Construction material Deodar is in great demand as building material because of its durability, rot-resistant character and fine, close grain, which is capable of taking a high polish. Its historical use to construct religious temples and in landscaping around temples is well recorded. Its rot-resistant character also makes it an ideal wood for constructing the well-known
houseboats of
Srinagar, Kashmir. In Pakistan and India, during the British colonial period, deodar wood was used extensively for construction of barracks, public buildings, bridges, canals and railway cars. Because of its antifungal and insect repellent properties, rooms made of deodar cedar wood are used to store meat and food grains like oats and wheat in
Shimla,
Kullu, and
Kinnaur district of
Himachal Pradesh.
Cedar oil is often used for its aromatic properties, especially in
aromatherapy. It has a characteristic woody odour which may change somewhat in the course of drying out. The crude oils are often yellowish or darker in colour. Its applications include soap perfumes, household sprays, floor polishes, and
insecticides, and is also used in microscope work as a clearing oil. ==Culture==