Using Cedar In Your Home? Helpful Ideas To Consider

Closets and chests made from the wood of the cedar tree were once one of the most common ways for families to store out-of-season clothing and heirloom garments that they wanted to protect from damage. Particularly effective in repelling moths, using cedar for clothes storage eliminates the need to use harsh, foul-smelling insecticides that can stain clothing with chemical residue.

While the cedar chest and cedar-lined closet are not as commonly found in today's homes, the use of cedar wood continues to grow. If you are a fan of the fragrance or of the beautiful colors found in most types of cedar lumber and other products, here are some useful ways to incorporate this wood into your home. 

A natural for roofing and siding material 

Cedar wood that has been cut into uniform shingles or shakes provides a strong, long-lasting surface that has been used for centuries as both roofing and protective siding on homes and other structures. The natural oils in the wood make it resistant to wood rot and damage from insects. If a shake or shingle does become damaged, it can be easily removed and a new one inserted. 

For those who love to DIY their home building and renovation projects, making shakes from cedar wood requires only a tool called a froe or shake axe, some time, and effort. The finished shakes can then be used for interior decorating projects or exterior siding and roofing on your home, garage, barn, and other buildings. 

Cedar shelving for food staple storage

Pantry moths are a common problem that homeowners face in areas where they commonly store staples like grains and flour and products like dry pasta, cereal, and boxed food mixes. Since cedar wood is a known repellent for these household pests, using cedar wood to create shelving for pantry areas can help you eliminate existing infestations and prevent future ones. 

When using cedar wood for shelving in food storage areas consider leaving the underside of each shelf in its natural state and using a clear, polyurethane on the top side and edges. Doing this will make it easy to wipe these areas clean, while the uncoated side will continue to provide the cedar scent needed to repel insects. 

To learn more about the many uses for cedar wood in and around your home, take time to visit a cedar timber supplier in your area. In addition to purchasing beautifully grained, distinctively scented wood for your building projects, you may also be able to purchase bulk cedar shavings for use in livestock bedding or for use as landscaping mulch. Reach out to a timber supply company like Liese  Lumber Co Inc to learn more.