Hinoki Cypress, coming to a store near you, maybe

[Don P]

The most recent meeting of the American Lumber Standards Committee tentatively approved design values for Hinoki Cypress from Japan. Upon final approval this would allow for import and structural use of another species. 




Our closest cousin is Atlantic Whitecedar  C. Thyoides which does not appear in the NDS supplement of design strength tables. Those are both "false" cypress. Northern White Cedar, Thuja Occidantalis, a true cypress, does appear in the strength tables but with considerably lower design strengths.

[GRadice]

Don, using those standards how would hinoki compare with Port Orford cedar/Lawson's cypress/Chamaecyparis lawsoniana?

[Don P]

You were in mind when I saw that in the mail. I kind of doubt it'll make it to here short of special order but I'd like to hear how it compares if you work with any.

The table above is for 2-4" thick lumber so I'm looking in that table in the supplement to the NDS. Umm, I seem to have lost my current copy but I don't think these numbers have changed from this '01 table. Port Orford shows up in the species grouping "Western Cedars". Probably most often the control is Modulus of Elasticity, stiffness, followed by Fb, bending strength.