Giant cedar is used in timber construction for its natural decay resistance and attractive appearance. Because the trunks of giant cedar trees can measure several meters in diameter, the final products typically show significant color variation. The color ranges from pale sapwood to reddish or dark brown heartwood. To achieve a consistent finish, it is recommended to sort the panels by shade before installation—placing light-colored panels in one stack and darker or more patterned panels in separate stacks. During installation, panels should be alternated from each stack so that the different shades are evenly distributed across the surface. Stainless steel fasteners are recommended due to the wood’s acidity.

Giant cedar is soft, making it easy to work with, but also prone to dents, so careful handling before installation is necessary. The wood’s density varies significantly, even within the same board, which can cause roughness after planing. Moisture content may also vary considerably within a single piece, but movement due to moisture is small compared with spruce or pine. During drying, KD treatment is applied by adjusting the kiln temperature, achieving a moisture content of 8–14%.

Raw Material and Processing

We source only the highest-quality blanks from Canada. Blanks are sized 6” x 6–12” (152 mm x 152–304 mm) and are cut to planing dimensions in-house. This ensures most of the wood is quarter-sawn. The blanks are also dried in Finland, targeting a moisture content of 8–14%. Panels and boards are planed according to Finnish RT standards. Product lengths are invoiced in feet, converted to centimeters. Over 96% of giant cedar products are straight-grained (quarter-sawn). We aim to avoid mixed-grain blanks. The cutting phase allows us to influence the grain orientation of the final product.

All our giant cedar products are PEFC-certified. Giant cedar is native to North America and can grow up to 100 m tall, with trunks several meters in diameter. The trees can live well over 1,000 years, but those harvested for construction are typically 300–700 years old. The largest and oldest trees often have decayed heartwood. Giant cedar has a distinctive natural scent that fades over time.

Despite its exceptional longevity and widespread use, giant cedar is not listed as endangered due to its broad distribution.

✅ Finnish wood, responsibly manufactured in Lempäälä
✅ Completely natural and safe product
✅ Beautiful grain pattern
✅ Natural and warm appearance
✅ PEFC-certified

Our product uses pine, a domestic softwood with an elegant grain that creates a natural and warm atmosphere indoors. Easy to work with and finish, pine is ideal for interior applications such as paneling, flooring, trim, and finishing. Its beautiful grain and natural color make it an aesthetically appealing choice for visible surfaces. Our PEFC-certified pine products are responsibly produced and environmentally friendly.

Please note that we deliver our products in bundles. Bundle size is indicated together with stock information on top right corner.

Storage of Indoor Products

• Products should be acclimated in the room where they will be installed for 1–2 weeks.
• Products should be stored horizontally in unopened packages and elevated at least 30 mm from the surface.
• During storage, humidity must not exceed the normal moisture level of the installation site. The temperature should be higher than the outdoor temperature.

Note that any wet work in the space will significantly increase humidity. If products are stored in the same room, they may swell. Conversely, a construction heater dries the air and can shrink the product. Rapid drops in humidity may cause cracking in the wood. Also, if packages have been tightly stacked, the moisture content of the packages in the center and on the outside of the stack may differ.

Giant arborvitae is soft and can be easily dented, so it should be handled carefully before installation.

Installation

• Plan the installation direction and possible joint locations.
• When paneling multiple walls horizontally, install panels on all walls simultaneously.
• Use fasteners suitable for the specific application.
• Sort panels by color or knots so they are evenly distributed across the surface.
• Regularly measure to ensure the installation progress remains as intended.
• If needed, consult a professional installer.

Panels are installed on the battens. The orientation of the battens depends on the paneling direction: for horizontal paneling, battens are installed vertically; for vertical paneling, battens are installed horizontally. Battens must be straight and spaced appropriately for the paneling, but no more than 600 mm apart.

When paneling multiple walls horizontally, installation progresses simultaneously on all walls, layer by layer, to ensure precise corner alignment. Fastening is recommended by nailing directly through the panel surface. Avoid hand-nailing with heat-treated products to prevent hammer marks or panel splitting. In humid areas and with heat-treated wood, use stainless steel fasteners.

Considerations for Installing Giant Arborvitae Products

To achieve a uniform finish, it is recommended to sort the panels by color before installation. For example, place lighter panels in one stack and darker or patterned panels in separate stacks. During installation, alternate panels from each stack so that each color is evenly distributed across the surface. This ensures a consistent and even-looking panel finish.

It is recommended to use stainless steel fasteners during installation due to the wood's natural acidity.

The density of the wood can vary significantly, even within the same board. This may present challenges when planing giant arborvitae, potentially causing rougher areas after planing. Similarly, moisture content can vary within a single piece. However, seasonal movement due to moisture is relatively minor compared to spruce or pine. During production, the product undergoes KD (kiln drying) treatment by controlling the kiln temperature, resulting in a moisture content of 8–14%.

Treatment

• Always treat the entire panel along its full length to avoid visible seams.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
• Use a product suitable for the installation environment.
• Keep in mind that wood will “move” over time, so plan for slight dimensional changes.
• Products are available with either opaque or translucent finishes.
• Treatment can be done by painting, oiling, or varnishing.
• For translucent finishes, the product can be tinted or clear.

Due to the heat and humidity, not all interior treatment methods can be used in the sauna. Ensure the appropriate treatment by consulting the paint manufacturer.

