What is commonly referred to as aromatic red cedar is actually a species of juniper, which tends to grow throughout most of North America north of the Mexican border and east of California.  It is a fine grain wood that is very light, durable, and fragrant.  While it has a long history of use in other areas of manufacturing, cedar furniture has been the biggest influx of usage for the material.

Lawn and garden furniture has benefited from several properties of red cedar, or Juniperus virginiana, which grows so freely and abundantly in this nation.  First of all, it is naturally resistant to rot, and the pleasant aroma for which it is named actually repels moths.  For this reason, it has long been used for building out closets and constructing hope chests and other textile storage compartments.  Now, in the form of furnishings like wooden picnic tables, it keeps moths from flocking to your exterior lighting while you are trying to enjoy a late night barbecue.

Because the oils it produces are natural treatments for the wood, additional oil and varnish coats are not required for outdoor furniture.  In the past, this first came in handy first as a material to use for shingles and other roofing products that needed to hold up against the elements without the expensive process of treating every single piece.  This was also incredibly well received in terms of use for building a fence, since it can be quite time consuming to treat every single plank of the fence.

Because of its incredible light weight, sturdiness, and malleability, red cedar was often used in the past for bows and arrows by both Native Americans and the British who came to the land.  Now, such light weight materials make aromatic red cedar patio furniture easy to move around, rearrange, and store during winter months, when the items are not in use.

As a material for wood outdoor furniture, this wood has become highly popular and is quite desirable.  It’s inexpensive because it is largely in supply and doesn’t have to be imported like some other favorites, and you can save even further because you don’t have to spend the time and money treating the wood prior to use.  Thousands of people are buying wood furniture that is made of red cedar (or juniper) and enjoying the pleasant aroma of just sitting in the wood rocking chairs or on the bench they’ve chosen.

When you go shopping for your next set of patio furniture, look for red cedar or juniper, which are one and the same, as your optimal set.  You’ll enjoy the aroma, the beauty, and the long life of the pieces in which you’ve invested.