CEDAR OF LEBANON: B
This is a very under utilised softwood which is readily available but in limited quantities. It has a distinctive strong fragrance, which can be used as an excellent selling feature in fine cabinet work, it is ideal for use in chest bottoms, cabinet linings and drawer sides. Although it may be unseen you know that it’s there. We have a small kiln dried stock but can be made available quickly from log to kiln dried board.

Production: T/T, 1S/E, S/E, DIM.

Cedrus libani
Family: Pinaceae

Other name: True Cedar.

Distribution: Middle East, planted in U.K. parklands as amenity trees.

General description: This is a softwood, the heartwood is strongly
scented and resinous with contrasting growth rings marked by the darker dense latewood zones. There may be grain disturbance around knots in the timber from parkland trees, but selected grades are straight grained with medium to fine texture. There may be ingrowing bark pockets in the wood – a feature of true Cedars. Weight 560 kg/m3 (35 lb/ft3); specific gravity 0.56.

Mechanical properties: This soft, brittle timber has a low bending strength and stiffness, resistance to shock loads and crushing strength. It also has a very poor steam bending classification due to resin exudation.

Seasoning: The timber dries easily with only a slight tendency to warp and there is medium movement in service.

Working properties: Easy to work with hand or machine tools, with little blunting effect on cutters. Large knots and ingrown bark may cause difficulty when machining. Nails and screws hold well and the wood stains, varnishes, paints or polishes to a good finish.

Durability: Durable, liable to attack by pinhole borer, longhorn beetle and sirex. The heartwood is resistant to preservative treatment and the sapwood moderately resistant.

Uses: Suitable for joinery, doors and interior decoration from selected grades and is used locally in the Middle East for building. Timber grown in the U.K. is usually park grown and can be knotty and is used mainly for garden furniture, gates, fences and exterior work. Selected logs are suitable for architectural wall panelling, interior joinery and furniture.

Note: There are nearly 50 references in the Bible to Cedars of Lebanon. The Lebanon has created a Cedars of Lebanon National Park near Basharria, 84 miles north of Beirut.

JBT Comments: This is a very under utilised softwood which is readily available but in small quantities. Its distinctive strong fragrance can be used as an excellent selling feature in fine cabinet work, where it can be incorporated into chest bottoms, cabinet linings and drawer sides. Although it may be unseen you know it’s there.

Grade: First quality, but knots should be accepted as part of the character of this timber.

Specification: Through and through and/or one square edge; 8ft and longer. 8ins and wider.

Stockholding: 1,000 cubic feet in air dried and kiln dried stock:3/4ins to 5ins thickness. 500 cubic feet of round logs available for sawing and kilning to customers requirements.