When a lumber yard stocks "cedar," it usually means one of two species: Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) or Eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis). Both are genuine cedars, both are rot-resistant, and both are excellent choices for raised beds and garden planters. But they differ in ways that matter depending on where you live and what you are building.
This guide breaks down the key differences in density, grain, rot resistance, availability, and cost so the right choice becomes clear before the first board is purchased.
Species Overview
Western Red Cedar
Western red cedar is native to the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, growing from northern California to southeastern Alaska. It is a large tree, often reaching 150 to 200 feet in old-growth stands, and produces wide, clear boards with minimal knots when milled from mature timber. The heartwood is a warm reddish-brown to pinkish-brown. The wood is lightweight, straight-grained, and dimensionally stable.
On the West Coast, Western red cedar is the default option for any outdoor woodworking project. It is stocked in full-dimension and dimensional lumber at most large retailers, and specialty mills offer wide clear boards for projects requiring premium material.
Eastern White Cedar
Eastern white cedar is native to the Great Lakes region, the Northeast, and southeastern Canada. It is a smaller tree — typically 30 to 60 feet tall — which means boards are narrower and shorter than Western red cedar. The heartwood is pale yellow to light brown with a subtle reddish cast. Grain is tighter and more variable than Western red cedar.
In New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Great Lakes states, Eastern white cedar is the local standard for fence posts, boat ribs, and raised bed lumber. It is often sold in rough-sawn form directly from regional mills rather than through national retailers.
Rot Resistance: A Close Match
Both species are rated Class II in natural durability — meaning they are durable in soil contact and resistant to decay fungi. Western red cedar is very slightly more durable in laboratory testing, but the practical difference in a garden setting is negligible. Both will provide a service life of 15 to 25 years in a well-built raised bed.
The rot-resisting compounds differ somewhat between species. Western red cedar's thujaplicins (particularly beta-thujaplicin) are among the most potent natural biocides found in any commercial timber. Eastern white cedar has a different profile of extractives but achieves comparable field performance. In temperate climates with good drainage, either species will outlast pine by a wide margin without any surface treatment.
Gardeners building structures following the complete raised bed guide can select either species with confidence in the rot resistance. The choice is largely a regional and practical one.
Density and Weight
Western red cedar is lighter. It has a density of approximately 23 lbs per cubic foot (about 0.37 specific gravity). Eastern white cedar is slightly denser at around 22–25 lbs per cubic foot depending on growth conditions, but the difference is modest.
In practice, a 16-foot run of 2x8 Western red cedar will be noticeably lighter to carry than an equivalent run of Douglas fir or Southern yellow pine, and Eastern white cedar is comparable. Both species are well within the range of one-person handling for standard raised bed boards.
Grain and Appearance
Western red cedar has a coarser, more open grain. The wider boards from mature trees show dramatic figure and color variation between heartwood and sapwood. The surface feels slightly soft and has a distinct cedar aroma when freshly cut.
Eastern white cedar is finer-grained. Boards tend to be narrower and knottier due to the smaller tree size, but the tight grain makes it very stable. It has its own pleasant aromatic quality — lighter and more medicinal than Western red cedar.
For aesthetic applications — visible planter boxes, deck containers, window boxes — Western red cedar's wider, clearer boards produce a cleaner finished appearance. For utilitarian raised beds where appearance is secondary, Eastern white cedar's knotty boards are perfectly adequate and often less expensive.
Dimensional Stability
Both species are considered dimensionally stable relative to other softwoods. They shrink and swell less dramatically with moisture changes than pine or spruce. This matters in raised bed construction because a board that moves significantly with seasonal moisture changes will work its fasteners loose over time and cause joints to open.
Western red cedar has a slight edge in dimensional stability due to its straighter grain and lower density. Very knotty Eastern white cedar boards can check and split more readily around knots in high-UV environments. For long-term joint integrity, select the straightest-grained boards available regardless of species.
Cost and Availability
Cost follows geography. In the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, Western red cedar is often less expensive than Eastern white cedar because it is locally produced. In the Northeast, Eastern white cedar from regional mills can be significantly cheaper than Western red cedar shipped across the country.
In the Midwest and Mountain West, both species are available but at a premium over local species like pine. In those regions, the cost difference between the two cedars is usually small enough that species selection can be based purely on what the local supplier stocks in the dimensions needed.
Sourcing Considerations
Both species are available FSC-certified from responsible forestry operations. Eastern white cedar is widely available from small regional mills in the Northeast, often in rough-sawn form at lower cost than surfaced big-box lumber. Western red cedar is available through national suppliers including large home improvement retailers, as well as specialty lumber yards.
The cedar sourcing guide covers supplier options in detail, including what to ask for when ordering from a regional mill versus a national retailer.
Which to Choose
The honest answer is: buy what is locally available and affordable. Both species will perform excellently in raised bed and planter applications. The regional availability rule of thumb holds for most builders — West Coast builders use Western red cedar; Northeast builders use Eastern white cedar; everyone else buys whatever the local lumber yard stocks under the "cedar" label.
If appearance is a priority and budget allows, seek out wide, clear Western red cedar boards. If cost is the primary concern in the Northeast, a regional Eastern white cedar mill will likely offer the best value. For beginner vegetable gardeners building their first raised bed, the most important step is simply avoiding pine or spruce — either cedar species will be a significant upgrade in longevity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Western red cedar and Eastern white cedar be mixed in the same project?
Yes. There is no structural or chemical reason not to mix species in a single raised bed. The appearance will differ slightly — the reddish-brown of Western red cedar against the paler Eastern white cedar — but both will weather to a similar silver-gray patina over two to three seasons outdoors.
Is one species better for humid climates?
Both perform well in humid conditions. Western red cedar's slightly higher natural oil content may give it a marginal advantage in very wet climates with poor air circulation, but this is unlikely to be detectable in a normal garden setting over a 15-year service life.
How can the two species be told apart at the lumber yard?
Western red cedar is typically redder or pinkish-brown in the heartwood and has a coarser, more open grain. Eastern white cedar is paler yellow-brown and fine-grained. The aroma differs as well — Western red is warmer and spicy; Eastern white is lighter and more camphor-like. Species will usually also be labeled on the end tag.
Does the species affect how well cedar takes paint or stain?
Both accept penetrating oils and semi-transparent stains well. Both can be difficult to paint with solid-color coatings because their natural oils can bleed through and cause adhesion problems. An oil-blocking primer applied before paint resolves this for either species.
Which species is more sustainable?
Both can be sourced sustainably. Eastern white cedar from regional mills often has a lower embodied transport energy because it is produced close to its point of sale in the Northeast. Western red cedar FSC-certified stock is widely available. Look for chain-of-custody certification from either species when sustainability is a priority.