I've been looking at a stack associated with cedar wood tongue and groove boards in my garage area all week, and it's finally time to get all of them around the walls. Presently there is something about the way these planks click jointly that makes the DIY project feel a lot more professional compared with how it probably provides any right in order to be. If you've ever messed close to with individual planks that just won't stay straight, you'll know why the particular tongue and groove design is a complete lifesaver. It's basically the "Lego" from the construction world, however it smells an entire lot better and looks one thousand occasions classier.
The particular Magic of the Interlocking Design
The entire point of using cedar wood tongue and groove is that it solves the biggest headache of woodworking: gaps. Wood is a living thing, or at least it acts such as one. It breathes, it moves, it expands when it's humid, and this shrinks when the heater kicks upon in December. In case you just nail smooth boards side-by-side, you're eventually going in order to see daylight among them.
With tongue and groove, one side of the board has a protruding "tongue" and the other offers a "groove" or even slot. They glide into one another such as a perfect challenge piece. This doesn't just make the installation look smooth; it actually enables the wood in order to move slightly at the rear of the scenes without opening up unattractive cracks. Plus, the way they interlock means you may "blind nail" them. You drive the nail through the tongue at an angle, and then the next board's groove covers the toenail head completely. Simply no visible silver toenail heads poking via your beautiful cedar—it's a clean, professional finish every solitary time.
Exactly why Cedar Specifically?
You can find tongue and groove in pine, maple, or maybe reclaimed barn wood, but cedar is generally the precious metal standard for the reason. To start with, let's talk about the particular smell. That common, earthy aroma isn't just there to make your house odor just like a high-end spa; it's actually the wood's natural defense system. The oils in cedar are usually toxic to the majority of insects, which is why moths hate cedar chests and termites usually look with regard to an easier treat elsewhere.
Cedar is also extremely rot-resistant. If you're putting it within a bathroom or a sauna—or actually using it regarding exterior siding—it's going to handle humidity way better than nearly any other softwood. It doesn't warp or twist simply because easily as pinus radiata does when issues obtain a little damp.
Crystal clear vs. Knotty Cedar
When you're out shopping with regard to cedar wood tongue and groove , you'll generally encounter two main "looks": clear and knotty.
- Clear Cedar: This is the particular high-end stuff. It's smooth, consistent, and has almost simply no knots. It provides you a very modern, "architectural" vibe. It's gorgeous, but man, your wallet can feel it.
- Knotty Cedar: This is usually what most of us think of when we all imagine a warm cabin. It's got those dark sectors (knots) all over it, which adds a ton associated with character and texture. It's significantly cheaper than clear cedar and, in our opinion, feels a bit more "real. "
Where to Use It (Beyond the Sauna)
Most people immediately think of saunas when these people hear "cedar wood tongue and groove, " and with regard to good reason—it's the particular king from the sauna. But it's so much more versatile than that.
The "Statement" Ceiling
When you have an area that feels a little cold or "empty, " try putting cedar on the ceiling. It's the trick interior creative designers value to "lower" a high ceiling and make an area feel more personal. A cedar ceiling in a living room or over a covered porch provides a warmth that paint just can't replicate. It draws the light in a manner that makes the entire room feel glowy and high-end.
Accent Walls
I'm a huge fan of the one accent wall. In the event that you do a whole room within cedar, you might sense like you're residing inside a humidor. But if you perform one wall—maybe at the rear of the headboard in a bedroom or even behind the TELEVISION within the den—it creates a center point that's distinctive and interesting. This also is great for acoustics; wood absorbs sound much better compared to drywall does, therefore it can in fact make a noisy area feel a little bit quieter.
Outside Accents
I've seen some incredible modern homes lately apply cedar wood tongue and groove as a good accent on the outside. Maybe it's just under the eaves or close to the front entry. Because cedar is really hardy, it may handle being outdoors so long as you treat it right. It offers the particular house an natural, grounded feel that balances out chilly materials like concrete floor or steel.
A Few Tricks for Installation
When you're planning upon tackling this your self, don't just start nailing the second you get the wood home. Listed here are couple of points I've learned the particular hard way.
1. Let the wood acclimate. This is actually the boring part, yet it's the almost all important. Cedar wants to hang out there in the room exactly where it's being installed for at minimum a few days—ideally a week. It needs to obtain used to the moisture levels in your own house. If you take it straight from a cold, damp wood yard and nail it to your own wall, it's heading to shrink because it dries out, and you may end up with some wonky boards.
2. Check your own levels constantly. Since the boards lock together, when you get one particular board slightly crooked at the bottom of the particular wall, that error is going to be magnified simply by the time you reach the ceiling. Work with a level upon every third or fourth row just to make sure you aren't drifting.
3. Finishing issues. You have three main options here: keep it raw, stain it, or obvious coat it. In case you leave it natural, it'll smell amazing, but it may get stained by finger oils or even dust over time. In the event that you're utilizing it within a bathroom, you certainly want a sealer to avoid water places. Personally, I adore a simple water-based clear coat. It protects the wood without changing that will beautiful, natural reddish-tan color too significantly.
Dealing along with the Cost
Let's be honest: cedar wood tongue and groove isn't the cheapest material on the rack. If you're on a limited budget, you may be enticed to go with a "cedar-colored" pine or perhaps a composite. While these have their location, they just don't have the same spirit as real cedar.
In the event that you want the appearance but can't afford a massive task, search for "shorts. " Sometimes lumber back yards sell shorter measures of cedar from a discount. They take a little bit more work to install because you have more joints in order to manage, however the cost savings can be massive. Plus, the staggered joints of smaller boards often appear more "custom" and rustic anyway.
Is It Worth the time and effort?
Within my experience, totally. There's a certain satisfaction that comes from finishing a project with cedar wood tongue and groove . It feels permanent. Seems like some thing that's going to look better within ten years as opposed to the way it does nowadays. While paint trends come and proceed (remember when almost everything was "Millennial Gray"? ), natural wood is actually timeless.
Whether you're wanting to turn the boring basement in to a man cave or just would like to spruce up the particular ceiling of the back again porch, cedar is definitely a solid wager. It's easy in order to use, it smells like a forest, and much more you look like a far better carpenter than you really are. And really, isn't that what we're all looking for in a weekend project? Just take your time, maintain your lines straight, and allow the wood the actual heavy lifting for you personally. You won't feel dissapointed it when you're sitting back along with a beer, admiring how much better that wall appears now.