Spanish Cedar vs Western Red Cedar in Miami: Choosing Cedar for Doors, Windows, Siding and Millwork

In Miami, “cedar lumber” can mean two very different woods: Spanish cedar, a tropical hardwood favored for millwork, and western red cedar, a Pacific Northwest softwood used for siding, decking and interior woodwork. This guide explains how the two differ, which one fits the job, what to ask about grade and surface, which fasteners hold up near salt air, and what to send us when you need cedar.

Two Woods Called Cedar

The two woods are not closely related: one is a hardwood and the other a softwood. The USDA Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook describes Spanish cedar, or cedro, as a group of about seven species in the genus Cedrela that grow in tropical America from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. It describes western red cedar (Thuja plicata) as a softwood that grows in the Pacific Northwest and along the Pacific Coast to Alaska, with lumber produced mainly in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.

That difference shows up at the saw and on the job. The Wood Handbook says Spanish cedar is not high in strength, but most of its other properties are similar to American mahogany, except hardness and compression perpendicular to the grain, where mahogany is clearly superior. It calls western red cedar lightweight, moderately soft, low in strength as a beam or post, and low in shock resistance, with very low shrinkage.

	Spanish cedar	Western red cedar
Botanical name	Cedrela spp.	Thuja plicata
Wood type	Tropical hardwood	Softwood
Where it grows	Southern Mexico to northern Argentina	Pacific Northwest to Alaska
Decay resistance (Wood Handbook)	Considered decay resistant	Heartwood very resistant to decay
Common uses in the Wood Handbook	Millwork, cabinets, fine furniture, boat building, humidors	Exterior siding, decking, interior woodwork, sashes, doors
Watch for	Gum pockets that can ooze and complicate finishing	Softness: dents and scratches easily
Import paperwork	CITES Appendix II listing since August 28, 2020	Not part of the Cedrela listing

Figures and descriptions in this table come from the sources named in this guide, not from International Plywood & Lumber specifications.

Spanish Cedar for Doors, Windows and Millwork

Spanish cedar is the cedar to ask about for door, window and millwork jobs. The USDA Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook says it dries easily, is considered decay resistant, and works and glues well, and that in the United States it is favored for millwork, cabinets, fine furniture, boat building, humidors, and decorative and utility plywood. The heartwood is light to dark reddish brown with a distinctive odor.

Plan for two shop issues. The Wood Database entry for Spanish cedar notes that, because the wood is soft and low in density, it can leave fuzzy surfaces unless cutters are sharp, so extra sanding may be needed. It also notes that natural gum pockets can stay wet, ooze onto the surface, gum up saw blades and make finishing a challenge. Test your full primer and topcoat system on offcuts from the same bundle before you finish a door or a run of window sash.

Western Red Cedar for Siding, Paneling and Outdoor Work

Western red cedar is the cedar usually sold for siding, ceilings and outdoor boards. The USDA Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook lists exterior siding, decking, interior woodwork, sashes and doors among its lumber uses, and says the heartwood is very resistant to decay while the sapwood is narrow and nearly white. Because the decay resistance is in the heartwood, ask for heart grades when the boards will see weather.

The Real Cedar tongue and groove guide says tongue-and-groove siding can be installed horizontally, vertically or diagonally, comes with rough or smooth faces, and is sold both kiln dried and unseasoned. It says the joints are usually V-shaped, with flush, reveal and radius joints also available. That V-shaped joint is what many buyers mean when they ask for V-joint boards for porch ceilings and accent walls.

Softness is the trade-off. The Wood Database entry for western red cedar rates western red cedar at 350 lbf on the Janka hardness scale and notes that it dents and scratches very easily. Keep it out of high-traffic floors and surfaces that take hard knocks.

Grades and Surfaces to Ask About

Western red cedar siding is sold by appearance grade. The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association (WRCLA) siding grades guide lists grades including Clear V.G. Heart, Clear Heart, A Clear, C and Better Clear, Rustic, Select Knotty and Architect Knotty. It calls Clear V.G. Heart the highest bevel cladding grade: vertical grain, kiln dried, with a smooth face of decay-resistant heartwood. It says Select Knotty is available rough or dressed, kiln dried or unseasoned, and smooth or saw textured, and that Rustic is graded for saw-textured use.

Surface matters as much as grade. Rough or saw-textured boards suit fences, beams and rustic siding. Rough and dressed boards can differ in actual thickness and width, so confirm actual dimensions with the supplier before you lay out a job.

