cedar chest

[ed hoxter]

i have to build 2 cedar chest for a guy. he wants a finish on the outside. it's clear red cedar. what should i use ?? ed

[Scott Holmes]

There are several finishes that will work; there are some that will not work. Best bet is to wipe the wood with denatured alcohol or lacquer thinner before you apply anything. The next thing I would apply is a barrier coat of dewaxed shellac. Now you have a surface to which almost any film forming finish will adhere. This will go a long way to solve finishing cedar issues.

[ed hoxter]

thanks scott, at least that will get me started in the right direction. ed

[Howard Acheson]

If it's aromatic red cedar, avoid an oil based finish. The oils in aromatic cedar will prevent oil based finishes from drying and curing properly. A waterborne clear acrylic would work well.

Test out your finishing plans on scrap from your project before committing to finishing the actual project.