Cedar of Lebanon Sapwood

[JoeS]

Hello all,

Have a piece of straight sawn cedar of Lebanon I was planning to make a draw bottom out of this morning and was just setting up the bandsaw when it struck me that I was about to use lots of the sapwood.

I've posted a picture of the piece I have - should I only be using the darker central section of this as a draw bottom or will all of it be fine? My head says the former, my heart says the latter.

Does anyone have any advice?

Regards
Joe

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Technically, there's no good reason to not use the sapwood for the purpose you describe, i.e., drawer bottoms. However, Cedar of Lebanon is used for that purpose primarily for the cedarwood oil fragrance which is said to have insect repellent properties therefore its use in clothes drawers. It's the heartwood that has the oil rather than the sapwood so if it's the clothes protecting properties you're after keep that in mind.

If your drawers are not for holding clothes then it might be worth asking yourself why you've chosen this wood species because the allegedly protective fragrance has no purpose. Having said that, your wood choice isn't necessarily a 'wrong' choice. Slainte.

 

[JoeS]

Technically, there's no good reason to not use the sapwood for the purpose you describe, i.e., drawer bottoms. However, Cedar of Lebanon is used for that purpose primarily for the cedarwood oil fragrance which is said to have insect repellent properties therefore its use in clothes drawers. It's the heartwood that has the oil rather than the sapwood so if it's the clothes protecting properties you're after keep that in mind.

If your drawers are not for holding clothes then it might be worth asking yourself why you've chosen this wood species because the allegedly protective fragrance has no purpose. Having said that, your wood choice isn't necessarily a 'wrong' choice. Slainte.

Hi Richard,

I just love the smell of the wood to be honest - I use it in all my furniture for no other reason. Makes me nostalgic for my grandfather's workshop. I normally have bought pre sawn panels in the past.

 

[ian8555]

The accepted approach is to leave it out. Sapwood of certain species, can't confirm myself with cedar, is the most delicious part that is attractive to worms or bug infestation of the wood.

 

[Jacob]

The accepted approach is to leave it out. Sapwood of certain species, can't confirm myself with cedar, is the most delicious part that is attractive to worms or bug infestation of the wood.

I've had some large and very old pieces of Cedar of Lebanon kicking around for years and showing absolutely no trace of woodworm even in the sapwood. Compare and contrast sycamore or beech which can be wrecked in a very short time.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

The accepted approach is to leave it out. Sapwood of certain species, can't confirm myself with cedar, is the most delicious part that is attractive to worms or bug infestation of the wood.

It's true that sapwood has the most nutrients that the grubs of insects such as common furniture beetle, powder post beetle, and so on like to devour. However, other conditions need to be right for the grubs to be interested, such as a high enough wood moisture content. Common furniture beetle grubs, for instance, are very unlikely to survive in wood with a moisture content below ~12%, and that pretty much eliminates the likelihood of the parent laying eggs that will survive inside the living space of most houses and the furniture found there, so I'd say JoeS's Cedar of Lebanon drawer bottoms are pretty safe. On the other hand, the bugs can sometimes find suitable accommodation in places such as roof spaces, lean to sheds, carports, that kind of thing and, of course, draughty unheated stand alone sheds, agricultural buildings and the like can be good targets for wood munching insect grubs.

Also it should be born in mind that the appearance grading of some wood species regards sapwood as a desirable feature, e.g., in ash and maples. Slainte.

 

[ian8555]

 

[JoeS]

Great knowledge on the sapwood not containing any of the perfume - I had no idea. Cut it up yesterday and thought initially when it hit the bandsaw that I had the wrong species - and then remember what you'd said. Vyer interesting - this forum continues to be a wonderful resource of knowledge,