Cedar vs Redwood
Natural Material · grade comparison
Cedar and Redwood are both natural material grades. Redwood is the stronger of the two: tensile strength 70 MPa (10.2 ksi) against 55 MPa (7.98 ksi) for Cedar, about 27% more. Cedar is lighter (0.37 g/cm³ vs 0.42 g/cm³ for Redwood) and Redwood is stiffer (9.6 GPa vs 7.7 GPa). On the shop floor, Redwood sits in a lower cost tier (standard, $$) than Cedar (premium, $$$).
CedarChoose it when weight is the constraint.
RedwoodChoose it when strength drives the design, or when cost is the deciding factor.
Cedar vs Redwood: propertiesHow to read these bars
- One bar per material. A full bar is the highest value among all natural material grades in the FabDigit library; each bar is drawn as a share of that.
- The better value (by the usual engineering direction) is in bold. Rows with no direction — density, thermal conductivity — have no bold.
- Values are typical room-temperature figures for the condition named on each card.
- Confirm against the certified mill or resin datasheet before design release.
How to read these bars
- One bar per material. A full bar is the highest value among all natural material grades in the FabDigit library; each bar is drawn as a share of that.
- The better value (by the usual engineering direction) is in bold. Rows with no direction — density, thermal conductivity — have no bold.
- Values are typical room-temperature figures for the condition named on each card.
- Confirm against the certified mill or resin datasheet before design release.
Mechanical
Strength, stiffness, ductility and hardness at room temperature.
Elastic (Young's) Modulus
Shear Modulus
Poisson's Ratio
Tensile Strength (Ultimate)
Compressive Strength
Flexural Strength
Shear Strength
Same in both: Elongation at Break 1% · Fracture Toughness (K_IC) 0.4 MPa·√m0.36 ksi·√in
Physical
Density and transition temperatures.
Density
Porosity
Thermal
How each material carries heat and how hot it can run.
Thermal Conductivity
Specific Heat Capacity
Thermal Expansion (CTE, 20–100 °C)
Max Service Temperature (continuous)
Same in both: Min Service Temperature -60°C-76 °F
Electrical
Conductivity and insulation.
Dielectric Strength
Same in both: Electrical Resistivity 1×10⁹ Ω·m3.94×10¹⁶ µΩ·in
Chemical & Environmental
Corrosion and environmental resistance (0–100 scores).
Same in both: Corrosion Resistance 80 / 100
Manufacturability
FabDigit workshop ratings (0–100 scores) — how each material behaves on the machine.
Polishability
Same in both: Machinability 90 / 100
Sustainability
Primary-production footprint per kilogram.
Embodied Energy (primary production)
Typical Recycled Content
Same in both: Embodied Carbon (primary production) 0.45 kg CO₂/kg · Embodied Water 500 L/kg59.9 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Ratios derived from the values above.
Specific Strength (UTS / density)
Specific Stiffness (E / density)
Same in both: Thermal Diffusivity 0.2 mm²/s · Thermal Shock Resistance Index 0
Strength versus weight
Yield strength against density for every natural material grade in the FabDigit library; the compared grades are highlighted. Up and left is stronger for its weight.
Manufacturing and finishing
| Capability | Cedar | Redwood |
|---|---|---|
| Default condition | — | — |
| Relative cost | $$$ Premium | $$ Standard |
| Min. machined wall | — | — |
| Best machined surface | — | — |
Cedar vs Redwood — frequently asked
Is Redwood stronger than Cedar?
Yes. Redwood has a typical tensile strength of 70 MPa (10.2 ksi) against 55 MPa (7.98 ksi) for Cedar — about 27% more.
Which is cheaper, Cedar or Redwood?
Redwood is the lower-cost material: it sits in the standard tier ($$) while Cedar is premium ($$$). Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
When should I choose Cedar over Redwood?
Pick Cedar when weight is the constraint. Pick Redwood when strength drives the design, or when cost is the deciding factor.
Ready to make it?
Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in Cedar and Redwood side by side — material, machining time, tolerance and finish in one quote. Certified material data ships with the order on request.
Typical handbook values for the conditions named above, normalised for comparison. Hardness on non-Brinell scales is converted approximately for charting only. Request certified data with your order for design-critical properties.