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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. 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 Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing 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 Size Turning Varnishing Scientific Name Chamaecyparis thyoides Trade Name Atlantic white cedar Family Name Cupressaceae Common Names Atlantic white cedar, Chilopsis, Desert willow, False cypress, Southern white cedar, Swamp cedar, White cedar Regions of Distribution North America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] United States Common Uses Boards, Boat building, Boxes and crates, Canoes, Casks, Dressed boards, Exterior trim & siding, Exterior uses, Foundation posts, Lifeboats, Lumber, Packing cases, Poles, Posts, Rough boards/dimension stock, Shingles, Shipbuilding, Stakes, Utility poles Environmental Profile Widespread The future survival of this species is at risk Some long-term concern for the species Some long-term concern for the species May be rare in some parts of its range Likely rare at the periphery of its range Endangered within most of its growth range (and may soon be Extinct if adverse environmental practices persist) Data source is Nature Conservancy Distribution Overview Atlantic white-cedar grows in a narrow belt along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from southern Maine to northern Florida westward to southern Mississippi. It occurs no farther than 50 to 130 miles (80-210 km) inland. Vast stands occur in the Great Dismal Swamp of Virginia and eastern North Carolina. Small isolated stands are more typical in much of New Jersey, Georgia, and eastern Florida, but stands are infrequent in Delaware and Maryland. The species is uncommon in South Carolina but becomes more frequent in the Florida Panhandle and in southern Alabama. At the western edge of its range in southern Mississippi, Atlantic white-cedar grow in scattered relict stands. The tree prefers wet, peaty, acid soils and forms pure stands in swamp forests. Heartwood Color Brown Red Purple Pink Light brown Usually tinged with red or pink Sapwood Color The narrow sapwood is whitish Grain Even Straight Straight Even Texture Medium Fine Typically fine Luster Low Natural Durability Durable Moderately durable Very suitable for exterior applications Very high natural resistance Odor The wood has its own characteristic cedary odor and a slight bitter, spicy taste Toxicity Some toxic effects Kiln Schedules 12 - A4 (4/4); T11 - A3 (8/4) US Drying Defects Internal honeycombing and/or collapse may develop in thicker stock Ease of Drying Dries at a moderate rate with little degrade. Care is needed when drying thicker material to avoid defects Tree Size Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 0-10 m Comments Logs mined from swamps are still suitable for lumber after being buried for decades. The wood has been a popular source of timber for log cabins, including floors and shingles, for the pioneers in America Blunting Effect Blunting effect on machining is slight Boring The material responds rather well to boring operations Carving Good carving qualities Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Mortising Good mortising properties Moulding Good moulding properties Movement in Service Seasoned wood is dimensionally stable, and shows only small movemnt in use Nailing Good nailing qualities Planing Planes well, to a good finish Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Heartwood is resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Good in both routing and recessing. Sanding Good sanding finish Screwing Good screw holding properties Turning Good results Steam Bending Poor Painting Good results Polishing Good results Staining Good staining properties Varnishing Well defined Strength Properties Soft Max. crushing strength = low Bending strength (MOR) = low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 4606 6664 psi Crushing Strength 235 402 psi Hardness 343 lbs Impact Strength 18 13 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 2342 4606 psi Shearing Strength 784 psi Stiffness 735 911 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 4 6 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.27 0.28 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 5 % Volumetric Shrinkage 9 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 323 468 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 16 28 kg/cm2 Hardness 155 kg Impact Strength 45 32 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 164 323 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 55 kg/cm2 Stiffness 51 64 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.28 0.42 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.27 0.28 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 5 % References 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. Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California. Little, E.L. 1980. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Eastern Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York. Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. Textbook of Wood Technology. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook:Wood as an Engineering Material. Agriculture Handbook No. 72. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 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.