What Cedar Brings to the Table

When customers choose our cedar kits over our aluminum/glass or polycarbonate options, they're usually drawn to three specific qualities: thermal performance, longevity, and aesthetics. Let's break down what those actually mean in practice.

The Thermal Mass Difference

Wood has natural insulating properties that create remarkably stable temperature environments. The technical term is thermal mass, the material's ability to absorb, store, and slowly release heat energy.

What this means for your plants: more consistent temperatures throughout the day and night. Customers report being able to start seeds 4-6 weeks earlier in spring and extend their fall growing season significantly. Some in zones 5-7 grow winter greens without supplemental heat.

One customer in Colorado called us in March, concerned because she'd forgotten to open her vents on a 55-degree sunny day. She was worried her seedlings had cooked. They were fine, the wooden greenhouse had only reached 72°F inside while the outdoor temperature hit 60°F. The cedar had absorbed the solar gain and kept things stable.

Why We Choose Western Red Cedar Specifically

We could work with pine, fir, or other woods for our wooden greenhouse kits. Cedar costs more, which means our kits cost more. But there's a reason we stuck with premium Western Red Cedar, and why we specifically source knot-free lumber.

Natural Rot and Insect Resistance

Cedar contains natural oils called thujaplicins that make it remarkably durable outdoors. Unlike most woods, cedar doesn't require chemical treatment to resist rot and insect damage. Our cedar is additionally treated to resist aging and water absorption, preserving its natural warmth and color far longer than untreated wood.

The knot-free specification isn't just about aesthetics; knots are weak points where moisture can penetrate and structural integrity can be compromised. By using only select, knot-free Western Red Cedar, we ensure every piece of your wooden greenhouse frame is equally strong and equally resistant to the elements.

We have customers with 15-year-old cedar kits that show no signs of structural decay. The wood weathers and develops character, but the integrity remains solid thanks to both the natural properties of cedar and our treatment process.

Alton Octagonal Wooden Greenhouse Kit

$19,250.00

Alton Octagonal Wooden Greenhouse Kit  Elegant Design & Superior Craftsmanship Sold by South Table Sheds Free Shipping (lower 48 states) Authorized Retailer No Sales Tax The Alton Octagonal Wooden Greenhouse Kit from South Table Sheds offers a stunning blend of… read more

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Maintenance Expectations

Our treated, knot-free Western Red Cedar doesn't demand constant attention. The treatment process helps the wood resist aging and water absorption, which means it maintains its natural warmth and color longer than standard cedar. Many customers appreciate how the wood ages gracefully while retaining its structural integrity.

How We Design Cedar Kits Differently

Cedar behaves differently than aluminum, so we engineered our kits to work with wood's natural properties rather than fighting them. Every component is designed for both performance and longevity.

Smart Ventilation That Works Automatically

Temperature control is critical in any greenhouse, which is why our wooden greenhouse kits include automatic roof vents with temperature-controlled openers. These openers use a cylinder filled with a mineral compound that expands when warm and contracts when cool—no electricity required. When the interior temperature rises, the vents open automatically to release excess heat. When it cools, they close to retain warmth.

We've also incorporated large-pane louvre windows with manual openers throughout the structure. These give you precise control over airflow patterns, allowing you to prevent excess humidity while maintaining optimal growing temperatures. The combination of automatic roof vents and manual louvres creates a flexible ventilation system that adapts to your specific growing needs.

Louvre Window

Traditional Joinery Meets Modern Engineering

Our cedar frame connections use mortise and tenon joints, a traditional timber framing technique that creates incredibly strong wood-to-wood connections. But we've reinforced these traditional joints with cast aluminum gussets at every critical connection point. This hybrid approach gives you the beauty of traditional joinery with the structural confidence of modern engineering.

The cast aluminum gussets aren't just functional—they're precision-made to complement the cedar's natural beauty. When properly assembled, these joints are stronger than the wood itself. Customers with heavy hanging baskets or multiple shelving tiers appreciate the exceptional stability this design provides.

Foundation Design That Protects Your Investment

Wood's vulnerability isn't weather, it's prolonged contact with standing water. Our cedar kits include an elevated aluminum base that raises the cedar frame 2 inches above ground level. This aluminum base acts as a protective barrier between the wood and any ground moisture.

