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Thread: Finishing a aromatic cedar chest

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    3

    Finishing a aromatic cedar chest

    Good morning folks

    Considering the level of expertise I have seen in SMC, I have a question for the Finishing experts in this forum.
    I am building an aromatic cedar chest to store blankets and quilts as well as a bench seat.
    My question is this, the cedar will be exposed to the open air of a bedroom, what is the best way to finish the exterior cedar to provide a natural grain look? I was thinking tung oil or a clear polyurethane but I do not know how they would react with cedar.
    Any suggestions ?

  2. #2
    Jory,

    I have finished aromatic cedar with straight poly and with poly mixed in even parts with boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits. Both worked really well. I truely enjoy the color of aromatic cedar so I made a couple small projects out of scraps I had. Unfortunately I haven't done anything large scale with it.
    Jeff Sudmeier

    "It's not the quality of the tool being used, it's the skills of the craftsman using the tool that really matter. Unfortunately, I don't have high quality in either"

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    "Hangin' Loose" in Oklahoma
    Posts
    456
    Quote Originally Posted by Jory Hamblen
    Good morning folks

    Considering the level of expertise I have seen in SMC, I have a question for the Finishing experts in this forum.
    I am building an aromatic cedar chest to store blankets and quilts as well as a bench seat.
    My question is this, the cedar will be exposed to the open air of a bedroom, what is the best way to finish the exterior cedar to provide a natural grain look? I was thinking tung oil or a clear polyurethane but I do not know how they would react with cedar.
    Any suggestions ?
    I have finished aromatic cedar with a variety of oils and sometimes the volatiles in the wood ate the finish. I have never tried it, but I have heard that shellac may stand up to this problem.

    In any event, I contacted Flecto about this problem and they told me that even shellac MAY not stand up to the volatiles. They went on to say that the only way to be sure of getting a finish that will hold up is to use wax. Since then, this was about three or four years ago, I have followed that advice and experience no more problems.

    Now that I think about it, I would contact the manufacturer of whatever type of finish you are leaning toward and ask them if it will stand up to the aromatic cedar. They normally have a toll free number of website on the product. Since you are talking about a fairly major project, it might be worth the trouble.....
    Wolf Kiessling

    In the pursuit of excellence, there is reward in the creation of a wondrous relationship between the artisan and the soul of the tree

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    3
    Thank you Jeff and Wolf

    I appreciate the advice and may reconsider the design of the chest to incorporate a cedar lining inside a walnut carcass. It appears as though fininshing cedar might be a little iffy.
    Being lazy by nature, I don't want to have to maintain a wax finish nor do I want to have to re-finish the chest if the poly- linseed fails.
    I knew I was asking the right people for advice.

    Thanx again
    Jory

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Dallas, Tx.
    Posts
    1,337

    I did mine

    ..in lacquer, spray lacquer. You can start with lacquer sanding sealer and finish with a satin sealer. Or, I like to buy high gloss bar top lacquer, and then use a flattening agent to obtain the gloss, or lack of, that I prefer. You can build a chest of anything and line it with cedar.
    Phil in Big D
    The only difference between a taxidermist and the taxman, is that the taxidermist leaves the skin. Mark Twain

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Western Ma.
    Posts
    564
    A certian highly regarded finishers book suggests using a "film" finish on the outside of a cedar chest.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Wichita, Kansas
    Posts
    251
    I seen a place in the shopping mall that had nothing but cedar furniture in it, since I like working with cedar I asked him what type of finish he uses.
    He told me it's from Sherman Williams and it is called Sherwood.
    I have not used any yet, but it is suppost to be a very durably long lasting finish.
    Check it out and let use know what you find out.
    Here is a link to check it out http://www.sherwin-williams.com/pro/...d_IntStain.pdf
    Hope this helps.
    Ross
    Last edited by Ross Lowry; 10-06-2007 at 11:52 AM. Reason: Adding more info

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