Port Orford Cedar
Description
Port Orford Cedar is also known as Ginger Pine, Lawson Cypress, and Oregon Cypress. Originating in a small area of coastal southwestern Oregon and northwestern California this softwood has a smooth texture, straight grain, and a pale yellowish brown color that darkens as it is exposed to light. Port Orford Cedar has superior strength compared to other cedars as well as Redwood, especially in impact bending and crushing strength. It is known for its distinctive ginger like smell, lack of splintering, resistance to acid corrosion, and long ground life of 20 to 25 years. Due to its durability and work-ability, it has a variety of applications in both indoor and outdoor use from fence posts to boat building to high traffic outdoor sites such as decking and dock planking as well as musical instruments to furniture.
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Common Uses
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Arrow shafts, musical instruments (soundboards on guitars), boat building, boxes and chests, decking, and various interior millwork applications.
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Technical Specifications
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Common Name(s): Port Orford Cedar, Lawson’s Cypress
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Scientific Name: Chamaecyparis lawsoniana
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Distribution: Pacific northwest United States
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Tree Size: 150-200 ft (45-60 m) tall, 4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m) trunk diameter
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Average Dried Weight: 29 lbs/ft3 (465 kg/m3)
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Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .39, .47
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Janka Hardness: 590 lbf (2,620 N)
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Modulus of Rupture: 12,290 lbf/in2 (84.8 MPa)
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Elastic Modulus: 1,646,000 lbf/in2 (11.35 GPa)
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Crushing Strength: 6,080 lbf/in2 (41.9 MPa)
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Shrinkage: Radial: 4.6%, Tangential: 6.9%, Volumetric: 10.1%, T/R Ratio: 1.5
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*Source: The Wood Database; https://www.wood-database.com/