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Blunting Effect Boring Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Light-Induced Color Change Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities		Scientific Name Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Trade Name Port Orford cedar Family Name Cupressaceae Common Names FALSE cypress, Ginuer pine, Lawson cypress, Lawson false cypress, Lawson's cypress, Oregon cedar, Port Orford cedar, Port Orford white cedar, White cedar Regions of Distribution North America, Oceania and S.E. Asia, Western Europe Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] New Zealand, United States Common Uses Beams, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boat building: decking, Boat building: planking, Boxes and crates, Broom handles, Building construction, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Chests, Concrete formwork, Construction, Decks, Factory construction, Flooring, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Furniture , Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Joists, Lifeboats, Light construction, Matches, Millwork, Mine timbers, Musical instruments: piano, Oars, Piling, Plaques, Plywood: veneer (marine), Porch columns, Posts, Railroad ties, Rough construction, Shingles, Shipbuilding, Sporting Goods, Toys, Vats Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Widespread Rare within its natural habitat Rare in parts of its natural range (population is at risk) Likely rare at the periphery of its range Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Data source is Nature Conservancy Apparently secure globally Abundant Distribution Overview Port-Orford-cedar has a very limited distribution, occurring near the Pacific Ocean in southwestern Oregon and northwestern California. The northern limit of its distribution is near Coos Bay, Oregon. The species' range extends southward about 220 miles (350 km) to the central portion of the Mad River drainage in Humbolt County, California. Isolated populations occur near Mount Shasta and the Trinity Mountains in northern California. It occurs in greatest abundance within about 40 miles of the coast. Farther inland, its distribution is spotty, and it is mostly limited to sites with abundant soil moisture and/or atmospheric moisture. Port-Orford-cedar is cultivated in Hawaii, New Zealand and Europe. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow White Red Pink Orange Pale brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange White to cream Pale red to pink Yellowish tan Pinkish brown Pale - yellow Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Same as heartwood White to yellow Paler than heartwood Color not distinct from heartwood Grain Straight Even Figure Growth rings (figure) Weak (figure) Straight Weak figure Even Clear growth rings (figure) Texture Fine Medium Fine Medium to coarse Fair to medium coarse Coarse Luster Low Lustrous Natural Growth Defects Gum/resin exudation Natural Durability Non-durable Durable Perishable Resistant to termites Non-resistant to termites Non-resistant to marine borers Susceptible to insect attack Durable Very durable Resistant to decay Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles This wood is reported to have found uses as storage battery separators because of its resistance to the corrosive properties of acids Odor The freshly cut wood has a pungent, ginger-like odor and a spicy, bitter taste Light-Induced Color Change Darker Toxicity Dermatitic effects Freshly-Milled Port-Orford cedar can give off an odor that can best be described as pungent and ginger-like. Prolonged inhalation of the smell has been associated with kidney complications in some people. Masks are usually worn as a protection against inhalation and the fine dust produced from sawmilling Kiln Schedules Dry at a moderate speed Drying Defects Checking Distortion Slight twist/warp Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Moderately Difficult to Difficult Easy Moderate Dries readily with little degrade Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 10-20 m Bark width is 15-20 mm Bole length is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Bark width is 10-15 mm Tree height is 30-40 m Product Sources The timber is over-harvested and the use of heavy-duty extracting equipment tends to spread a virus which kills the trees. Supplies of Port Orford cedar are very limited, with stumpage prices of $3,000.00 per thousand board feet (1993 figures). It is sold mainly on the Japanese market. Some material culled from prime grade saw logs are available in limited quantities in areas where the tree grows. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Little Blunting effect on machining is slight Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Excellent (95+ pieces out of 100 will yield excellent results) Carving Fair to Good Results Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Excellent gluing properties Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Moderately easy to mortise Good mortising properties Moulding Fair to Good Results Moulding ease is moderate Excellent moulding properties Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Stable Nailing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Holds nails well Easy to nail Good nailing qualities Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Planes well, to a good finish Easy to plane Ease of planing is moderate Resistance to Impregnation Permeable heartwood Resistant heartwood Permeable sapwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is moderately resistant Sapwood is permeable The heartwood is fairly difficult to treat with liquids. Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Easy to machine Moderate difficulty Difficult to machine Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Sanding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to screw Screwing yields good results Good screw holding properties Excellent screwing properties Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Very good Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Suitable for slicing Veneers moderately easy No drying degrade No drying degrade. Dries flat without splitting Moderately easy to veneer Steam Bending Very poor Painting Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Good results Satisfactory results Polishing Fair to Good Results Good results Satisfactory results Staining Finish is generally good Stains very well Finish is generally satisfactory Varnishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = low Max. crushing strength = medium Hardness (side grain) = very soft Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft. Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Max. crushing strength = low Bending strength (MOR) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Max. crushing strength (stiffness) = very low Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = very low Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Hardness (side grain) = soft Weight = medium Toughness (total work) = medium Toughness (total work) = low Soft Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = mediun Crushing strength = medium Can be dented and marred easily Bending strength (MOR) = very low Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 6364 11886 psi Crushing Strength 294 706 psi Density 30 lbs/ft3 Hardness 546 lbs Impact Strength 21 25 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 2932 5902 psi Shearing Strength 1221 psi Stiffness 1116 1592 1000 psi Toughness 208 inch-lbs Work to Maximum Load 6 8 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.37 0.4 Weight 29 29 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % Volumetric Shrinkage 10 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 447 835 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 20 49 kg/cm2 Density 480 kg/m3 Hardness 247 kg Impact Strength 53 63 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 206 414 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 85 kg/cm2 Stiffness 78 111 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 239 cm-kg Work to Maximum Load 0.42 0.56 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.37 0.4 Weight 464 464 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % References Banks, C.H.,1970,The Durability of South African Wood and Wood Base Building Materials,South African Forestry Journal,No.75 Bendsten, B.A.,1972,Important Structural Properties of Four Western Softwoods: White Pine,,Sugar Pine, Western Redcedar, Port-Orford Cedar,USDA Forest Service Research Paper FPL191 Bolza, E.,1976,Timber and Health,Div. Building Res. C.S.I.R.O. Australia Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois, E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Hardwoods - Temperate and Tropical. USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Brown, H.P. and Panshin, A.J.,1940,Commercial Timbers of the United States Their structure, identification,,properties and uses,McGraw-Hill, London Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World: - No.7 North America,TRADA Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 6 Europe,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Clifford, N.,1957,Timber Identification for the Builder and Architect,Leonard Hill (Books) LTD. London Dallimore, W. and Jackson, A. Bruce,1966,A Handbook of Coniferae and Ginkgoaceae Fourth Ed. Revised by S.G.,Harrison,Edward Arnold (Publishers) Ltd. London Dave Faison. Into the Woods. 1993. Personal Communication. Flynn Jr., J.H. 1993. Chamaecyparis lawsoniana - Port-Orford-cedar. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 109-110. Forest Products Research Laboratory U.K.,1957,A Handbook of Softwoods,Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Forest Products Research,HMSO Henley, J.,1973,American Woods - Port Orford Cedar,USDA, Forest Service American Woods FS-228 Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed. I.U.F.R.O.,1973,Veneer Species of the World,Assembled at F.P.L. Madison on behalf of I.U.F.R.O. Working Party on,Slicing and Veneer Cutting Kloot, N.H., Bolza, E.,1961,Properties of Timbers Imported into Australia,C.S.I.R.O. Forest Products Division Technological Paper,No.12 Lavers, G. M. 1966. The Strength Properties of Timbers. Forest Products Research Bulletin, No. 50. Ministry of Technology, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London. Lavers, G.M.,1983,The Strength Properties of Timber (3rd ed. revised Moore G.L.,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Report (formerly Bulletin No.50) Little, E.L. 1980. The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Western Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York. Markwardt, L.J., Wilson, T.R.C.,1935,Strength and related properties of woods grown in the United States,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture Technical Bulletin,No.479 Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. Textbook of Wood Technology. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. Patterson, D.,1988,Commercial Timbers of the World, 5th Edition,Gower Technical Press Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Rendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. London Scott, M.H.,1935,Weights of South African Growth Timbers,South African Department of Agriculture and Forestry Bulletin,No.145,Forest Products Institute, Forestry Series No.1 Thomas, A.V.,1964,Timbers Used in the Boat Building Industry A Survey,Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Forest Products Research,Laboratory Timber Development Association Ltd.,1955,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Timber Development Association Ltd. Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition U.S.D.A. Forest Service,1974,Wood Handbook,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Handbook,72 USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material. Agriculture Handbook No. 72. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing - Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center - Plants Programme, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom. Western Wood Products Association. 19__. Softwoods of the Western USA. Published and Distributed by the Western Wood Products Association, Yeon Building, 522 S.W. Fifth Avenue, Portland, Oregon.