A cedar wood doormat is both a beautiful and a useful fixture on front steps, patios, hot tubs and more. The unique slatted design of these mats ensures clean feet and a dry doormat. Beyond that, cedar is an attractive and durable hardwood often seen in outdoor furniture and building projects. Though cedar is indigenous to North America, there are many varieties of the species, each with its own distinct look and characteristics.



The most commonly found cedar is Western Red Cedar. Native to the Pacific Northwest, this type yields a very large tree whose wood is especially rot resistant and does not shrink significantly, making it a popular choice as a cedar wood doormat or other piece of furniture. The wood itself is moderately lightweight and soft, with a straight grain and reddish brown hue.

Eastern White Cedar is both less common and smaller than Western Red Cedar. These trees are found in the Northeast part of the country as well as eastern parts of Canada, though most of the species were harvested to the point of endangerment in the 1800s. This wood exhibits similar characteristics in that it is moderately soft and lightweight, with a straight grain and resistant to rot. Where it differs is color. This variety is a lighter brown with an occasional reddish tint. Eastern White is great for woodwork, as it takes nails, stains and glue especially well.

Native to North Carolina and Florida, but growing as far west as Texas is the Southern Red Cedar. The wood of this tree is a dull reddish color, weaker and softer than other types of cedar. However, this type of wood would also for well as a cedar wood doormat because it is very aromatic and naturally insect repellant.

Similar in color and regional growth to Eastern White is Northern White Cedar. Native to the Northeast US and Eastern Canada, the wood is a light white color, while the heartwood is a slightly darker shade of brown. Resistant to termites and rot and good for painting, this wood is good for building because it has the lowest density of any commercial wood and can commonly be found in canoes.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest you may have a cedar wood doormat made from Port Orford Cedar, a wood native to Oregon and Northern California. This variety of cedar is more yellow in color than other types and is also unique in that it is slightly more shock resistant. Unfortunately, it also tends to shrink more than other varieties. However, it's easy to work with and gives off an intoxicating gingery smell.

Like Southern Red, Atlantic Cedar is also indigenous to southeast coastal regions of the US. The color of this wood varies from white, to light brown and even a pinkish tint. Though it takes finishes and paint well, the wood is very prone to splitting because of its fine texture, and is not good for bending or compression.

Finally, there is Incense Cedar, the oldest variety, whose trees have dated back to half a millennia. These trees are native to Oregon and Southern California, but also interestingly enough the arid regions on the Mexican Baja Peninsula. As far as a cedar wood doormat goes, this is one of the sturdier and more stable varieties available, owing to an unusually straight grain, as well as resistance to shock and decay. The color of this cedar ranges from creamy white to light and reddish brown. These trees do exceptionally well under temperature fluctuations and should be used in climates that vary.