Typical uses
Alaskan Yellow Cedar Planking Sheets
Light, straight-grained softwood with a warm pale-yellow tone. Easy to work, dimensionally stable, and a long-standing favourite for ship model planking.
Precision custom milling available
We mill this species to your exact thickness and width, held to ±0.10 mm.
Calculate an instant price for custom Alaskan Yellow Cedar Planking Strips →Typical uses
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 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 |
| Moisture content | 8–12% |
| Tolerance | Thickness ±0.10 mm · Width −5 / +20 mm · Length ±20 mm |
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