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1) What are the main reasons you like to design with wood for commercial exteriors and interiors?
The main reason I would recommend wood in commercial settings would be to create a natural warmth to create that human-centered environment. Wood, especially sensory stimulating woods like Western Red Cedar (WRC), resonates with people, like an old friend with its timeless and authentic character. It ages and wears gracefully, but can also maintain a clean fresh look. Its flexibility in design applications, as well as its thermal and acoustic properties make it a great choice for commercial spaces.
2) What are the qualities you like the most about Western Red Cedar?
As a building material WRD offers a variety of desirable traits. It offers a variety of distinctive warm colors, ranging from pale golds to rich reddish-brown. Whatever hue catches your eye, the wood accepts stains, oils and finished very well, or can be left unfinished to silver naturally. The wood itself is less prone to warping or twisting, allowing it to be lightweight at the same time its remains dimensionally stable and consistent. Although it is a softer wood, it is pretty durable, and is especially resistant to rot and decay.
3) For what types of applications and specs within the building do you like to use Western Red Cedar? Please explain
Cedar in general is so versatile. Exterior applications can range from classic siding, soffits, rainscreens, and louvers, to pergolas, green houses and most outdoor structures. WRC is fantastic for wall paneling on a statement wall, ceilings, and of course, closets, as cedar naturally deters moths, bugs and pests. In regards to specs, uniformity is key when it comes to interiors, often specific in clear vertical grain (CVG). In exterior applications you often spec more knotty or mixed grades, for added character or a more rustic feel.
4) Please describe Western Red Cedar’s biophilic properties.
My favorite thing about Cedar is the scent. It’s signature aroma comes from compounds that help us relax. It can activate our parasympathetic nervous system, (rest mode) decrease sympathetic nervous system activity (fight or flight), This can lower cortisol, improve mood, and assist in emotional regulation by altering limbic activity. It can increase alpha brain waves, improve sleep, and even reduce blood pressure and heart rate. This kind of olfactory experience can evoke the feeling of being in nature and forests. When touching the wood, the soft texture is welcoming, especially compared to harder species. Pair these sensory indulgences with the visual of natural grain patterns layered in warm hues and you create a sense of connection with nature.
5) Please describe Western Red Cedar’s sustainable qualities.
When using WRC it ends up locking in carbon and holding it for the life of the building. As the tree is alive, it pulls carbon out of the air, and stores it inside the wood. When the tree is harvested responsibly from certified forests, and made into building materials, the carbon stays locked inside, instead of being released into the atmosphere if burned, processed, or even natural decay and rot. The environmental impact can be minimized with WRC’s long lifespan which reduces the need for repair and replacement, but when it is time to repair or replace, WRC is biodegradable and renewable, unlike synthetic alternatives, and it also has very low embodied energy, compared to steel, aluminum, or concrete.
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