Aromatic Cedar- The Ultimate Fragrance Wood for Fresher, Healthier, and More Beautiful Homes!
Did you know there’s a way to freshen your home and eliminate pests without all the synthetic fragrances or carcinogenic chemicals?
Enter Aromatic Eastern Red Cedar Wood
The proper name of this fragrant friend is actually a little deceptive. The Eastern Red Cedar, scientific name Juniperus virginiana, is not a true Cedar, but actually is a member of the Juniper family. Seeing as it didn’t choose its Latin name, we won’t hold this misnomer against it.
Eastern Red Cedars are widely distributed across the eastern half of North America, including North Central Texas. They’re hardy- standing up to drought, cold, heat, wind, poor soil, amongst other less than ideal conditions for trees. This ability to weather the storms of life allows them to be rather long lived, with some specimens found to be over 500 years old. These stately timbers mature to around 40’-50’ feet tall. The tree is also abundant- this, paired with its ability to grow well in nearly any set of conditions, makes it a sustainable resource.
The Eastern Red Cedar has a myriad of uses, including being a host tree or providing shelter, nesting material, or food sources for a wide variety of wildlife. Eastern red is considered an apex tree as it grows with wide, expansive root systems that absorb most of the water in soil and even kill other plants with resins emitted from the tree. This apex tree will slowly dominate forests. At North Point Lumber, we ensure to effectively steward this valuable resource while managing the health of our local forests and ecosystems. This entails culling out eastern reds and leaving room for hardwoods like pecan, walnut, hickory, oak, osage orange, and other local hardwood varieties to thrive as well. We also replant many of these hardwood varieties as well as some cedar along the way.
All About Aromatic Cedar
Our senses make life more enjoyable, and one of those is smell! The ability to smell is critical to so many aspects of life. Fragrances enrich our lives, take us back to nostalgic places, and elevate our experiences. As humans, we have a natural preference, of course, for smells that are pleasant. We aspire to perfume ourselves, our homes, and our lives with pleasing aromas.
However, this pursuit for superb scents can have a dark side. Store-bought, man-made air fresheners, candles, diffusers, or cleaning supplies are typically laden with harmful chemicals and toxins. When these products are used, these substances become airborne, then in turn can be inhaled or ingested by us, our kiddos, and our furry friends. These particulates land on our skin, clothing, linens, and the many surfaces we come into contact with on a daily basis.
Not only can these artificially-manufactured aromas be hazardous to our respiratory systems, they can also be irritants to our skin. There’s a reason so many fragrance-free skin products exist- synthetic fragrance is a cause of many negative skin reactions! Skin conditions abound in our society- is that connected to the high concentrations of synthetic fragrances and harmful chemicals all around us?
Let’s look at the typical store-bought candle, for example. When it’s burned, it releases soot and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. The VOCs from most candles include formaldehyde and benzene- a couple of carcinogens.
Another example is using DEET-based bug spray to keep biting bugs at bay. DEET is often a skin irritant. Have you accidentally sprayed something plastic with DEET-based bug spray and seen the corrosion it causes? If that’s what it does to plastic, what’s it doing to our skin? Have you tried to enjoy a nice evening outside, but all you can think is “why does my skin feel like it’s burning? Oh yeah, I used that DEET bug spray!" What if you can have a nice evening without being eaten alive or skin that’s on fire?
This brings us back to Eastern Red Cedar. One of the amazing qualities of this tree is the high saturation of oil in its wood which creates a beautiful, dark red heartwood grain. This oil, of course, is naturally very aromatic! The aromatic oil in Eastern Red Cedar has a sweet, woodsy, and earthy scent. Not only does it smell great, it’s also incredibly functional. Below are some of the benefits of the oil rich Eastern Red Cedar wood:
- Deodorizer - absorbs foul odors and freshens your space,
- Aromatic - as the name implies, the fresh, woodsy, natural aroma is irresistable,
- Sanitizer - Aromatic Cedar oil has anti-septic, anti-microbial, and anti-fungal qualities,
- Anti-Inflammatory - Aromatic Cedar oil simply applied on your skin has been used for centuries as an anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic (alleviating muscle spasms), and a diuretic (lower blood pressure),
- Bug Repellant - eliminates moths, mosquitoes, and other bugs,
- Non-Toxic - safe for kids and pets,
- Pet Coat Conditioner - great for conditioning you dog's or cat's coat while preventing lice, mites, and chiggers oh my!
