Much lighter in weight than plastic composite and tropical hardwoods, redwood can be easily cut, sawed, and drilled with regular woodworking tools. Yet for all that lightness, redwood is one of nature’s strongest building materials with shear strength up to 5x greater than other popular outdoor materials. Whether you’re looking to build an arbor, pergola, deck, play set or other outdoor living structure, the enduring strength of redwood means added safety and security.