Solid Cedar Chest Refinished

Cedar Chest After

Cedar Chest Before

A family heirloom such as this can become worn and scratched over the years, because it has been used by many people for various purposes. However, with the proper care and refinishing a lovely cedar chest such as this one can once again claim its rightful place among the precious memories it held for its previous generations.

This was a solid cedar chest with a brass latch closure on the front and brass accents on the top with decorative nails in each corner. In order to do the job correctly, Jim removed the brass accents on the top and polished them, replacing the old nails with new ones that contrasted nicely with the freshly polished brass. The interior was in immaculate condition, so it required no restoration. Sometimes the interiors of cedar chests have broken elements, such as a pull-out hinged shelf. In that case the hinge would have to be replaced and the shelf repaired. (We actually have a cedar chest with this feature). 

Since cedar chests can be very detailed or relatively simple in design such as this one was, they still have distinguishing features that differentiate them from others. This one had nice curved leg bottoms with a rosette design on the front. The soft curves are a nice contrast to the straight lines of the overall furniture. The front of this cedar chest had a brass latch to match the brass corner accents on the top of the chest. Over the years the locks are usually gone or have been removed to protect children from being locked inside. It's always nice to have the original hardware when refinishing a cedar chest or any other piece of furniture since finding the exact same hardware can be quite a challenge, but oh so gratifying when you do find it!

After Jim stripped and sanded this cedar chest and all the hardware was polished, he used a "natural" stain which is practically clear and protected it with two coats of satin polyurethane. The transformation was impressive and once again this cedar chest became a treasured heirloom to welcome future generations.

To see more cedar chests, please click on the links below:

https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2019/11/solid-cedar-chest.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2016/08/1948-lane-cedar-chest_22.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2015/04/elegant-cedar-chest-revival.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2013/12/1945-lane-waterfall-cedar-chest.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2012/06/my-waterfall-cedar-chest.html

Antique Solid Cedar Chest Refinished

Cedar Chest After

Cedar Chest Before

This is one of many cedar chests we have refinished, but it is the third one that was solid cedar; it had no veneer on the exterior. It was in pretty good condition with just a few minor scratches on the top left side in the back. Because it was solid cedar, those scratches were easily sanded away, bringing out the natural beauty and scent of the wood. 

My customer had used it as a coffee table with a glass top, so it will be protected and serve a dual purpose for many years. Cedar chests are one of my favorite furniture items because they are so versatile. In addition to storing linens, they make great toy boxes, a place to hide Christmas presents from snooping children and a great place to store seasonal clothing because of their natural moth repelling fragrant interiors. There’s nothing quite like the smell of a cedar chest. The cedar tree is one of many nature’s beautiful contributions to a family’s needs in the form of storage, seating and beauty. 

In addition to their versatile properties, cedar chests come in various shapes, sizes and styles. The waterfall cedar chest is very common with its curved front top and heavy lid. Many of these cedar chests were built in the 1940’s, used for linens and towels. Some cedar chests have legs with drawers, in addition to the lid-top storage interior. My personal cedar chest has a built-in shelf that is a perfect place to keep smaller items like my husband’s ties, socks and table runners. I love it for storing my quilts and extra sheets. If you don’t have a cedar chest, you may find one at an estate sale or at an antique store. If they need to be restored, you may get it for under $100.00. The best deal I got on my first cedar chest which was a 1945 waterfall style, was $5.00 at an estate sale. I doubt I’ll ever find one that cheap again!

You can see the other cedar chests we’ve refinished by clicking on these links:

https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2019/11/solid-cedar-chest.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2016/08/1948-lane-cedar-chest_22.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2015/04/elegant-cedar-chest-revival.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2013/12/1945-lane-waterfall-cedar-chest.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2012/06/my-waterfall-cedar-chest.html

Solid Cedar Chest

Cedar Chest Before

Over the many years I have been restoring cedar chests, this is only the second one that was made of solid cedar. Many cedar chests have a decorative outer layer, which is created by carefully piecing many veneer sections together to create a vast style of designs and patterns.

Cedar Chest After

This cedar chest had no veneer, therefore the natural beauty of the cedar could be seen. As you can see, the cedar itself is such a lovely wood that it needs no embellishments. The hardware was made of copper, dulled by age, hiding the color beneath years of oxidation. Our customer had not wanted this cedar chest stained, just left natural and then protected with polyurethane only.

This chest had been painted at one time and the paint had been mostly removed, except for the left front foot. Why anyone would paint a cedar chest is beyond me, but it happens. Cedar is a natural moth repellant, so it makes for an excellent place for storing linens, quilts and seasonal items.

For this cedar chest, we removed the hardware prior to sanding the exterior to remove any remaining old finish, then filled the holes with a medium-tone wood filler. There had been a few gouges, other than that the exterior was in pretty good condition. All hardware was removed and polished. The oversized tacks were treated with black patina so that they would contrast well with the brass. Since it was being use as a coffee table as well as a storage chest, we replaced the worn interior hinge with a friction lid hinge, which is adjustable, so that it doesn’t fall on tiny fingers when it is being opened and closed. Once it was sanded and gouges filled, it received two coats of satin polyurethane and looked better than new.

Check out other cedar chests we have refinished by clicking on these links:

https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2016/08/1948-lane-cedar-chest_22.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2015/04/elegant-cedar-chest-revival.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2013/12/1945-lane-waterfall-cedar-chest.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2012/06/my-waterfall-cedar-chest.html
https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/2020/01/painted-cedar-chest-revival.html

Cedar Chest Before Open

Cedar Chest After Open