Typical uses
Alaskan Yellow Cedar Lumber
Light, straight-grained softwood with a warm pale-yellow tone. Easy to work, dimensionally stable, and a long-standing favourite for ship model planking.
- Size
- 52 mm × 155 mm
- Length
- 500–550 mm
- Processing
- Rough cut or jointed
- Quality grade
- B/AB
- Moisture content
- 8–14%
Tell us the rough dimensions you need — we'll confirm available stock, total weight and shipping.
About Alaskan Yellow Cedar
Alaskan Yellow Cedar (Cupressus nootkatensis) is the hardest and most stable of the true cedars, prized by boat builders for over a century. Its pale, uniform yellow tone and exceptionally straight grain make it an excellent all-round modelling wood that finishes cleanly without fuss.
Despite being light in weight, it is remarkably dense and tough for a softwood, with very little distinction between early and late growth rings. This even structure means it bends predictably for planking and holds a crisp edge when cut thin — without the splintering common to other cedars.
Our yellow cedar is kiln-dried before milling and selected for clean, consistent colour. Its natural oils give a smooth, almost waxy surface straight from the tool, taking glue and finish well with minimal preparation.
Wood Properties
| Species | Cupressus nootkatensis |
| Origin | North American Pacific coast |
| Janka Hardness | ~2,580 N (hard for a softwood) |
| Density | ~500 kg/m³ (air dried) |
| Grain | Fine, straight and very even |
| Colour | Pale to warm yellow, uniform |
| Texture | Smooth, slightly waxy — clean finish |
| Workability | Excellent — works easily by hand or machine |