Real woods tend to darken with age. You should also ask the seller if the wood is stained, since staining wood masks its true color. If the wood isn't stained, teak will appear dark golden-brown to yellowish-white in color. Odor: Distinct, lingering, cedar-like scent when being worked. For those who regularly work with wood, a glance might … As implied, the wood has a reddish tint and is relatively soft (1 on a scale of 1 to 4). Even though the plant features may vary slightly from one species to another, you can identify a cedar tree by examining the various parts like leaves, bark, branching pattern, reproductive structures, and tree height. Visual identification for the color is a bit tedious because there are some wood types that stain as it ages. Distinguishing the wood from various tree species can be a complex process, but for a woodworker simply wanting to tell common types of lumber apart, a few broad guidelines are all that are needed. However, there are other characteristics unique to the sequoia redwood tree as well. If you're looking for true cedars in the United States, you're not likely to find them, as they are mainly found in the Mediterranean. The identification is done by using the basic taxonomic criteria for classification of trees. After confirming if it is a wood, check the color if it is natural or stained. Western red cedar is mostly used for furniture, decks, and building exteriors as this softwood work well in moist environments without rotting. How to Identify Cedar Trees. Some woods turn into blond gray color while some tend to get redder. Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Australian Red Cedar has been reported to cause skin and respiratory irritation, as well as other effects, such as asthma-like symptoms, migraine, giddiness, bronchitis, and stomach cramps. These are all softwoods, but with distinctive appearances. Cedar: This species has a few varieties, one of which is the popular western red cedar. To identify a redwood tree, the size of the tree is usually the first indication, since redwoods are famously tall. To identify teak wood, look for wood with a straight grain that looks like lines or streaks of a darker color. Three common types of lumber used in building are pine, Douglas fir and redwood. Cedar is slightly aromatic and has a straight grain.