The Forestry Forum

After acquiring the basic timber framer tool set from John Neeman and Jim Rogers and other sources I am going to build my first structure.  This build will be a two story barn with a small foot print of 14x32.  It will be built on an existing concrete pad that was poured a few months back.  I have a lot of timber on hand and wanted some opinions on species choice. Right now at my log yard I have these two choices.  Eastern Red Cedar and SYP. The cedar is green (was harvested last week). I have various lengths and diameters.  The logs appear to be sound and of good quality.  The SYP is also nice straight logs that were harvested 18 months ago.  Either will be easy to mill on the Mizer when I move forward.  I am leaning toward the SYP for various reasons but wanted some input from you guys. Thanks for any advice.

I'd use the pine for the structure, and the cedar for the siding. I think you will find that the engineering numbers on the cedar are very low.

Eastern cedar does not take stress well.  It does okay with compression but it is not flexy enough to take tension.  SYP for the structure is the way to go, use the cedar to make it pretty.

QuoteIt does okay with compression but it is not flexy enough to take tension.

Trying to figure out what this means? Maybe a different meaning for "tension" ??

Can you describe this in some more detail.  thanks

Quote from: Dave Shepard on January 05, 2015, 10:22:36 PM
I'd use the pine for the structure, and the cedar for the siding. I think you will find that the engineering numbers on the cedar are very low.

ERC would be good sill material too