To all of our coastal friends, please come to the front of the class – 

Builders in the Hamptons, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Fisher’s Island…we’re talking to you. We know these are special places, and there’s a reason they’ve become one of the world’s most exclusive second-home enclaves. The homes are uniquely and deliberately designed, and material choices are not left to chance. 

We get it, and we love it. We also understand that we don’t take change lightly, especially in these markets. 

You’ve been buying clear Western Red Cedar boards in S4SEE forever (that’s Surfaced 4 Sides, Eased Edges – a smooth board on both faces with a slightly rounded “sanitary” edge). For many years, the market supplied it – the demand justified it, and the raw material supply was there to provide it. However, you’ve probably noticed that the availability of these products isn’t what it used to be.

Understanding the Shift from S4SSEE to S1S2E

Here’s what you may not know – while your market preferred S4SEE, 99.9% of the world prefers S1S2E (Surfaced One Side and Two Edges – a board with a smooth face, a textured face and square edges). 

As the market in Western Red Cedar has contracted over the years, producing a profile for one market that doesn’t work in the rest of the world no longer makes sense for most producers. This is why you now struggle to find what you’re looking for, and it’s why it seems to be getting worse by the year.

The good new is that there is an alternative, and it’s not that bad. The clear, old-growth, all-heart vertical grain Western Red Cedar stock you’ve loved for decades is still available. It’s just the S4SEE part that’s harder to find. 

Why S1S2E is the Better Option for You

By shifting to S1S2E, you won’t have to give up the beautiful, workable, high-performance species your customers have appreciated for a century, and building design and maintenance won’t have to be rethought. You’ll still have a great, smooth face on the product. 

Making the Transition to S1S2E

Yes, if you’re matching something existing, you might have to route some pieces to ease an edge on-site, but isn’t that easier than making several calls, traipsing all over the market or simply doing without? 

The reality is that there is more demand for clear Western Red Cedar today than there is supply, and the entire globe is supported by a relatively small growing region in coastal British Columbia. 

Given those dynamics, it no longer makes sense for producers to run S4SEE to serve one market. It makes more sense for all of us to get on board with the production that mills will continue to have available.

About the Author

Jordan Russin is the 3rd generation Co-Owner and Co-President of Russin. His passion for the lumber industry, custom homeowners and architects, and the Russin team knows no bounds. When he’s not working you can find him skiing with his family, climbing mountains, or with his nose buried in a book.