength properties
- References
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 |
 |
 |
| Item |
Green |
Dry |
Metric |
| Specific Gravity |
0,38 |
0,4 |
|
| Density |
|
464 |
kg/m3 |
| Bending Strength |
442 |
729 |
kg/cm2 |
| Crushing Strength |
24 |
42 |
kg/cm2 |
| Hardness |
|
205 |
kg |
| Impact Strength |
65 |
73 |
cm |
| Shearing Strength |
|
71 |
kg/cm2 |
| Stiffness |
78 |
94 |
1000 kg/cm2 |
| Tangential Shrinkage |
5 |
|
% |
| Radial Shrinkage |
2 |
|
% |
| Weight |
464 |
448 |
kg/m3 |
| Maximum Load |
0,49 |
0,56 |
cm-kg/cm3 |
| Toughness |
|
192 |
cm-kg |
| Static Bending |
|
|
kg/cm2 |
|
 |  |  |  | | Item | Green | Dry | English | | Bending Strength | 6292 | 10379 | psi | | Crushing Strength | 343 | 608 | psi | | Density | | 29 | lbs/ft3 | | Hardness | | 452 | lbs | | Impact Strength | 26 | 29 | inches | | Maximum Crushing Strength | 3264 | 6057 | psi | | Shearing Strength | | 1015 | psi | | Stiffness | 1113 | 1348 | 1000 psi | | Toughness | | 167 | inch-lbs | | Work to Maximum Load | 7 | 8 | inch-lbs/in3 | | Specific Gravity | 0.38 | 0.4 | | | Weight | 29 | 28 | lbs/ft3 | | Radial Shrinkage | 2 | | % | | Tangential Shrinkage | 5 | | % | | Volumetric Shrinkage | 9 | | % | |
Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. 0 Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Max. crushing strength = medium Bending strength (MOR) = low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Hardness (side grain) = very soft Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = low Work to Maximum Load = very low Max. crushing strength = low Shrinkage, Radial = very small Density (dry weight) = 15-22 lbs/cu. ft. Weight = medium Toughness (total work) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = small Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Hard Bending strength (MOR) = very low Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = high
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