red cedar

[limbrat]

A couple of months ago i got some red cedar cut for paneling closets and bathrooms in my house. when it was cut it had a beautiful purple tint. After stacking it to dry it quickly faded to red. When i plane it out will i get the purple back and what can i put on it to hold the color?

[Polly]

i could be wrong but i think lowes has a uv inhibator that will work apply right after planing

[limbrat]

So its probably uv bleaching good, i was afraid it might be an oxidizer that would penetrate the wood. Thankyou  yea i plan to put something on it each piece as it comes of the plane. That stuff looks good fresh.

[beenthere]

If'n ya find something that works, the walnut industry would like to know how to retain the vibrant colors that show up on fresh-cut walnut. There was some major research trying to figure that out, as the colors soon disappear.
Hope applying the uv inhibitor works after planing. Please keep us posted.

[Furby]

I can tell you that the UV rays in OK are strong. 
It would only take a couple hours after cutting for our ERC to turn brown unless it was covered by something.
It is indeed UV that is taking the color away and I hope the UV inhibitor works, as I want to keep the red color in my projects.

[woodbeard]

I doubt you will get the purple back, but you may at least be able to keep the red from fading to brown. The purple seems to go away soon after a fresh cut log is sawn. I dont see it in dry wood that I resaw or plane, or even in logs that have sat and dried out a while. But then again, the characteristics of ERC tend to vary from region to region.

[TexasTimbers]

As you probably know not all ERC has the purple. When I get it, it is usually prevelant in a group of trees I harvest for whatever reason and not is onsies and twosies. It always comes back when I resurface. That has been my experience.
I always set the purpled stuff apart from any other ERC I might mix in from other stands.

A true UV inhibitor, that works well isn't going to be totally clear and will change the color. This is what I gleaned from a phone call with one of the UV gurus at a big company who you would recognize.

But here is a new product that I haven't tried. If it works like they claim I will jump for joy. I haven't ordered any yet but am going to soon.

I am installing some ERC framing members in a project that will be exposed for a day or two before I get them covered by the roof, and I am having to wrap them in heavy construction paper to protect the natural color because I don't want to have to re0sand them after installation.

[limbrat]

Thanks for all the information. The two small trees six logs that i got sawed were standing dead in a ladys front yard. I asked for them and we had to pull them off of her service line. She didnt wont to watch so she went to the store before she got back we had them down loaded and the limbs on the burn pile and the area raked. After i got home i got a call she wonted some more trees taken down two more cedars and two magnolias. I got over there and tried to talk her out if it all four trees were huge and beautiful. You could tell that the trees had matured in the forest before the house was built and the house is at least 40yrs old. She was tired of cleaning up after them and they were shading her little store bought trees and flowers, she was going to have them taken down so i took them. (but i didnt like it) I got the magnolia sawed for paneling also and i still have the big cedar logs. All the cedar was very purple when sawed i have it stacked under a ling to on the back of my shop. I dug down into the stack and the wood has faded to kind of lavender.Im rebuilding my house out of my pocket so i wont be ready for it till late spring or early summer i will report on how it comes out.  Thanks