**Abstract**

*Cedrus atlantica* Manetti and *Tetraclinis articulata* (Vahl) Masters are a resinous species originated from North Africa and well known for their durable and noble timbers. This work was conducted to assess the relationship between natural durability of their woods, assessed in previous works by European standards NF EN 350 and CEN/TS 15083-1, and the bioactivity of essential oils extracted from these woods by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Bioassay of sawdust essential oils, conducted by direct contact technique on agar medium on four wood-decaying fungi strains, revealed strong antifungal inhibition especially by *T. articulata* root burl oil due to its richness in phenols. Natural durability classes of *T. articulata* and *C. atlantica* woods were then positively correlated with antifungal activity levels of their oils.

**Keywords:** *Cedrus atlantica*, *Tetraclinis articulata*, wood durability, essential oils, wood-decaying fungi
