What are the Pros and Cons of a Cedar Shed?

When building a shed, it is difficult to beat the looks, smell, and durability of cedar. A cedar shed will be aesthetically pleasing, and since cedar is a fragrant wood, the smell of the shed will be pleasant for several years. Resistance to rot, mold, mildew, and bug infestation are other benefits to a cedar shed, but one should keep in mind that building a cedar shed will not be the most environmentally friendly choice: old growth cedar trees, which is the best choice for reaping the benefits of cedar, take much longer to replenish than other woods such as pine. Cedar can also be cost-prohibitive, depending on the size of the shed being built and the builder's budget.

Some of the pros of a cedar shed include cedar's natural resistance to mold, mildew, rot, and bug infestation. The natural oils within the wood are naturally water repellent, meaning the life of the shed will be extended. Bug infestations will be minimal compared to other types of wood that attract insects from saps and other oils, and cedar will not have to be stained to be protected from the weather. It will, however, fade after prolonged exposure to the sun, which means at some point the cedar shed will have to be painted or stained to retain its looks and water resistance.

Cedar is an old growth wood, which means the cost will be much higher than more readily available pine. A cedar shed will cost much more than a pine shed because of this, though the price can be controlled since the builder will not have to purchase stain or other waterproofing chemicals. Cedar also doesn't have to be painted — the wood itself is quite beautiful and naturally resistant to fading for long periods of time — further cutting costs of installation. Though cedar is not the most environmentally friendly wood choice, it is still a more environmentally friendly choice than synthetic materials such as vinyl, plastic, and even some metals, since wood is a renewable resource.

The fragrance of cedar is very pleasant, but the cedar shed's fragrance may be overwhelming. A cedar shed will need more ventilation than other sheds if the scent is unpleasant to the owner, though this is rarely a big problem. The absence of chemical stains and waterproofing agents, in fact, make the cedar shed a more pleasant structure to inhabit than other types of sheds that require such waterproofing.