[GeorgiaCarver]

Hi, my son made a cedar chest for his girl friend for Christmas. His question is this. He wants the cedar smell and the natural wood grain of cedar. Therefore he does not want to stain the wood (good choice).

Should he seal the wood though? or would this block the cedar smell?

I was thinking about boiled linseed oil or wax on the outside leave the inside natural.

I am sure one of you experts have the answer!

Greg

[AlArchie]

You can finish the OUTSIDE of the chest but the inside, where you want the cedar smell, will have to remain unfinished. After a period of time, the cedar smell will diminish due to the surface volatile oils drying. This can be renewed by a light sanding of the inside surfaces.


Al

[brian bailey]

I make blanket chests with cedar linings. Like Al says, don't put a finish on the cedar inside the chest.

What I do is place a small cloth satchel with cedar shavings in it inside the chest and instruct the customer to just give the satchel a couple of squeezes to renew the cedar aroma when needed.

There is also cedar oil that you can buy to renew the smell if you don't want to sand the cedar lining.

I don't use boiled linseed oil for a finish anymore.

A more durable finish that I use quite often is MinWax Antique Oil or MinWax Wipe On Poly. Both are easy to apply and maintain.

[Plain_Ol_Ed]

Ditto Ditto Ditto leave the inside bare no finish

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Ed ...does that avatar say USS Rupertus? if so, do you know Carroll Miller? he served on board the Rupertus too.

[Mottles]

Hi Greg--I have my mother-in-laws cedar chest she made in woodshop in 1940. The outside has a varnish of some type, but the inside was left unvarnished. When ever I open it to get a blanket or anything else stored I still still can smell the 'cedar.' It's wonderful!
Kathy

[Plain_Ol_Ed]

Hi Ho - Yup that's what it says but nope don't recall him. Was aboad from 64 to 66 when she was homeported in Japan.