finishing cedar

[Karl Card]

I am making a tv stand out of cedar for a friend. They chose cedar for looks and the "smell". So I am wondering how many problems will I create if I only finished the sides and tops of the shelves. I was always under the assumption that the whole piece needed to be finished to prevent warping etc.
I have also considered just giving them some shaving of the cedar to keep for smell.
The tv stand is going to be a basic unit. 2 shelves 70 inches long by 17 inches deep with six legs between shelves for an open look.

[Doug Dawson]

I am making a tv stand out of cedar for a friend. They chose cedar for looks and the "smell". So I am wondering how many problems will I create if I only finished the sides and tops of the shelves. I was always under the assumption that the whole piece needed to be finished to prevent warping etc.
I have also considered just giving them some shaving of the cedar to keep for smell.
The tv stand is going to be a basic unit. 2 shelves 70 inches long by 17 inches deep with six legs between shelves for an open look.

What makes you think you have to do any finishing at all? Cedar is its own intoxicant.

[John K Jordan]

I am making a tv stand out of cedar for a friend. They chose cedar for looks and the "smell"...

I wonder if they know the smell will fade. But maybe the smell while new will be enough for them. (I assume you are talking about Eastern Red Cedar)

I have some cedar oil that can be applied to hidden places to renew the scent but to me it never smells like the original.

[Stan Calow]

I've yet to find a finish that looks good on it. What were you thinking of using?

[Bennett Ostroff]

Maybe just seal the end grain with something to prevent splitting and leave the rest unfinished.

[Karl Card]

I've yet to find a finish that looks good on it. What were you thinking of using?


I am seriously thinking of using a clear epoxy finish. I have never used epoxy and this isnt a paid job but a Christmas gift and I feel I need this to have a finish on it since these people smoke heavily. I have used a few finishes in the past that I did not like on cedar ink pens that I made. I used Deft lacquer on pens before and the outcome was grerat... However I made a cedar hourlgass recently that I used deft lacquer on and it was going great, very shiny. Lacquer was drying nicely with no bubbles... one day went into shop and every square inch of lacquer on this hour glass had turned very sticky and nasty. Not knowing what caused it, I am staying away from it till I figure it out.

[Karl Card]

I wonder if they know the smell will fade. But maybe the smell while new will be enough for them. (I assume you are talking about Eastern Red Cedar)

I have some cedar oil that can be applied to hidden places to renew the scent but to me it never smells like the original.

I have used the cedar oil and find it disgusting. I am thinking of taking them a few bags of the cedar shavings and use that. I can always make more shaving if they need it.

[Karl Card]

What makes you think you have to do any finishing at all? Cedar is its own intoxicant.

I want a protective coating on this because they have young grand children that visits very frequently.

[Doug Dawson]

I feel I need this to have a finish on it since these people smoke heavily.

What's the nature of the concern there?

[Robert Engel]

I've worked with a fair amount of cedar furniture.

I think a clear finish is best. I use either polyacrylic or urethane.

BTW finish does not prevent wood movement, at most finishing both sides might balance out the lumber.

[John K Jordan]

... I made a cedar hourlgass recently that I used deft lacquer on and it was going great, very shiny. Lacquer was drying nicely with no bubbles... one day went into shop and every square inch of lacquer on this hour glass had turned very sticky and nasty. Not knowing what caused it, I am staying away from it till I figure it out.

That's odd, far from my experience. Are we using the same kind of cedar? Eastern Red Cedar/Aromatic Cedar juniperus virginiana?

I air dry cedar and use it often and with a variety of finishes including Deft lacquer. This, for example, is one piece with the lacquer, multiple thin coats over several days, rubbed with 0000 steel wool between coats:

423613

Did you cut the cedar yourself from a tree? Was it ERC? Was the wood totally dry?

JKJ