Staff Answer
Aug 27, 2026 - 02:13 PM
Yes — Northern White Cedar is a strong wood choice for outdoor swings because it's naturally decay-resistant and insect-resistant while still lightweight and strong enough to hold up over years of outdoor use. A few things to know before it arrives:
· It's dimensionally stable and weathers well, so it won't warp or twist dramatically with seasonal humidity changes.
· Swings ship unfinished, giving you the option to stain, seal, or paint it yourself — or you can request the factory's clear sealer.
· Natural checking (small lengthwise cracks) may appear as the wood seasons. This is a normal characteristic of solid log furniture, not a defect, and the logs are kiln-dried specifically to help control it.
· Cedar Creek's listing doesn't publish kiln-drying details, so it's harder to know how their wood is prepped before it reaches you.
Expect natural character rather than laboratory-perfect boards — that variation is part of what makes a real log swing look authentic, not a manufacturing flaw.
