Typical uses
Alaskan Yellow Cedar Strips
5.02 reviewsLight, 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.
Milling your own strips? See our guide: Milling Strips with a Byrnes Table Saw
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 ±0.10 mm · Length ±20 mm |
Customer reviews
5.0· 2 reviews
- Aug 2026
Wood strips and
I or d ered wood strip for my scratch build HMS Royal William. All part custom size. As I live in Bangkok it is difficult to find suppliers shipping to Asia. All arrived well and moreover all pieces nicely labelled to avoid mistakes. Thanks again. Great Service.
Alexander Skaria· Thailand
- Aug 2026
Ordered both sheet and milled plank stock
All products are excellent.
Bob Ellis· United Kingdom
