Click here for more information on what to look out for when ordering timber.
Ordering Western Red Cedar can often prove challenging; different suppliers have differing quality standards. Here are five reasons to specify Silva Select No. 2 Clear Western Red Cedar:
1. Silva source from a primary sawmill to ensure quality and consistency.
Why? A secondary sawmill buys logs on the open market from various sources whereas our supplier holds timber harvesting rights in certain areas of British Columbia which ensures a consistent and ongoing supply of logs. Often a secondary sawmill has to make the logs they buy meet the grade whereas our supplier will only use logs that meet or exceed the respective grade. If the log is not suitable for the grade they are cutting for they will use it to produce a lower grade item elsewhere.
2. Silva Timber only buys coastal grown Western Red Cedar.
Why? When you think of Western Red Cedar you think of rich coloured, tight grained timber with a lovely scent and luxurious appearance. The coastal region of British Columbia offers a product richer in colour and tighter grained than that produced from interior Western Red Cedar, providing unrivalled beauty and maximum stability.
The Coastal region provides us with the Western Red Cedar we think of when we think Western Red Cedar.
3. Silva’s No. 2 Clear Western Red Cedar is kiln dried at source.
Why? Silva’s No. 2 Clear is kiln dried at source in state of the art kilns by experts in the drying of this unique species. Modern dry kilns allow tight control of air flow, temperature and humidity so that all the timber dries uniformly and to the precise moisture content required. Kiln-dried Western Red Cedar can be machined to a superior finish and therefore problems such as raised grain are virtually eliminated.
Kiln dried timber can usually be installed immediately upon delivery to site which means that you don’t need to have expensive timber lying around acclimatising. Kiln dried timber is also suitable for finishing immediately with a paint or stain which means that the wood can be protected without delay. Click here to find out more about the advantages of buying kiln dried Western Red Cedar.
4. Silva’s No. 2 Clear exceeds grading rules
Why? We could offer a cheaper product but we prefer to keep our quality level high which in turn keeps our customers happy . Our product is 100% No. 2 clear and is labelled as such on the end of each board. We will only mix grades if specifically requested to do by a customer. Clear Western Red Cedar is often sold as an 80% / 20% mix of No. 2 Clear and No. 4 Clear respectively. We can supply this or any other mix of these grades in sawn boards, standard profiles or custom profiles.
5. Silva’s No. 2 Clear is PEFC certified
Silva’s Select No. 2 Clear Western Red Cedar is PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) chain of custody certified. This means that all entities in the supply chain from the harvester to Silva Timber must possess a PEFC chain of custody certificate. This means that a specific product can be followed from its certified forest source through processing and marketing channels to the end user. PEFC is the world’s largest forest certification umbrella organization supporting sustainable forest management globally through assessment and endorsement of national forest certification schemes.
There are three ways to buy Silva Select Kiln Dried No. 2 Clear:
Sawn Boards
Silva Select Kiln Dried No. 2 Clear can be supplied in sawn boards for machining or further processing.
Standard Cladding / Trim Profiles
We offer a range of popular cladding and trim profiles ‘off the shelf’ for immediate delivery. Please contact our customer support team for stock availability.
Custom Profiles
We can machine custom profiles to your specification. This process requires up to 14 days from receipt of order to delivery to your site. For more information on our custom profile service please contact our customer support team on 0151 495 3111 (Cheshire) or 01895 271 300 (W. London).
The Benefits of Kiln Dried Cladding and Trim
Coverage
1m2 = 8.1 metres of board
Exposed profile face
124mm
Moisture Content
Kiln dried to 12-15% moisture content
Installation
Western Red Cedar cladding up to 140mm should be fixed with one nail per bearer. For cladding over 140mm fix with two nails per bearer. Tongue & Groove and Microline Channel profiles can be blind nailed; all other profiles should be face nailed.
Finish coatings
It is recommended that finish is applied to all surfaces, including ends, before installation. The type of coating will be determined by the final finish and look selected. Click here for our range of recommended finishes. Alternatively, Silva Timber offer prefinished cladding in either solid colour or translucent stains. The finish protects the wood from moisture absorption and UV degradation. It helps prevents staining caused by mildew and extractives and will increase the service life of timber.
Fasteners
For best results use stainless steel annular ring shank nails. These have thin shanks and blunt points to reduce splitting. Nails should be driven with care into the framing members. Hand nailing is recommended as heavy nailing by pneumatic nail guns can cause wood distortion and splitting.
PDF Downloads
Cladding Installation Guide
Western Red Cedar Cladding
Silva's Western Red Cedar is renowned for its consistent high quality. As one of the UK’s leading importers of timber with over 10 years experience of supplying Cedar products to the UK market, you can rely on receiving a quality product on time, on grade, every time. Along with our high quality standards, you can be assured that the cedar you receive is coming from a well managed sustainable source.
Silva Select Kiln Dried No. 2 Clear Western Red Cedar is graded three times at the mill to ensure that it is the highest standard No. 2 Clear product available. In addition to rigorous grading at the source it is inspected by Silva staff prior to leaving our warehouse to make sure that it meets our strict quality standards.
Silva’s grade of No. 2 Clear is sourced from one of the world’s largest and most respected primary producers of Western Red Cedar. By buying direct from a primary sawmill we are able to guarantee quality and consistency. Only premium fine grained, Coastal grown Western Red Cedar is used to produce Silva’s Select No. 2 Clear. It is pre-graded in the sawmill, sized and graded in the planing mill and graded once again after the kiln drying process to ensure accurate sizing and grading.
Silva’s grades exceed R-List Grading Rules which sets us apart from our competitors. Don't compromise your standards; insist on Silva Select No. 2 Clear Western Red Cedar.
Western Red Cedar is the ultimate green building material. It is legally, responsibly and sustainably harvested in the publicly managed forests of British Columbia, Canada. Less than 1% of standing timber is harvested each year.
For each tree harvested, three are replanted to ensure the forests will exist in perpetuity. Western Red Cedar has a low impact on the environment throughout its life cycle. It requires significantly less energy to produce than man-made alternatives and is bio-degradable.
For more information on Silva Timber's commitment to the environment click here.
This product carries Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)
The PEFC Council is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation founded in 1999 which promotes sustainably managed forests through independent third party certification. The PEFC provides an assurance mechanism to purchasers of wood and paper products that they are promoting the sustainable management of forests.
PEFC works throughout the entire forest supply chain to promote good practice in the forest and to ensure that timber and non-timber forest products are produced with respect for the highest ecological, social and ethical standards. Thanks to its eco-label, customers and consumers are able to identify products from sustainably managed forests.
Silva Timber meets the requirements for PEFC Chain of Custody within the BM TRADA Certification Limited Scheme for TRADA - Trak chain of custody certification.
Certificate number: BMT-PEFC-0319