The elevated design ensures air circulates underneath, water drains away quickly, and the cedar stays dry. We've also incorporated an integral powder-coated metal base plinth that provides additional reinforcement and durability. This isn't an optional upgrade, it's engineered into every kit because we've seen firsthand how crucial proper foundation design is for long-term performance.

Snow and Weather Management Built In

Our steep roof angle isn't just for aesthetics, it's a practical design feature that helps snow slide off effortlessly. This minimizes accumulation on the roof and reduces structural strain during heavy winter weather. Customers in snow-prone regions particularly appreciate this feature, as it eliminates the need for manual snow removal in most cases.

We've also upgraded to durable aluminum gutters instead of traditional PVC. These powder-coated aluminum gutters improve water management, direct runoff away from the foundation, and add a refined aesthetic detail that complements the cedar construction. They're also far more durable than plastic alternatives and won't become brittle over time.

Modern Staging Solutions

While we love the warmth of cedar framing, we've made a deliberate choice to use powder-coated aluminum staging shelves instead of traditional timber. This gives the interior a sleek, contemporary look while providing practical advantages: the aluminum shelves won't rot, they're easier to clean, and they create visual contrast with the cedar framing that many customers find appealing.

The powder coating protects against moisture and provides a smooth, professional finish. These shelves are strong enough to support heavy flats of seedlings or potted plants without sagging, and they'll last as long as the wooden greenhouse itself.

Knee Walls With Multiple Functions

All our wooden greenhouse kits incorporate 3-foot solid cedar knee walls before glazing begins. This isn't just aesthetic (though the look is cleaner and more finished). The knee walls create perfect bench height for potting, eliminate the coldest thermal zone at ground level, provide excellent attachment points for the powder-coated aluminum shelving, and showcase the beautiful knot-free Western Red Cedar construction.

Customers regularly mention the knee walls as one of their favorite design features, especially once they start loading up multiple tiers of growing space on the integrated shelving system.

Premium Tempered Glass Glazing

Our wooden greenhouse kits feature exclusively premium 3mm tempered glass panels, we don't offer polycarbonate as an option for our cedar structures. This deliberate choice reflects our commitment to creating high-end greenhouses where every component matches the quality of the Western Red Cedar frame.

Why Only Tempered Glass for Cedar

Tempered glass provides crystal-clear visibility with reinforced strength against harsh weather conditions. Unlike standard glass, it's specially treated to withstand impact and temperature fluctuations, making it 4-5 times stronger than regular glass. If it does break (which is rare), it shatters into small, less dangerous pieces rather than large shards.

The 3mm thickness provides excellent light transmission, approximately 90% of available sunlight reaches your plants, while maintaining structural integrity. This level of clarity is perfect for serious growers who want to maximize natural light and observe their plants clearly throughout the growing season.

Professional Installation System

The glass mounting system we've developed allows for proper thermal expansion and contraction, which is crucial for longevity. The panels are secured with weatherproof seals that maintain clarity while preventing air and moisture infiltration. This precision-engineered system ensures your glass panels remain secure and weather-tight for decades.

The combination of premium tempered glass with Western Red Cedar creates a greenhouse that's not just functional, it's an architectural statement. The clarity of the glass showcases your plants while the cedar frame provides warmth and character that improves with age.

Assembly Reality Check

Let's be straight about this: cedar kits require more carpentry skill than our aluminum/glass or polycarbonate options, but assembly time is surprisingly reasonable, typically around 10 hours with a helper.

If you've built a deck, installed fence posts, or have general DIY experience, you can handle it. The pre-cut framing, cast aluminum gussets, and detailed photo instructions make the process much more straightforward than custom carpentry. Most customers complete assembly in a long weekend.

What's Included

Our cedar kits come with everything you need for assembly:

Support During Assembly

We're available to help assemble by phone and email if you hit snags during construction. We've walked hundreds of customers through assembly questions. Common sticking points are usually solved in a five-minute phone call, sometimes it just helps to talk through what you're looking at. If you live in the Denver, Colorado area, South Table Sheds can help assemble.

