| CEDRUS
Other names
Cedar of Lebanon, Atlantic or Atlas cedar, Himalayan deodar
Distribution
Algeria, Morocco
The tree
Cedars grow to an enormous size of 30m in height and 2,5m in diameter at
the butt, with spreading branches.
The timber
The heartwood is strongly scented when freshly cut, and somewhat resinous.
It is light-brown, with a pleasing appearance due to the irregular pattern
of the annual rings.
Technical properties
The outstanding technical characteristic of cedar wood is its unusually high
resistance to decay and insect attack. It is not particularly strong and
is inclined to be brittle. As the trees are almost invariably grown in
the open, with heavy branches, a fairly large proportion of the converted
timber is coarse and knotty, with irregular grain. Clear material works
easily by hand and machine tools, and takes a good finish.
Uses
The cedar timber is eminently suitable for outdoor use in the form of garden
furniture, gates and fences and other purposes where resistance to decay
is the main requirement. Good-quality material I used for clothes chests
and cupboards, on account of the pleasant smell, and for interior joinery
and decorative veneer.
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