Western Red Cedar is perhaps the most iconic sauna wood in North America, instantly recognizable by its rich reddish-brown hue and unmistakable aromatic character. Its natural oils provide an inherent resistance to moisture, decay, and microbial growth, making it one of the most durable choices for high-humidity sauna environments. The warm, spiced fragrance Cedar releases when heated creates an immersive sensory experience that many sauna enthusiasts consider essential.

Cedar’s open cell structure gives it excellent insulating properties, keeping surface temperatures manageable even in high-heat settings. Its dramatic, deeply grained appearance adds visual warmth and luxury to any sauna interior, making it a preferred choice for showcase installations where aesthetics are as important as performance. For clients who want a sauna that looks, feels, and smells distinctly premium, Cedar remains unmatched.

Species Overview

Janka Hardness: 350 lbf | Grain: Straight, Fine
Avg Dried Weight: 23 lbs/ft³ | Odor: Distinctive, Aromatic
Color: Reddish-Brown | Resin Content: Moderate, Natural Oils

Western Red Cedar is the most iconic sauna and wellness timber in North America — a wood whose reputation has been built over generations of use in bath houses, steam rooms, and residential saunas from coast to coast. Its natural oils provide inherent resistance to moisture, decay, and microbial growth, giving it a longevity that few untreated species can match in high-humidity environments.

Cedar is exceptionally lightweight and thermally efficient, with an open cell structure that insulates against surface heat and keeps bench and wall temperatures comfortable even during extended high-heat sessions. Its dramatic, figured grain and warm reddish hue make it one of the most visually striking sauna timbers available — a wood that announces quality the moment you enter the room.

The aromatic compounds released when Cedar is heated are a defining feature of the North American sauna experience for many enthusiasts, creating a warm, spiced atmosphere that adds a sensory dimension beyond heat alone. For clients who want a sauna that is as much about experience as performance, Cedar delivers on every level.

Available Materials

STS A – 1X4 | T&G Nickel Gap – Wall Profile
Cedar’s rich reddish-brown grain and unmistakable natural fragrance make the 1×4 nickel gap panel one of the most sensory sauna wall profiles available. The shadow-line reveal highlights the wood’s dramatic figure, creating an interior that is as visually striking as it is aromatic.

• Nominal size: 1×4 | Actual size: 0.59″ x 3.54″ x 94.49″
• Face width: 3½» with ½» gap reveal | Profile: T&G / nickel gap
• Typical use: Walls and ceilings | Installation: Blind nail or clip

STS A – 1X4 DUAL | T&G Nickel Gap – Wall Profile
The dual-face Cedar panel is ideal for showcase sauna designs where the interior’s visual drama extends to every visible surface. With aromatic character and rich coloring on both faces, it brings Cedar’s signature warmth to partition walls, glass-backed features, and open-plan wellness installations.

• Nominal size: 1×4 | Actual size: 0.59″ x 3.54″ x 94.49″
• Face width: 3½» with ½» gap reveal | Profile: T&G / nickel gap
• Typical use: Walls, ceilings, partition walls | Installation: Blind nail or clip

S4S A – 2X4 (*) | Bench Profile
Cedar’s natural oils and open cell structure make it a durable, moisture-resistant bench board with a comfortable surface temperature at sauna heat levels. The S4S finish brings out the wood’s full grain character, producing a bench surface that is as beautiful as it is functional.

• Nominal size: 2×4 | Actual size: 1.10″ x 3.54″ x 94.49″
• Profile: S4S / smooth four sides
• Typical use: Benches and platforms | Installation: Face nail or screw

S4S A – 2X6 (*) | Bench Profile
The 2×6 Cedar bench board is the boldest expression of this iconic species. Wide, continuous boards showcase Cedar’s dramatic grain and warm hue at full scale, creating a bench surface that anchors the entire sauna interior with unmistakable character and presence.

• Nominal size: 2×6 | Actual size: 1.10″ x 4.72″ x 94.49″
• Profile: S4S / smooth four sides
• Typical use: Benches and platforms | Installation: Face nail or screw