Redwood Hot Tubs
Redwood hot tubs where once a very popular choice for hot tub construction. However the old growth redwood has all but disappeared. These large majestic trees found in the rain forests of the west coast have either been harvested or are now part of protected forest lands. Redwood Hot Tubs can still be found in small numbers but these are usually made from smaller 2nd growth or farmed redwood.
2nd growth Red Wood does not have the same properties as its giant parents. The majestic massive redwood trees were once ideal for hot tub construction. They had a very tight ring pattern that resisted rot and decay. Smaller farmed redwood does not have the same properties as the 2000 year old red wood trees. Their ring structure is very large and is much more susceptible to decay. Most Redwood Hot Tub manufactures have since switched to other construction materials.
Western Red Cedar has always been known for its superiority for water applications. Cedar canoes and water vessels have been around for centuries. Western Red Cedar has always been used for making hot tubs. While it is a limited argument the advantages of old growth redwood hot tubs versus cedar hot tubs. Most obvious difference is in their color.
Redwood hot tubs tended to be a darker purple versus the deeper red/brown coloration of cedar. Both materials hold well in water but cedar has natural oils that give off its unique aromatic fragrance that is popular amongst hot tub owners.
At one point old growth red wood was readily available for hot tub construction. However as the demand grew and supply diminished, redwood hot tubs got very pricy. Most of the redwood hot tub manufactures were forced to look at alternative woods. Cedar tub manufactures had a steady supply of environmentally sustainable cedar that originated from the forests of BC, Canada. This gave them a competitive advantage over redwood hot tubs.
There was an attempt at manufacturing redwood tubs from smaller 2nd growth trees (farmed) but the quality of this wood could not compete with cedar. Northern Lights Cedar Tubs has been a leader for nearly 20 years at manufacturing both cedar and redwood hot tubs. However in the past decade their manufacturing revolves around western red cedar as the core to all their products. Visit Northern Lights Cedar Tubs for more information on hot tubs.
