HELP-!!! refinishing old cedar chest

[Judy from NJ]

I have very little experience in this area. I would greatly appreciate
and/all suggestions and advice!!! I'm working with a cedar chest made
in the early 1900's (Jacob Bloom Co.) The description says it is made
of Tennessee Red Cedar. Here's my problem. After doing research on
types of cedar, I've determined it is actually Eastern Red Cedar. After
stripping a painted black finish, I have discovered the two sides, back,
and bottom panels are the cedar wood. The top and front panel are made
from a different type of wood. I'm not sure what type of wood it is.
It's bland in color compared to the Eastern Red Cedar. It may be a
harder wood also. I would like to leave the cedar as it is, but what
should I do with the top and front panels? Should I stain these panels,
and if so, what color will make it more uniform with the ERC? Also,
what should I use as a finish? Please be specific (ie - water-based
poly.)




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Judy from NJ

[Lew Hodgett]

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It was painted for a reason.

Lew

[Larry Jaques]

Cedar chests shouldn't be finished inside, so they can do their job on
the moths, so I'm hoping that you're talking only about the outside.

Try a dye for color, if you must. http://www.wdlockwood.com/main.html
and finish with Waterlox Original, satin. http://www.waterlox.com/

--
Win first, Fight later.

--martial principle of the Samurai

[Sonny]

I suppose, when you speak of panels, you mean from the perspective of
the exterior, not the interior, as Larry has noted.

After doing some searching for Jacob Bloom cedar chests, I see many
exterior wood applications are either mahogany or walnut and some with
raised appliques and/or inlay. I can't imagine why anyone would want
to have painted mahogany or walnut, if your chest is similar. I am
wondering if you are describing mahogany or walnut as the "bland
wood", compared to the cedar wood. To your untrained(?) eye, you may
be mistaking a high quality wood as bland. That "bland wood" may have
originally been used as a contrasting wood and not have been painted.

Painting wood furniture, even nice mahogany or walnut, may not have
been so "evil", back in the day. Long ago, many folks wanted to
brighten their homes, with a little color, by painting some furniture
pieces, no matter what type of wood it was..... But that black paint
doesn't quite jive with this practice or logic.

Can you provide a link, with a few pics, of your cedar chest, for us
to possibly identify the "bland wood"? I doubt you will ever get it
to look like the cedar.

Sonny

[Judy from NJ]

Sonny,
You must be a very patient person to try to help a novice! Thank you!
I will attemptto post some pics, of the before, and where it is now.
Yes, I am speaking of the exterior, not the interior of the chest.

Thanks again!!!!!

Judy in NJ




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Judy from NJ