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For outdoor projects, cedar, redwood, baldcypress, white oak, black locust, and teak are useful naturally decay-resistant options. The right choice depends on the exact species and growth source, how much heartwood is in the board, and whether it will sit above ground or in soil. A species name alone is not a promise of long service: natural resistance is chiefly a heartwood property, while sapwood is susceptible to decay and insect attack.
What “rot-resistant” means in practice
Wood decay resistance comes largely from extractives in heartwood. The University of Tennessee Extension notes that sapwood—the wood just beneath the bark—of all species is susceptible to rot and insect attack. That makes board composition important: even a lumber label naming a durable species does not tell you how much heartwood is present.
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The USDA Forest Products Laboratory’s Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material classifies average heartwood resistance, not every board. It also records substantial variation within species. Its categories are useful for comparing candidates, but they are not service-life guarantees, particularly for structural or persistent ground-contact uses.
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University of Tennessee Extension’s 2023 publication says durable heartwoods can remain rot resistant in soil for more than 25 years. That is a broad statement about naturally durable woods, not a lifespan prediction for any of the six species, a particular board, or a specific climate.
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How the six woods compare
| Wood | USDA heartwood class | What to check or consider |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar | Resistant (cedars grouped in the handbook) | Identify the actual species and look for heartwood. “Cedar” covers multiple species, and outdoor performance can differ. |
| Redwood | Old-growth: resistant; young-growth: moderately resistant | Growth source matters. Redwood is also described for exterior uses and raised beds by the sources below. |
| Baldcypress | Old-growth: very resistant; young-growth: moderately resistant | Age and source affect resistance; not all cypress lumber is equivalent. |
| White oak | White oaks: resistant | The durability claim applies to heartwood. The cited sources do not establish a specific outdoor service life for white oak boards. |
| Black locust | Very resistant | A strong naturally durable candidate where available; a Wisconsin field result is evidence for one location and period, not a lifetime guarantee. |
| Teak | Old-growth: resistant; young-growth: moderately resistant | Growth category matters. The cited evidence does not assess a product’s provenance, price, or sourcing. |
These classes come from the USDA handbook’s average-heartwood table. They are not a uniform ranking of finished lumber: board composition, growth conditions, exposure, local climate, and installation all affect performance.
What to know about each species
Cedar
The USDA handbook groups cedars as resistant, but that broad category should not blur differences among species. Oregon State University Extension lists cedar as an option for raised beds. In an eight-year Wisconsin field study, eastern red cedar remained durable in ground contact, while western red cedar had failed in that study. Those results apply to the study’s conditions, not every board or region. If you are shopping for western red cedar lumber boards, ask the supplier to identify the species and whether the boards are heartwood rather than assuming the label establishes ground-contact durability.
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Redwood
The handbook rates old-growth redwood as resistant and young-growth redwood as moderately resistant. UC Agriculture and Natural Resources describes redwood as resistant to water-associated rot and notes uses including exterior siding, decks, hot tubs, vats, and fences. Oregon State Extension also lists it as a raised-bed alternative. These references support considering redwood for outdoor work, but do not guarantee an individual board’s composition or lifespan.
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Old-growth baldcypress is classified as very resistant, while young-growth baldcypress is moderately resistant. The Forest Service’s Silvics of North America account cautions that resistance varies with age and source. Confirm what the seller means by “cypress” and what the lumber’s growth source is.
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White oak
The USDA handbook classifies white oaks as resistant, and Tennessee Extension identifies white oak heartwood as naturally durable. Keep the heartwood qualification in view: the cited evidence does not provide a particular service-life estimate for white oak boards outdoors.
Black locust
Black locust is in the USDA handbook’s very resistant category, and Tennessee Extension also identifies it as naturally durable. The Wisconsin field study found eastern black locust remained durable in ground contact after eight years. That makes it a strong candidate where suitable lumber is available, while leaving performance beyond those study conditions undetermined.
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Teak
The handbook classifies old-growth teak as resistant and young-growth teak as moderately resistant. Because the distinction is material, do not apply the stronger category to teak lumber when its growth source is unknown. The cited evidence does not establish the provenance, sourcing, or price of a particular product.
Choosing lumber for a raised bed or other project
Raised garden beds
Oregon State Extension identifies cedar and redwood as alternatives for raised-bed construction. Its guidance is specific to Oregon, so check local recommendations and availability where you live. If you choose treated lumber, that guidance advises using residential preservative-treated wood rated for ground contact. If you prefer naturally durable wood, inspect the actual boards for heartwood and ask the supplier to identify the species.
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Ground contact and persistently wet exposure
Ground contact is a more demanding exposure than keeping lumber above soil with good drainage. For structural work or wood that will stay in contact with soil, match the product to the exposure and seek local building or extension guidance rather than relying on a broad species label. The USDA handbook specifically urges caution when applying average resistance classes to structural or ground-contact uses.
Above-ground outdoor projects
For siding, fencing, decking, or other above-ground projects, consider the species evidence alongside the project’s wetting and drying conditions. Redwood has documented exterior uses in UC Agriculture and Natural Resources guidance, while the USDA classes offer a starting point for comparing the other woods. Neither source replaces checking the lumber itself or following project-specific construction requirements.
Buying checks that matter more than the label
- Ask for the exact species. Broad names such as cedar and cypress may cover different woods or growth sources.
- Ask whether the boards are heartwood. Sapwood is susceptible to decay and insect attack even when it comes from a species whose heartwood is naturally durable.
- Match the board to exposure. Specify whether the project involves above-ground use, repeated wetting, or ground contact.
- Check local supply and cost. Naturally durable lumber may cost more and be harder to find than treated lumber; availability varies.
- Get local guidance for critical uses. For structural or persistent ground-contact projects, consult local building requirements or an extension service.
For additional technical context on wood properties and resistance classifications, consult the USDA Forest Products Laboratory’s Wood Handbook. The University of Massachusetts Amherst also cautions against assuming a species name alone guarantees a particular level of decay resistance in its Wood Myths: Facts and Fictions About Wood.
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Sources and scope
- USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material, Chapter 14, average heartwood decay-resistance table.
- University of Tennessee Extension, Naturally Durable Wood (2023).
- US Forest Service Research and Development, Kirker, Bishell, and Lebow, Above and in-ground performance of naturally-durable woods in Wisconsin (2018).
- UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, Coast Redwood.
- Oregon State University Extension, Pressure-treated wood for raised bed construction in Oregon (revised April 2026).
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Wood Myths: Facts and Fictions About Wood.
- US Forest Service, Silvics of North America: Baldcypress.
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