What Wood Is Similar to Cedar? 7 Species Ranked by Hardness

Redwood, cypress, and Alaskan yellow cedar are the closest matches to western red cedar — all three resist decay naturally and weather to a similar silver-gray patina, but only Alaskan yellow cedar beats cedar’s 350 lbf Janka hardness. Pick the wrong substitute for a load-bearing or ground-contact application, though, and you’ll be replacing boards in five years instead of twenty. This guide compares seven cedar alternatives by hardness, decay resistance, and real cost tier so you can match the wood to the job.

What Makes a Good Cedar Alternative?

Western red cedar earns its reputation from three properties working together: a Janka hardness of just 350 lbf (making it easy to cut and nail without pre-drilling), natural oils that the USDA Forest Products Laboratory rates “durable to very durable” against decay, and a tight, straight grain that takes stain evenly. A true substitute needs to match at least two of those three — a wood that’s merely soft but rots in five years, or merely durable but splits every time you drive a nail, isn’t really doing cedar’s job.

The seven woods below are grouped by how they trade off against cedar: redwood and Alaskan yellow cedar are the closest all-around matches, cypress and Douglas fir are strong regional substitutes, pine is the budget option that needs the most maintenance, and teak and Accoya sit above cedar in both durability and price.

Redwood: The Closest All-Around Match

Redwood is the single closest substitute for western red cedar on every measure that matters. At 450 lbf Janka hardness it’s only slightly firmer than cedar’s 350 lbf, so it still cuts, nails, and sands the same way. Redwood heartwood is rated durable to very durable for decay resistance — the same USDA rating cedar gets — thanks to tannins that also deter insects.

Where redwood differs from cedar is color and cost: it runs a deeper reddish-brown out of the can versus cedar’s lighter, pinkish tone, and old-growth clear-grade redwood typically costs more than construction-grade cedar in most U.S. markets (though the two run close in price for comparable grades). A penetrating oil or semi-transparent sealer extends either wood’s life by several years and is the single biggest factor in how long either one actually lasts outdoors.

Cypress: The Water-Resistant Contender

Bald cypress heartwood contains cypressene, a natural resin that gives old-growth cypress a very durable decay rating — one notch above cedar’s own “durable to very durable” range. At 510 lbf Janka hardness it’s noticeably firmer than cedar, which makes it more dent-resistant for decking but slightly harder to hand-nail without splitting.

The catch: cypressene concentration depends on the tree’s age and growing conditions, so young-growth cypress (most of what’s commercially available today) doesn’t carry the same durability as the old-growth stock those decay ratings were measured from. Ask your supplier specifically for old-growth or heart cypress if rot resistance is the reason you’re considering it — plantation-grown cypress performs closer to Douglas fir than to cedar. See our full cedar vs. cypress comparison for siding-specific guidance.

Alaskan Yellow Cedar: Harder and More Durable, But Different Color

Alaskan yellow cedar is a different species from western red cedar, not a regional name for the same tree, and it’s the one alternative on this list that actually beats cedar’s own numbers. Its Janka hardness of 580 lbf and USDA “durable to very durable” decay rating (with better resistance to insect attack than western red cedar) make it a genuine upgrade for high-wear applications like boat decking, exterior stair treads, and window sills.

The trade-off is color: Alaskan yellow cedar is a pale, almost creamy yellow rather than cedar’s warm reddish-brown, so it needs a tinted stain (see the pick above) if you want it to visually match existing red cedar trim or siding rather than contrast with it.

Douglas Fir: The Structural, Budget-Friendly Option

Douglas fir trades cedar’s easy workability for raw strength: at 660 lbf Janka hardness and with high stiffness relative to its weight, it’s the wood contractors reach for on framing, beams, and posts where cedar would be structurally overkill and unnecessarily expensive. It typically undercuts cedar’s price by a meaningful margin in most markets, which is why it dominates the framing-lumber aisle rather than the siding aisle.

The catch is decay resistance: Douglas fir heartwood is only moderately durable, well below cedar’s rating, so any Douglas fir used outdoors or in ground contact needs pressure treatment or a quality sealant — untreated Douglas fir siding will show rot years before untreated cedar does.

Treating Douglas Fir for Outdoor Durability

Pressure-treated Douglas fir (or a site-applied borate treatment plus a film-forming sealant) closes most of the durability gap with cedar for structural and ground-contact use. For full outdoor treatment steps, budget for re-sealing every 2 to 3 years — roughly twice as often as cedar needs.

Pine: Cheapest Option, Highest Maintenance

Southern yellow pine runs 690–870 lbf on the Janka scale — harder than cedar, sometimes harder than Douglas fir — but untreated pine heartwood rates only “slightly durable” against decay, well below every other wood on this list. Pine’s real advantage isn’t durability, it’s treatability: pine accepts pressure-treatment chemicals better than almost any other softwood, which is why nearly all treated lumber at home centers is pine, not cedar or fir.

Pine’s Variability in Quality

“Pine” covers dozens of species with different hardness and grain quality — eastern white pine is noticeably softer and more prone to denting than southern yellow pine. Check the grade stamp before buying: a No. 2 common grade will have more knots and lower strength than a Select or No. 1 grade, even within the same species.

