Please post: I’m looking for new & a few years & several years old – photos for client to understand the color range/staining they can expect. (This is sidewall shingles)
Any insight into methods to accelerate aging under porch roofs, overhangs, etc also appreciated. Thanks in advance
Prescriptive codes don't address the connection at less common angles, so base the connection off more typical ones using bolts, structural screws, blocking, and steel tension ties.
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I'm real interested in seeing this too. I have a restoration project where the first archy recommended yellow cedar instead of red or white, in a theory that they would age more nicely.
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I've never used Alaskan yellow before.
Excellence is its own reward!
Waste to use good yellow cedar on shingles IMO. It's a rare and expensive tree. Not as rot resistant as red cedar. Just turns gray when weathering.
It's the prime architectural wood here. They don't use it for shingles, but I have seen it used in a temple roof made of 2 inch thick planks, which last about 20 years.
What I do like is the way redwood ages, at least our redwood. Turns sort of carmely and reddish brown in the areas exposed to lots of sun, fading to grey with streaks of black in areas that get rain splash.
When you say "here", you are meaning in Nipon, right?
Do you know, is this yellow cedar the same or just similar to Port Orford cedar? I have used a fair amt of POC for ext. trim and railings and porch decks, etc. I saw some at a show once that was clear grain and asked how I could get it that good.
The answer was that the Japanesse were buying all the top grade stuff they could get and that the tree tops were all that would be milled for the American market, knots and all. I would have to buy a couple truck loads to get the righteous clear material.
From the beginning of time, Cedars have been regarded as a sacred wood in many cultures..
Excellence is its own reward!
Yup. I think these species are all slightly different. There are various species of yellow cedar all over the Pacific Rim. The Japanese import all the good stuff, as you say, just as they do with Doug Fir and Spruce. Yellow cedar from Canada, Taiwan, Korea, the US and who knows where else--Siberia? Very expensive.
The knotty tops and second growth stuff--that's what the Japanese use for sheathing under a tile roof or as lath for mud plaster. Considered superior to plywood. I suppose your cedar was painted.
Anyway, I don't particularly like the way it looks when it ages outdoors, although that may be just what your archy is looking for. Won't last as long as redwood or red cedar.
IMO the best use for the stuff is sculpture. Wonderful for carving. But if you are going to use it in a house, though, it makes wonderful paneling inside a bathroom. Smells very good when steam hits it.
Thanks for the comments.
The idea this archy had is that if we do the job from a historical preservation viewpoint, A red cedar will blacken more than White cedar which would have been historicaly accurate, but he has little faith in the new second growth white cedar as a quality material for roofing. He suggested that yellow would turn silver grey like white will but his opinion is that it will last longer.
Thus my interest in photos.
Excellence is its own reward!
This is up in Maine? That's cooler and dryer than here. Is low quality yellow cedar really any better low quality white cedar?
In a humid wet climate like ours yellow cedar does not last long exposed to water.
For instance, in the typical bathing area we put cheap second growth knotty yellow cedar runners on the floor, over the tile. These get thoughly wet every day. Within a few months there a some black stuff that starts coming out along the grain, looks like spalting. After a year or so they are looking greyish with streaks of black. Usually we throw them out before New Years and buy new ones at the DIY center.
Piffin,
Same line of reasoning for my project - we want it to turn silver/grey not black. AK Yellow Cedar also still available in pretty decent quality - whereas you pay a premium for good white cedar, Maibec or others. I won't specify white w/o a finish on it because it just doesn't appear to be stable long term - more the consistency of cardboard to be honest.
I'm with an architecture firm long established in Charleston, SC but we've taken on lots of work in RI - where my boss has a summer house on the coast. I moved to RI last fall & have just been soaking up all the knowledge from the craftsmen - something I've always enjoyed. Lots of the locals are/have been using AK yellow cedar for wall shingles - a few even used it on roofs. Owner of Liberty Cedar (a local supplier known as the place to get high quality cedar, mahogany, redwood) has it on his house walls & roof, raves about it.
I found a photo, shot w/o much sunshine... posting it here hopefully to get the ball rolling...
You wouldn't happen to work for Chris Schmitt would you?
We use Alaskan Yellow Cedar here in MA all the time. Does a great job weathering although sometimes we see black splotches. This must be fungus getting to the softer grain.
I have read an article that said if you do treat Red Cedar with bleaching oil that it will prevent fungus growth and therefore keep it from going black.
re: who I work for. http://www.sswarchitects.com indeed. How do you know Chris?
I've got my spies. Chris hired us to keep an eye on the branch office. I sent on and e-mail, let me know if you haven't received it.
Piff
I built a kayak many moons ago of pondorosa pine and sitka spruce...from Alaska....you should see how its held up.
Did it when I was 18 in my living room....still have it...even though the canvas skin rotted off it about two years later when I left it outside along side my garage in a bad winter uncovered......
One day I'll reskin it.....oiy..yeh sure....maybe my one day grandchildren might...lol
Yellow cedar huh? hmmmm.I need a roof here. Interesting!
Be older'n dirt
Namaste'
andy
Its very hard to grow, because it's difficult to let go of the models of ourselves in which we invested in so heavily
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