Replies

1. 
   hammer1 | Jun 24, 2006 06:36pm | #1

   Doug fir has been in use for doors and windows for a long time. I can't say I've ever seen red cedar used. Cedar is very soft and doesn't paint very well. I made a zero clearance insert for my table saw out of red cedar, the saw dust ate it up, it's certainly not a durable wood when it comes to abrasion.

   I worked for Duratherm http://www.durathermwindow.com/. We used many species but red cedar was not one. Mahogany was a top choice, often with teak exterior trim. I'd consider redwood and Alaskan yellow cedar before Western red cedar.

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

1. 
   Glaucon | Jun 24, 2006 07:22pm | #2

   I'd agree. Cedar is hard to join, tends to snap off when dadoed or grooved (T&G is OK). I made a set of cellar doors out of cedar a few years ago- they have held up very well, and handle the elements well. They are stained, not painted, and I used T&G with battens for joinery (no glue).On the other hand, I have cedar raised beds in my garden that I made with bridle joinery- and that wasn't so successful, as they tended to snap at the joints. I have reinforced them with other mechanical fasteners and that works fine. Cedar is also used for shutters.On the other hand, my house was built ~80 years ago and has cedar clapboards. I had a gutter problem a few years back and had to scrape the paint from some clapboards that blistered from the water runoff. The cedar underneath (+75 yo) was unrotted and looked nearly new when I sanded it. It does require an oil based primer and good latex to hold paint.Fir has been used in the Northeast/New England part of the country for exterior doors and windows for at least 100+ years. It works easily, holds paint well, and won't rot in exposed areas if properly painted. If I were making exterior windows, that is what I would use. I think the requirements of strength and joinery favor it over cedar in this application.Glaucon

   If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...

2. 
   citrouille | Jun 25, 2006 01:43am | #3

   I have Italian windows in my house made by Rosada out of quartersawn Douglas fir.
   Very tight grain, I would say 20 - 22 rings per inch, beautiful looking windows, I built the house 15 years ago, they still look like new, outside and inside.

   C.

   http://www.rosada.com

   
   

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   Edited 6/24/2006 6:51 pm ET by citrouille

3. 
   trout | Jun 25, 2006 04:22am | #4

   I've put together fixed windows on site out of both materials and have had acceptable results from both.  Cedar is quite soft so I don't think it will be used for that purpose in the future.

   Doug fir, or at least tight grained knot free doug fir, is an excellent choice and has a good track record in our region (rocky mountains).

   Some fixed windows I'm putting together now are being built from select C 5/4 pine.  The material is much easier to work with than doug fir or cedar, but 60 years down the road the doug fir would probably be holding up better. 

4. 
   WillGeorge | Jun 25, 2006 11:26pm | #5

   Douglas Fir.. Mack in about the 60's I built a Cabin Cruiser (from plans) from straight grained Douglas Fir.. Dang thing still floats!

   Mack in about the 60's Sorry, I must have been hungry.. BACK!

   
   

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   Edited 6/25/2006 4:27 pm by WillGeorge