Protective Treatments for Pine

Untreated pine used outdoors can show visible decay within 1–2 years in humid climates. Pressure-treated pine (the green or brown-tinted lumber at any home center) resists rot for 15–25 years depending on ground contact, but still needs a water-repellent sealant applied annually to control the surface checking and warping pine is prone to.

Teak: The Luxury, Highest-Durability Substitute

Teak is the only true hardwood on this list, and it shows: at 1,155 lbf Janka hardness — more than three times cedar’s 350 lbf — it’s dramatically more dent- and scratch-resistant. Teak’s natural oils give it a very durable decay rating without any finish at all, which is why unfinished teak furniture is common outdoors while unfinished cedar furniture generally isn’t recommended.

Teak’s higher price than cedar reflects both its durability and increasingly limited sustainable supply. If budget allows, it’s the substitute that requires the least ongoing maintenance of anything on this list — occasional oiling for cosmetic reasons only, not for protection.

Accoya Wood: The Engineered Match

Accoya starts as fast-growing radiata pine, then goes through an acetylation process that chemically modifies the wood’s cell structure so it no longer absorbs moisture the way untreated wood does. The result carries a Use Class 1 durability rating (the same top rating given to naturally very durable hardwoods) and a 25-year above-ground warranty from the manufacturer — well beyond what cedar’s warranty-free natural durability offers.

Accoya costs more than construction-grade cedar but is dimensionally stable enough that it won’t warp, cup, or swell the way solid cedar can in humid climates, which is why it’s increasingly specified for exterior windows and doors where dimensional stability matters more than raw cost.

Cedar Alternatives Compared: Hardness, Durability & Cost

Species	Janka Hardness	Natural Decay Resistance	Cost vs. Western Red Cedar
Western Red Cedar	350 lbf	Durable to very durable	Baseline
Redwood	450 lbf	Durable to very durable	About the same
Alaskan Yellow Cedar	580 lbf	Durable to very durable	Similar or higher
Cypress (old-growth)	510 lbf	Very durable	Similar or less
Douglas Fir	660 lbf	Moderately durable	Lower
Southern Yellow Pine	690–870 lbf	Slightly durable untreated; highly treatable	Lowest
Teak	1,155 lbf	Very durable	Highest
Accoya (modified pine)	N/A — modified	Very durable (Use Class 1, engineered)	Higher

📊 Western red cedar’s Janka hardness of 350 lbf makes it one of the softest commercially available softwoods — only about a third as hard as teak (1,155 lbf) and roughly half as hard as Douglas fir (660 lbf). Source: Wood Database, 2026

How to Choose the Right Cedar Alternative for Your Project

Match the wood to where it’s going, not just to its price tag. For fencing and siding where the main threat is weather and UV, redwood, cypress, or Alaskan yellow cedar are the closest direct substitutes. For structural framing where nothing will be visible, Douglas fir’s strength-to-cost ratio makes cedar’s decay resistance a wasted expense. For ground-contact posts, ignore natural decay resistance entirely and use pressure-treated pine — even cedar isn’t rated for direct ground contact without additional protection. For decking specifically, redwood and Alaskan yellow cedar hold up best underfoot since both beat cedar’s own hardness. For outdoor furniture you want to last decades with minimal upkeep, teak or Accoya justify their higher cost.

Whatever you choose, the finish matters as much as the species: an unsealed, unstained board of any wood on this list — cedar included — will weather to the same gray patina within a year or two outdoors. Sealing or staining is what actually determines how long the board keeps its color and structural integrity, not the species label on the invoice.

“The number one mistake I see with cedar substitutes isn’t picking the wrong species — it’s skipping the sealer because ‘it’s supposed to be a durable wood.’ I’ve re-sided a deck at the 3-year mark where the owner used quality redwood but left it bare; a $30 can of sealer would have bought another decade.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What timber is similar to cedar?

Redwood, cypress, and Alaskan yellow cedar are the closest matches to western red cedar. All three share cedar’s natural decay resistance, and redwood and cypress are close in hardness (450 and 510 lbf versus cedar’s 350 lbf).

What hardwood looks most like cedar?

Teak is the closest true hardwood match to cedar’s warm tone and fine grain, though it costs significantly more. Redwood and cypress look more similar to cedar overall, but both are technically softwoods, not hardwoods, like cedar itself.

What wood stain matches cedar?

A semi-transparent stain labeled “natural cedar” or “cedar tone” matches cedar’s color while still showing the wood grain underneath. This works on redwood, pine, and Douglas fir alike to make any of them read as cedar once finished.

What is a good substitute for cedar siding?

Alaskan yellow cedar and redwood are the closest natural-wood substitutes for cedar siding. Fiber cement siding is the best non-wood substitute, offering similar appearance with lower maintenance and no risk of insect damage.

Is Alaskan yellow cedar the same as western red cedar?

No, they’re different species. Alaskan yellow cedar is harder (580 lbf versus 350 lbf), pale yellow rather than reddish-brown, and slightly more decay- and insect-resistant than western red cedar, though it typically costs more.

Conclusion

Redwood and Alaskan yellow cedar are the truest substitutes for western red cedar, cypress is the strongest option in wet climates, and Douglas fir or pressure-treated pine make sense anywhere structural strength or ground contact matters more than natural decay resistance. Teak and Accoya cost more but need the least long-term upkeep. Whichever species you choose, a proper sealer — not the wood itself — is what determines whether it lasts 5 years or 25.