Tiny Homes – Cedar Packs a Big Design Punch

When designing a tiny home, every square foot counts. Choosing the best building material is crucial. That’s why so many tiny home builders turn to Western Red Cedar decking and siding. Even a small dose of cedar’s beautiful tonal range and texture can create warm, inviting indoor and outdoor living spaces. And for people looking to minimize their environmental footprint, cedar is a green choice. Here, then, are some of our favorite uses of cedar on residential structures under 400 square feet.

1. Best Modern Mobile

This asymmetrical, 236-square-foot stunner is a great example of innovative wood design for people who want to live life on the road in style. The California couple, who built this cedar-clad dream home for just under $50,000, opted for a natural looking stain. But it’s good to know that Western Red Cedar is pitch and resin free, which means it accepts and holds a wide range of finishes beautifully. For the lowest maintenance, however, tiny home builders can simply let their cedar siding weather naturally, eventually turning a beautiful silvery patina.

2. Best Outdoor Living Space

The Galiano 100 project designed by Trim Studio used Western Red Cedar on the ceiling, soffits and trim. And to make the most of the outdoor living space, the Vancouver architect firm selected cedar decking. Good call! Cedar is a top-performing building material with ingrown properties that make it naturally resistant to rot, decay and insects, so this freestanding deck, which provides amazing views of the Pacific Ocean and Rocky Mountains, will last the clients a lifetime.

Photography: Jarusha Brown

3. Best Luxurious Design

This high-end home, which was showcased on HGTV’s “Tiny Luxury”, features Western Red Cedar siding. The builders in this case selected a crisp clear grade of cedar to complement the clean modern lines. For homeowners looking to give their project a textured look, they could select a beautiful knotty grade of Western Red Cedar. Not only do knotty grades of cedar siding add warmth and visual interest to exteriors, they’re also a cost-effective choice.

Photo by Bodega Pictures

4. Best Traditional Cabin

While more and more DIYers, designers and architects are incorporating Western Red Cedar into contemporary designs, it’s still nice to see how well Western Red Cedar works on traditional designs. This tiny house on wheels by Escape Traveler will integrate beautifully in whatever natural setting the homeowner chooses. Unlike so many man-made materials, cedar is a durable, yet surprising lightweight so it’s much easier to transport cedar homes to rugged backcountry sites than heavy synthetic structures – an important feature for those looking to hit the open highway with their tiny home.

5. Best Traditional Cabin

While Western Red Cedar is an ideal building material for siding, decking and outdoor projects, it can pack just as much design punch inside as well. Take this Urban Payette tiny house, for example. The stunning cedar ceiling is a real showstopper. The warm tones of the wood create a dramatic contrast to the stark white walls. That’s the beauty of cedar – it works great on its own, or as an accent or a standout design feature, as in this case.

Tru Form Tiny