Exterior
Cedar
The outdoor wood. Naturally rot-resistant, light, smells like a sauna, and turns silver if you let it.
Cedar is on the porch columns and the tongue-and-groove porch ceiling in the projects section. It is naturally resistant to rot and insects, it is light enough to install overhead without a crew, and it takes a clear finish that shows the grain or a solid stain that hides it.
Colorado is hard on exterior wood in a specific way: intense UV at altitude, big daily temperature swings, and dry air that pulls moisture out of end grain. Cedar handles it better than pine or fir, but it is not maintenance-free. Unfinished cedar goes silver-gray in a year or two, which some owners want. Finished cedar needs a recoat every two to four years on south and west faces.
Where it works: porch and soffit ceilings, column wraps, privacy screens, pergolas, siding accents and deck railings. Where Luke steers clients elsewhere: deck boards that get full sun and snow load, where composite lasts longer with less upkeep.
Clear, kiln-dried cedar costs more than knotty and is what you see on the columns here. Knotty cedar is fine for ceilings and screens where a little character helps.
Care
Seal end grain at install. Recoat penetrating oil finishes every 2 to 4 years. Rinse off winter grime in spring. Do not pressure-wash at high pressure; it raises the grain.