Advantages of Cedar

• Cedar, particularly western red cedar, is a wood choice commonly used for outdoor structures. It comes in a variety of grades that include premium, common and construction grade. It has a natural golden-brown color that gradually turns gray unless sealed and preserved, according to the University of Minnesota. Cedar is a durable wood and resists rotting and insect invasion. It is about half the price of more expensive woods like redwood, but costs considerably more than pressure-treated pine.
  
  

Disadvantages of Cedar

• Cedar requires periodic maintenance to keep its natural color. It is not as strong as pressure-treated woods and is generally used for decorative surfaces of outdoor structures. Some grades of cedar, such as sapwood, may have a streaky surface that indicates weakness in the wood fiber components. Cedar is more expensive than preserved pine wood.
  
  

Advantages of Preserved Pine

• Most pressure-treated wood is preserved yellow pine. It comes in a number of grades. Grade 1 is generally used for railings and benches. Grade 2 is used for decking. Kiln-dried pressure-treated wood is stronger than air-dried wood and should be used when additional structural strength is needed. Preserved pine has a greenish color that gradually turns gray over time. Preserved pine is the least expensive choice for the building of outdoor yard and garden structures. It is generally half the cost of cedar. Pressure-treated woods like pine were once treated with an arsenate compound that was hazardous to humans, wildlife and the environment. This arsenate compound has since been banned. Preserved pine is now treated with alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ) to inhibit rotting and insect damage.
  
  

Disadvantages of Preserved Pine

• Preserved pine does not resist rotting and insect damage as well as cedar. It has a more pronounced grain than cedar that some find less attractive for structures. Some people may have sensitivities to the chemicals used to treat the pine wood. These chemicals also cause corrosion of fasteners used to build structures, so stainless steel or galvanized fasteners are recommended for use with preserved pine, according to Jess Campbell, poultry housing specialist for the Alabama Cooperative Extension.