While sustainable building products are closely associated with the desire to minimize one’s environmental impact, there are additional tangible effects one can expect. For example, by using lumber harvested from local forests durability increases. Because locally harvested wood products are more adapted to your specific environment and climate, normal wear and tear is diminished often leading to longer-lasting materials in construction projects.

For most homeowners, adding a deck or a fence is an important home construction project and dull diligence should be used when selecting the right products to use. Sustainable lumber makes for great fence posts and quality deck surfacing options. Consequently, one can add significant value to their home in terms of deck or fence construction all while supporting locally harvested lumber and the environment.

Here in the Northwest, some of highest quality sustainable lumber is Western Juniper and Western Red Cedar. Western Juniper has the distinction of being incredibly durable, rated at 50+ years for in-ground use. Additionally, Western Juniper is naturally rot and pest resistant (even without chemical application) in addition to being safe for children and pets. Western Red Cedar, for its part, has incredible dimensional stability thus minimizing warping and shrinkage.

While important to plan for and enact valuable home construction projects, it’s just as important to consider what type of building materials you are using and, additionally, what type of impact you will have on your local environment. By choosing sustainable building products, you are choosing responsibly harvested materials that have long life spans. Buying sustainably has never been easier so take advantage of your options and make the sustainable, responsible choice.

One of the most compelling reasons to using juniper wood in your fencing or decking is that the wood is extremely durable. When dried, juniper tends not to shrink or swell as much as other Pacific Northwest wood varieties. For a softwood, juniper is more dense than other types of tree species which compliments its general durability. It has also been shown that juniper performs exceptionally well glued or finished.

Juniper is also surprisingly rot and pest resistant without any chemical treatment. Because of the lack of a need for a chemical application, juniper-based fences and decks are child and pet friendly. Furthermore, the lack of chemicals makes juniper the perfect accent to one’s garden as it will not contaminate your yard vegetation.

The aromatic qualities of juniper wood is another unique component. Western Juniper brings an earthy scent to any project. Unique to the product in an essential oil inherent in western juniper: cedrol. Typically, cedrol is used in scenting and flavoring and provides an exceptional earthly aroma to your project.

Additionally, choosing juniper as your wood material is a strong recommendation for sustainability and sustainable harvesting of our natural resources. Juniper is typically harvested in order to maintain a more balanced ecology and allow other vegetation to compete for water resources. The tree is quite plentiful in eastern Oregon, Idaho, and parts of California which makes it a great local resource. Juniper harvesting also supports local ranchers and suppliers who want to maintain ecological balance.

In combination, these components to western juniper make it an ideal wood product to use in a variety of applications, particularly fence and deck construction. By selecting this variety of juniper, one can add a beautiful aesthetic touch to your outdoor living space while, additionally, supporting local sustainability programs.