For Spanish cedar, ask whether the stock is rough or surfaced, the thickness, the width range and the lengths available. Our S4S premium lumber page explains what surfaced four sides means if your shop wants to skip the planer.

Fasteners Near Salt Air

Cedar reacts with the wrong metal. The Real Cedar fastener recommendations say hot-dipped galvanized, aluminum and stainless steel nails can all be used with western red cedar, but electroplated nails are not recommended because they can rust and react with the wood’s natural oils, causing stains and streaks. They say copper nails also react with cedar and should not be used. For screws, they recommend stainless steel: 304 grade for most applications and 316 grade for decks exposed to salt air. The Wood Database entry for western red cedar adds that iron-based fasteners can stain and discolor the wood, especially in the presence of moisture.

That guidance is written for western red cedar. For Spanish cedar doors and windows, follow the hardware and fastener requirements of the door or window design you are building to.

Spanish Cedar and CITES Paperwork

Spanish cedar crosses borders with paperwork. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service summary of the 2019 CITES decisions shows that Cedrela species from the Neotropics were added to CITES Appendix II, with the listing covering logs, sawn wood, veneer sheets and plywood and taking effect on August 28, 2020. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service timber permits page says the service issues permits for the import and export of CITES-listed species, and that each listing’s annotation indicates which products may require permits and certificates. If your project specification or client asks for documentation of legal origin, say so when you request a quote.

Dust and Shop Safety

Both woods can irritate. The Wood Database entry for Spanish cedar says Spanish cedar dust has been reported as a respiratory irritant, and the Wood Database entry for western red cedar says western red cedar contains compounds, including plicatic acid, linked to an elevated rate of allergic reactions, including occupational asthma. Use dust collection and respiratory protection when sanding or machining either species.

Ground Contact and Structural Use

Natural decay resistance is not the same as a ground-contact or structural rating. The USDA Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook calls western red cedar low in strength when used as a beam or post. For posts set in the ground, structural framing or anything your plans call out as treated, ask your designer and building official what the job requires. Our pressure-treated lumber sizes guide covers use categories and end tags.

How to Request Cedar

International Plywood & Lumber is a plywood and lumber wholesaler serving trade customers in South Florida. Spanish cedar is one of the species listed on our hardwood lumber page. Call for current stock on either species. When you call or send a request, include:

1. Species: Spanish cedar or western red cedar
2. Grade, such as Clear V.G. Heart, A Clear or Select Knotty for western red cedar
3. Rough sawn, surfaced, or a pattern such as tongue and groove with V-joint
4. Thickness, width and length, written the way your drawings write them
5. Quantity, in pieces or board feet
6. Whether you need CITES documentation for Spanish cedar
7. Your needed-by date and delivery ZIP code

Call (305) 884-0860 or use our contact page. Hablamos Español.

Serving Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach

We are serving Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, with delivery available. Shops and contractors in Broward can see our Fort Lauderdale plywood and lumber page and our Broward County delivery page. Furniture and cabinet producers can also read our guide to wholesale lumber for furniture manufacturers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Spanish cedar a real cedar?

Not in the botanical sense. The USDA Wood Handbook places Spanish cedar in the genus Cedrela, a tropical American hardwood, and western red cedar in the genus Thuja, a softwood. “Cedar” is a trade name for both.

Which cedar should I use for doors and windows?

Follow the species your door or window design specifies. The Wood Handbook says Spanish cedar is favored in the United States for millwork, is considered decay resistant, and works and glues well. It also lists sashes and doors among western red cedar’s lumber uses. If you use Spanish cedar, plan for gum pockets and test your coating system first.

Which cedar is used for V-joint siding and porch ceilings?

Western red cedar. Real Cedar says its tongue-and-groove siding usually has V-shaped joints and comes with rough or smooth faces, kiln dried or unseasoned.

What fasteners should I use with western red cedar near the ocean?

Real Cedar recommends stainless steel screws, with 316 grade for decks exposed to salt air. It says electroplated and copper nails should not be used because they react with cedar and cause stains.

Does Spanish cedar need import paperwork?

It can. Cedrela from the Neotropics has been listed in CITES Appendix II since August 28, 2020, covering logs, sawn wood, veneer sheets and plywood. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the listing annotation indicates which products may require permits. Ask for documentation if your job requires it.

Do you carry cedar lumber?

Spanish cedar is listed on our hardwood lumber page. Call (305) 884-0860 for current stock on Spanish cedar or western red cedar, and tell us the grade, surface, sizes, quantity and needed-by date.