From a commercial (canoe factory) standpoint, large quantities of clear, quarter-sawn western red cedar was available from the west coast by the boxcar load. Northern white cedar, while locally available to east coast factories, it was not nearly as common. Thus, white cedar was typically reserved for ribs, because it bends much better than red, and red cedar for planking because it was more readily available.
Today, many small builders use white cedar for ribs and planking. White cedar is less brittle than red, so less prone to splitting. With careful stock selection, the quarter-sawn stock can be used for planking, and the flat-sawn for ribs. Length of planking stock is of less concern, as butt joints are easily buried under a rib, and with careful placement of joints and abutting grain patterns, no one needs to be the wiser.
Some prefer the all-blonde look of white cedar planking on white cedar ribs, others like the contrast of red cedar planks on white cedar ribs.
