10 Benefits of a Cedar Front Door | Cedar Wood Front Door

Homeowners all over America are opting for cedar for their exterior wood door. So, what makes this wood a top choice? Here are six key reasons why cedar is one of the best options for exterior doors:

6 Benefits of Cedar Front Doors

Durability
Amazing Smell
High-end Look
Moisture Control
Insect Repellent
Fungus Resistant

A cedar front door is a solid choice for any home, but not all cedar is the same. There are several species available, each with its own advantages. In this article, we'll cover the different types of cedar, the best stains to use, and how to maintain your door to keep it looking great for years.

Choosing the Right Cedar: Types of Cedar Wood Explained

All types of cedar wood share the same core benefits—durability, resistance to moisture and insects, a pleasant smell, and antimicrobial properties. However, they differ in appearance, grade (how knotty the wood is), and availability. Here are the six cedar varieties available for wood doors:

Western Red Cedar
Inland Red Cedar
Incense Cedar
Yellow Cedar
Eastern Red Cedar
Eastern White Cedar

Of these varieties, western red cedar is the most popular choice because of its deep reddish-brown color and defined wood grain. When stained with a clear finish, it gives a beautiful, rich color that complements any home’s exterior appearance. And because western red cedar trees grow so tall and have a wide trunk diameter, this wood tends to have fewer knots than the other cedar varieties. Western red cedar is a great option for those looking for a stunning rustic door.

Inland red cedar and western red cedar are the same species, but they grow in different regions. Inland red cedar grows in the Rocky Mountains, so the trees are smaller in height and diameter than western red cedar, which grows on the coast. Inland red cedar is has more knots and generally has a lighter wood tone than western red cedar.

Incense cedar is another popular cedar choice, as it has a strong, pleasant fragrance. It’s much lighter in color than the other cedar varieties, but still has lovely red tones.

Alaskan yellow cedar is less common for entry doors. As the name implies, this wood has a characteristic yellow tone that sets it apart from the other cedar types.

Lastly, we have eastern red and white cedar. These are generally less common due to availability. However, they may be more popular wood choices in regions where they are natively available.

Eastern red cedar is knotty and has a beautiful red hue. Eastern white cedar isn’t typically used for entry doors, as it has a pale white to light brown color. People usually favor the characteristic red tones and unique wood grain of the other cedar varieties for wooden front doors.

6 Benefits of Cedar Front Doors

No matter which cedar variety you pick or is available in your area, they all come with amazing benefits. Let’s dive into what you’ll receive when you buy a new cedar front door.

1. Durability

Durability is one of the most important qualities of any exterior door. Exterior doors—whether they’re entry doors, patio doors, or a garage door—need to be able to withstand the harsh elements. This is especially true for wood doors, which can warp or swell if not properly sealed or constructed.

Cedar exterior doors are the most durable solid wood doors. They beat all other types of wood when it comes to moisture, fungus, and insect resistance. This is because cedar contains natural aromatic oils that repel insects and fungus and protect it from moisture. This makes it much more resistant to rot and decay, making it more durable for exterior use than many other wood types.

Plus, cedar is a hardwood, which makes it an all-around more durable wood type. This means it’s less prone to warping, swelling, shrinking, or damage. All these qualities also mean that cedar requires less maintenance than other treated woods.

Cedar’s natural resistance to common outdoor threats and its low maintenance make it an ideal choice for exterior wood doors. Rustica only uses cedar wood for all exterior doors because of its incredible durability. This allows us to guarantee all our customers receive the highest-quality wooden door that will last them for years to come.

2. Amazing Smell

Cedar’s aromatic oils have the added benefit of smelling amazing. Not only do they protect the wood from fungus, insects, and moisture, but the oils also give off a wonderful pine-like aroma that fills the atmosphere around it.

Imagine walking up to your beautiful wood front door and being greeted with a pleasant fragrance. It’s the perfect welcome home, and a great way to impress your guests.

While we’ve talked a lot about cedar exterior doors, cedar can also be used for interior door styles. As an interior door, cedar adds warmth to a space with its rich color and pleasant aroma. It sets the tone for cozy cabin or rustic style homes, giving off a refreshing mountain forest scent.

3. High-end Look

One of the main reasons homeowners are attracted to cedar (besides it’s durability) is its natural color and wood grain. Cedar offers a range of red hues, from lighter shades to deeper, richer tones. Even within the same piece of wood, the color can vary, adding character and depth.