The cedar oil itself is often made from waste wood chips, which means this multipurpose heavyweight is created sustainably from a sawmill and woodshop byproduct thereby minimizing waste. Aromatic Cedar is anti-septic, anti-microbial, anti-spasmodic, anti-fungal, and a naturally preserving wood oil. It also naturally repels moths and other bugs. This is why you often find wardrobes, hope chests, or old trunks made out of aromatic cedar. Would you rather have your house perfumed by mothballs (sorry, Gran!), or “Fresh Mountain Air”? We know, that’s a toughie. We’ll focus in on a few of our favorite North Point Lumber Aromatic Cedar products & their uses below.
Aromatic Cedar Sachets, Blocks, Discs, and Hangups
Place cedar all over your house as a chemical-free way to keep moths & other unwanted guests out. We offer Aromatic Cedar in a variety of formats- blocks, sachets, discs, hangups, and more. Some of our products, such as our hangups or car air fresheners, come equipped with the ability to hang for instant ease of use. Try Aromatic Cedar in your closets, drawers, cabinets, pantry, trunk, wardrobe, shoes, gym bags, cars, bedrooms, entryway, shop, garage- anywhere! Cedar oil naturally & organically keeps pests away from clothes, food, and other cherished belongings without them being tainted or damaged by harsh toxins.
Don’t think they’re just for keeping bugs away, either. Use them to keep bad smells away! Cedar is a natural deodorizer. Not only does it remove odors, it replaces them with its pleasant, woodsy scent. Protect your possessions, and smell great doing it!
Aromatic Cedar Siding or Closet Lining
Line your closets with Aromatic Cedar planks to ward off moths and bugs and maintain a naturally fresh scent. You can also utilize our cedar siding or planks to make your own bug repellent wood working projects, such as trunks, keepsake boxes, or other storage solutions.
Bug repellent- Make your own natural & organic, DEET-free bug spray- skip the scary chemicals or skin irritants! Combine it with other essential oils for extra flair or use it on its own, and smell great as you naturally keep those pesky biters & fliers away.
Perfume/cologne- Try it in a DIY natural perfume or cologne recipe for an earthy scent with warm, spicy undertones.
Beard oil- Use it in homemade beard oil for a manly scent and glossy, well-kept facial hair.
Homeopathic remedies- Apply topically for homeopathic remedies such as helping relieve muscle tension, acne, or fungal infections.
Candles- Make your own candle from beeswax and cedar oil (and any other favorite natural essential oil scents!) for some chemical, and guilt-free, relaxation.
Air fresheners/deodorizers- Add to a diffuser to deodorize, or just smell generally fresh, clean, and amazing. Try a homemade room spray with our organic & natural cedar oil for extra room freshening power! You can spritz the whole house, an individual room, or even specific items that need deodorizing or just a refresh.
Aromatherapy- Put a few drops in your oil diffuser to help with suppressing stubborn coughs or improving focus.
Pup pest prevention- Use topically on dogs or cats to help keep fleas, ticks, gnats, lice, and mites at bay. Cedar oil not only prevents future unwanted visitors, but also kills any bugs that may already be in their coats.
Coat conditioner- Also, can be used on your furry friend's coat to help condition, protect, and preserve their fur naturally & organically, while simultaneously protecting skin against dryness and infection.
Wood treatment- Use as a natural wood conditioner & preserver for furniture or woodwork.
Aroma re-charge- You can expect Aromatic Cedar from NPL to provide rich aroma for 4-6 months, then, as the scent begins to fade (as any scent does over time), apply our Aromatic Cedar oil to any cedar item for a recharge. Then, enjoy it all over again!
See, this isn’t some kind of silly “snake oil!" An amazing smelling, natural & organic, pest-preventing panacea exists. Take advantage of our Aromatic Cedar products for a healthier, fresher, less buggy home.