Maintenance

• Regular cleaning keeps surfaces in good condition and looking attractive.
• Maintenance intervals depend on the product type and installation location.
• Treat surfaces in a timely manner to prevent damage due to missing protective coating.

Handling of Giant Thuja

Paraffin or another type of oil treatment protects the wood from getting dirty and makes it easier to keep clean. Oil treatment always deepens the wood’s natural tone. To see the final shade, you can first test the treatment on, for example, a sample piece. Giant thuja does not need separate treatment against mold or rot. The wood contains natural chemicals that repel insects, decay fungi, and mold fungi. The wood has good fire resistance and burns poorly.

Maintenance and Care of Giant Thuja

Giant thuja benches should be cleaned at least once a year. After washing, make sure the wood can dry thoroughly. Chlorine treatment or pressure washing is not recommended.

Sauna Cleaning

A sauna stays clean when you shower before going in and use a bench towel. Keep the heater on for a short time after bathing so the sauna dries well. If possible, ventilate the sauna after every use. When vacuuming other areas of your home, also vacuum the sauna floor.

Thorough Sauna Cleaning

A deeper cleaning is needed once or twice a year. Follow these steps:

• Clean the sauna when it is cool so cleaning agents do not dry too quickly on surfaces.
• Vacuum or remove dust and loose debris from the floor and benches with a long-handled brush or scraper. Also brush the ceiling and walls.
• Wet the wooden surfaces with warm water to open the pores. Wash with a general-purpose cleaner or sauna cleaner using a soft brush or scrubbing pad. Rinse with cold water to close the pores.
• When scrubbing wood, work in the direction of the grain. Use a soft deck brush, for example. Wet and wash walls from top to bottom.
• Avoid chlorine-based cleaners, as chlorine can absorb into the wood and later be released into the air when heating the sauna.
• Air the sauna well.
• After cleaning, keep the sauna heater on for a short time so it dries completely.

For many Finns, the home sauna is a favorite place, but it demands a lot from interior materials. Temperatures can rise above 100°C, and the high humidity means that ceiling and wall panels, for example, are under heavy stress.

Lauta.fi’s versatile Tuuli Sauna product family is designed to withstand the sauna’s changing and challenging conditions. With Tuuli Sauna products, a sauna can be decorated in a stylish, timeless, or modern way—either in harmony with the rest of the home or as a distinct and unique space. They allow the home’s interior theme to continue into the sauna, or for the sauna to stand out as a completely different environment.

The range includes ceiling and wall panels, bench boards, bench facings, and bench frame posts—all of which greatly influence sauna atmosphere. It also offers finishing products such as cover, edge, shadow, corner, and ceiling mouldings, as well as boards and slats. This diverse and adaptable product family brings both ambience and durability to the sauna, enabling practical and safe solutions for tricky design spots.

While Tuuli Sauna is optimized for sauna conditions, its products are also suitable for other interior uses. Its panels, boards, and slats can be used in single-family homes, apartments, and other living spaces, making it possible to create a completely unified interior style throughout the home. Tuuli Sauna products are also used in offices, customer spaces, and public buildings. Design options are further expanded by their compatibility with the Tuuli Indoor product range for general interiors, which matches perfectly in style—though Tuuli Indoor products are not suitable for sauna use due to heat and humidity.

The extensive Tuuli Sauna range features many wood species, including giant thuja, thermo radiata pine, thermo alder, black alder, thermo aspen, aspen, thermo pine, and spruce. The natural individuality of wood—such as varying knot patterns—makes each product unique.

While interiors often feature materials like plastic, concrete, glass, or metal, Lauta.fi’s Tuuli Sauna products are natural and eco-friendly wood. They are engineered for strength and usability on par with other materials, while tolerating sauna heat and moisture exceptionally well.

Giant Thuja as a Construction and Interior Material

Giant thuja is valued as a building and interior material for its unique appearance and excellent moisture resistance, making it an ideal choice for sauna paneling or benches.

Because the trunk of a giant thuja can reach several meters in diameter, the finished products typically feature significant colour variation. The sapwood has a reddish tone, while the heartwood is dark brown. This natural variation creates a beautiful, vibrant surface for interior walls and ceilings. During installation, panels should be sorted so that different shades are evenly distributed across the entire area, ensuring a harmonious overall look.

The Best You Can Choose for a Sauna!

The natural colour variation of giant thuja—also known as western red cedar—creates a stunning, lively surface for both interior walls and ceilings. Thanks to its excellent moisture resistance and minimal dimensional changes, giant thuja is an ideal material for sauna paneling and benches.

We source only the best possible timber from Canada. The blanks are 6” x 6–12” (152 mm x 152–304 mm) and are sawn to planing-ready dimensions in-house. This allows us to ensure the wood is radially sawn. The blanks are also dried in Finland to a target moisture content of 8–14%.

We plane the panels and bench boards according to Finnish RT card dimension guidelines, and all giant thuja panels feature a hidden nailing tongue. Product lengths are billed based on foot measurements, converted directly to centimeters with exact precision. Over 96% of our giant thuja products are straight-grained (radially sawn). We aim to avoid mixed-grain blanks (containing both radial and vertical grain). By controlling the cutting phase of the blanks, we can strongly influence the final grain direction of the product.

Lauta.fi delivers product sample pieces to both consumer customers and professionals, such as architects, interior architects and designers, construction industry and procurement professionals.

If you are interested in ordering one or more sample pieces, please contact our sales department via email lauta@lauta.fi or phone +358 3 3123 6000 (On weekdays 8-16).