Many people choose cedar for its natural beauty. Unlike other woods, cedar doesn’t need a colored glaze to look stunning. A clear finish is enough to showcase its rich color and unique grain patterns.

In comparison, many people will choose a wood species like knotty alder for interior doors. Knotty alder doors are affordable and stain well. However, they don’t have the same rich color as cedar. To give them more character, people will stain them a darker wood finish, such as red mahogany or American walnut, to give the door a high-end look.

As such, cedar inherently has a high-end look that perfectly complements any door style. Whether you need a modern front door for your contemporary style home or rustic doors for your modern farmhouse, cedar is an excellent wood choice!

4. Moisture Control

We all know that oil and water don’t mix well. This same concept is true for cedar doors, which contains high amounts of aromatic oils and resins. Cedar’s oils create a natural protective layer over the wood, making it naturally moisture-resistant. In the forest, cedar takes much longer to break down than other trees because of these aromatic oils.

When you combine cedar’s natural moisture resistance with a high-quality finish, you get a door that can stand up to heavy rain and snow. There are even accounts where people’s homes have flooded and their cedar wall paneling was completely fine. This just shows how incredible cedar is for moisture control, making it a great entry door for all climates.

5. Insect Repellent

The same cedar fragrance we find inviting is what keeps insects away. Cedar produces its oil as an intelligent protective mechanism against insects that could damage or even kill the tree. These aromatic oils remain strong in the wood even after it’s cut, helping protect doors and outdoor furniture from insect damage.

Cedar is resistant to most insects, including ants, termites, cockroaches, and moths. For this reason, it is a favored wood species for dressers and clothing chests.

6. Fungus Resistant

Just as cedar produces essential oils to ward off insects, it also produces these oils as a natural immune response to bacteria and fungi. Cedar oil is antimicrobial, meaning it deters and prevents pathogenic fungi and bacteria.

This means that a cedar entry door, decks, and furnishings are highly resistant to rot and decay. Cedar wood is incredibly long-lasting due to its protective oils, making it suitable for exterior doors and storm doors.

To ensure your cedar exterior door lasts for years to come, you’ll want to finish it with a high-quality protective glaze. Even though it is naturally fungus resistant, unfinished cedar will eventually break down. A properly finished cedar door can last several years, especially if it’s well-maintained.

Best Stains for Cedar

When designing a custom cedar door with Rustica, you’ll have several wood finishes to choose between. After choosing your preferred door type, you’ll can choose cedar for your wood species. Then, you’ll pick your preferred wood finish.

Because of cedar’s rich color and grain, we recommend the clear or glaze clear wood finishes to bring out cedar’s natural wood highlights. However, we also offer several stains to choose from.

Keep in mind that cedar’s natural tones may still come through the finish, so you’ll want to choose a complementary wood stain. Grey or ebony may not be the best choice, but walnut, provincial, or mahogany may work well with cedar’s red hues.

For example, say you want a luxurious mahogany door, but need the practical benefits of cedar. In this case, you can choose the red mahogany wood stain, which will give the doors a rich mahogany color.

When ordering a custom door with Rustica, you can stain the door yourself if you prefer. Simply choose the raw unfinished or finish ready wood finish option. If you’ve never stained a door before, check out our related blog, “How to Stain a Wood Door” for helpful tricks and tips.

We do not recommend painting cedar, as the knots, grain, and color tones may show through.

How to Maintain a Cedar Door

Regularly inspecting and maintaining your cedar door is the best way to ensure it lasts for years to come. Thankfully, maintaining a cedar door is very easy and simple. Every few weeks, you’ll want to inspect the door and its hinges to check for any damage. If there is any, you'll want to schedule a time to do door repair as soon as possible.

At least once a year, clean your door with a rag and soapy water. Don’t use harsh cleaning chemicals, bleach, or a power washer. After washing your door, re-seal it with a high-quality door finish. You’ll want to apply at least two coats of finish to ensure the door is properly sealed against the elements.

In humid climates, you might need to apply extra coats or use a specialized wood sealant to block moisture and prevent the door from swelling.

Design Custom Cedar Front Doors with Rustica

Cedar is the best wood species for an exterior entry door. They are incredibly durable, smell amazing, have a high-end look, and repel moisture, fungus, and insects.

Ready to design a cedar door for your home? Start creating your custom luxury door with Rustica today! Whether you're looking for a Dutch door, double door, French door or something in between, we’ve got you covered. Simply explore doors on your website and call our design team at 1-800-891-8312 to get started.