The Investment Conversation

Our cedar kits represent a premium investment compared to our aluminum/glass or polycarbonate options. The decision usually comes down to your timeline, priorities, and what you value most in a growing space.

Short-Term vs. Long-Term Thinking

If you need a greenhouse functional this season and budget is tight, our aluminum/glass or polycarbonate kits deliver excellent value. They go up faster, cost less initially, and perform well for many years. Polycarbonate options are particularly popular with budget-conscious growers who still want good insulation.

If you're thinking in decades rather than years, the math shifts. Cedar's superior insulation typically reduces heating costs by 30-40% in cold climates. Over ten years, that difference can be substantial. More importantly, properly maintained cedar structures regularly last 25-30+ years. We have customers with 15-year-old kits that look ready for another 15.

When Cedar Makes Perfect Sense

After years of selling both options, we've noticed patterns in who gravitates toward our wooden greenhouse kits and why.

Wooden greenhouse customers tend to view their greenhouse as permanent infrastructure—something that might outlast them. They're usually serious about year-round growing and care about temperature stability. Many are in colder climates where insulation performance directly impacts heating costs and growing success.

They also tend to value aesthetics more highly. A wooden greenhouse has an architectural presence that blends into garden landscapes. It looks like it belongs there rather than like equipment was installed.

When Our Other Options Might Fit Better

We want you to choose the right greenhouse for your situation, even if that's not our most expensive option.

The "best" greenhouse is the one that matches your actual needs, not just the most expensive one we sell. We'd rather you be happy with a polycarbonate or aluminum/glass kit than frustrated with a cedar one that didn't fit your situation.

The Intangible Factor of a Wooden Greenhouse

There's something about wooden greenhouses that's harder to quantify but comes up in customer feedback constantly. People describe wanting to spend time in them, not just working but actually hanging out.

Cedar smells like forest. It has a warmth—both literal and aesthetic—that creates inviting space. Customers tell us they take morning coffee in there, read in there on autumn afternoons, use it as a quiet retreat space as much as a growing area.

One customer called it "the room I didn't know my garden needed." That emotional connection to the space is real, even if it's subjective. Some people feel it with wood; others are perfectly happy with functional aluminum. Neither is wrong.

Making Your Decision

If you're weighing options, here are the questions that usually clarify things:

What Customers Report Long-Term

We follow up with customers annually to understand how different greenhouse types perform over time. The feedback helps us improve designs and guides new customers toward the right choice.

Cedar customers consistently report: earlier spring planting (4-6 weeks), extended fall harvests, successful winter growing of cold-hardy greens, reduced heating costs (30-50% in cold climates), and structures that age beautifully rather than deteriorating.

They also mention the satisfaction of building something substantial. There's pride in a well-crafted cedar greenhouse that goes beyond just function. Several customers have mentioned it increased their property value during home sales.

Our Role in Your Decision

We're here to help you figure out what actually fits your situation. That might be a wooden greenhouse. It might be aluminum/glass. It might be polycarbonate, or a combination.

We can connect you with customers in your area who've volunteered to answer questions. Nothing replaces seeing a 10-year-old wooden greenhouse and asking the owner what they wish they'd known before buying. Same goes for our aluminum/glass and polycarbonate customers, real experiences matter more than marketing.

We're also available for pre-purchase consultations. Tell us your climate, your growing goals, your budget, your timeline. We'll give you honest guidance about which of our options makes the most sense, even if that's not the most expensive one.

Because we're not just making one sale. We're building relationships with people who might buy their second wooden greenhouse from us in 20 years, or recommend us to friends, or call us with questions years after purchase. That's only possible if we help you choose correctly the first time.

Taking the Next Step

If a wooden greenhouse sounds right for your situation, we're here to help. We'll answer questions about sizing, foundation requirements, assembly difficulty, glazing choices, and anything else you're wondering about.

If you're still deciding between materials, that's fine too. Take your time. The right greenhouse is worth getting right, whether that's a wooden greenhouse, aluminum/glass, polycarbonate, or something in between.

Reach out when you're ready. We'll help you figure out what makes sense for your garden, your budget, and your vision for the next few decades of growing.