Widely considered a cedar within the industry, Atlantic whitecedar (AWC) is actually in the cypress family. Like many cedars and cypresses, due to its naturally-occurring extractives, AWC has been used for centuries, and is an excellent choice for a number of outdoor uses, including siding and fencing. It is considered “extremely durable” by the US Forest Products Laboratory.
Found in wet forests, sometimes in pure stands, the tree once ranged from Maine to southern Florida and along the Gulf coast.
Early European settlers in North America soon learned that the wood of the Atlantic whitecedar was resistant to rot and insects, lightweight and easy to cut and tool. They used the lumber in numerous ways, for siding (shingles), flooring, furniture, decking, buckets, barrels, ship and boat building, sheds, docks and other waterfront structures (for more information, see Tree Notes).
Due to the high demand for this wood, many areas of whitecedar were overlogged, including in the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey. The wood was overcut to such an extent that many of the sawmills supplying this wood were shuttered.
All of Earthbilt’s Atlantic whitecedar originated from a helicopter salvage-logging operation that took place after Hurricane Hugo devastated coastal marshlands in the Dismal Swamp of North Carolina. Once this supply is gone, we will no longer carry this species.
Atlantic whitecedar is great for siding and can also be used for outdoor decking and interior paneling
Call 917/543-4064 or email Earthbilt™ today for ideas and to obtain a quote.
