Frequently Asked Questions
Why cedar?
Cedar is a gorgeous wood! Cedar is known for its long lasting qualities in outdoor applications.
The visual appeal of natural cedar is tremendous. With colours ranging from light pink to rich red and light tan to dark chocolate, the finished product is absolutely stunning. Cedar is also a very stable wood with long term resistance to warping, twisting and checking.
At Black Creek Cedar, we combine the desirable qualities of cedar with high-quality craftmanship to create pieces that stand the test of time.
Why are Black Creek Cedar creations more expensive than mass-market and offshore products?
Quality! Selecting the finest raw material and crafting our furniture and cedar accessories with details like mortise and tenon construction and cross-doweling of critical joints, Black Creek Cedar creations are both appealing to the eye and long lasting.
Black Creek Cedar uses ONLY
Sansin environmentally-friendly stains and sealers.
You get what you pay for!
What are your construction methods?
Black Creek Cedar uses traditional mortise and tenon construction in the manufacturing of our furniture. Critical mortise and tenon joints are drilled and cross-dowelled to eliminate separation.
All of our treated outdoor furniture items receive two applications of stain or sealer. The first application of sealer involves dipping all components prior to assembly. The finish is available fully natural or stained for longer lasting UV protection.
Our indoor furniture items receive an application of Clear UV Sealer to enhance the beauty of the wood and to help maintain the original colour; cedar will naturally darken over time. The indoor furniture items are also finished with an exterior grade polymer based varnish.
We try to minimize the use of mechanical fasteners in our products, but when fasteners are used to supplement are traditional construction methods, we use stainless steel.
How do I care for my Black Creek Cedar furniture?
Will my furniture weather to the familiar "cedar grey"?
Eventually, as the UV treatment wears your cedar furniture and/or accessories will weather to the "cedar grey". Reapplying a maintenance coat when required will help maintain the original colour if desired.
How long does the treatment last?
The UV treatment typically lasts 2 - 4 years or longer, depending on the environment. Reapplying a maintenance coat when required will help extend the product life and maintain the original colour.
Why Sansin sealer?
Sansin is a premium environmentally friendly deep penetrating water-borne product. The Sansin product provides excellent water resistance and enhances the beauty of the wood. The product is derived from natural ingredients and will not crack or peel. The Sansin product will however wear away over time. Subsequent one-coat maintenance applications of the product can be easily applied. Our furniture may be safely used indoors; the Sansin product is also low in V.O.Cs.
Black Creek Cedar uses Sansin SDF Stain or Sealer on all of our cedar furniture products.