Now on to the pretty part… Home Decor & Furniture!
If you take a scroll through the inventory on our website or our Etsy store (North Point Lumber Etsy Shop), you’re going to see a lot of products fashioned out of Eastern Red Cedar. It’s one of our most popular wood choices- for good reason!
One of the most obvious explanations for this is that it is BEAUTIFUL. It’s rich red hues (ahem, Eastern RED Cedar) add incredible pop and character to any piece made out of it. It has a striking appearance that is incredibly eye-catching as soon as you enter the room. Additionally, this lumber is strong, hard, and dense. All our wood has been kiln-dried to remove excess moisture and prevent future warping or cracking.
Many of the products we craft from Eastern Red Cedar have a live edge- which in layman’s terms means the edge of a slab of wood is raw and uncut- the edge is natural, unaltered. NPL offers slabs of lumber that you can fashion into your own project, or masterpieces that are ready to be enjoyed by you immediately.
Our Eastern Red Cedar line includes floating shelves, fireplace mantles, dining room tables, night stands, coffee tables, coasters, charcuterie boards, serving trays, cutting boards, wine bottle holders, phone stands, planters, yard decor, Christmas decorations and ornaments, and more! And the cherry on top of this cherry-toned wood is that its a sustainable, affordable alternative to costlier lumber options. Below, we showcase some of our favorite Eastern Red Cedar creations NPL has to offer.
Live Edge Mantle- A fireplace is often right in the hearth- sorry, heart- of a home. It’s centrally placed, and provides warmth and a place to gather. You hang your stockings there at Christmas, display photos of your loved ones and cherished mementos, and pose for family photos in front of it. With our Red Cedar Live Edge Mantle, your fireplace will become a focal point in your home that adds strength and functionality, as well as character and elegance.
Tables… all of them!- At NPL, we craft a lot of tables. And we think they’re all incredible. We offer dining room tables, night stands, end tables, coffee tables, or round tables. The showy red tones of the cedar are framed by bright white borders and punctuated by rich, dramatic wood grain. Any of our tables can be created in your desired dimensions and with any kind of custom metal or wood legs you can dream up. If you want to take style to the next level, add an epoxy river in the color of your choosing. It will be a one-of-a kind statement piece in your home. Our tables bring a ton of “wow” factor to your space.
Charcuterie Board, Serving Trays, and Cutting Boards- Need we say more? Be the talk of the town at your next hosting occasion with these pieces bursting with elegance and class. As with the products mentioned above, and all our products, take your aesthetic up a notch and add an epoxy river in the color of your choice. These small masterpieces will blow your guests away!
Why buy from North Point Lumber?
If you’re on the fence about whether you should buy from North Point Lumber or an online or in-person retail giant, here are some points to consider!
Everything in our catalog is hand-fashioned by a skilled craftsman. When you buy from NPL, you’re not just buying a mass-manufactured, factory-built, basic product- you're buying a handcrafted masterpiece from a heritage family ranch that's part of almost two centuries of experience and tradition. You're becoming part of the North Point story, and you're buying a real product, created from a real piece of wood, from a real Texas ranch, handcrafted by a real person, with real hands, made just for the real YOU.
Each piece can be customized, or custom-made altogether! You can choose your preferred type of wood or even pick your own slab (North Point Lumber Slab Selection). We can add any desired customizations such as a name or monogram, design or logo, inspirational quote or beloved scripture, epoxy river in a variety of colors, or create custom sizes. Due to the nature of wood, every product we create, custom or not, is unique and original.
As if you needed yet another reason, because all our products are made from quality wood and quality craftsmanship at a quality company, our products are made to last. This means you buy less: less stuff, and less often! We stand by our products, so we’re there for you if you have any needs after your purchase.
The sky really is the limit on what we can create for you at North Point Lumber, and we’re thrilled to help make your woodwork dreams come true. When you purchase from NPL, you’re buying sustainably sourced products made in the USA and supporting a family-run small business. We hope to have the chance to make your woodworking and home decor dreams come true, and greatly appreciate your business.
For inquiries or custom orders, please reach out to northpointlumber@gmail.com