How to Refinish a Cedar Chest

Before refinishing any antique cedar chest, have the item appraised. Determine whether the chest will lose value if refinished. There are cases where the value will be diminished substantially when an item is refinished. Cleaning the surface thoroughly may improve the appearance enough to allay your desire to refinish the chest. Be extremely careful when sanding cedar, as the wood is very soft and mars easily. Be careful of chemical strippers, as some have noxious fumes. Open windows to ventilate the area if using a strong chemical stripper. Many older cedar chests are protected with shellac, which ages with a warm finish that polyurethane cannot achieve. Your choices are critical to the final result.

Step 1 - Remove Hardware and Clean Chest

Empty any contents from the cedar chest. With a screwdriver, carefully remove hinges, locks, handles and any other hardware on the chest. Scrub the outside of the chest with mild soap and clean rags. Rinse with clean water.

Step 2 - Strip Finish

If the cedar chest is finished with shellac, use denatured alcohol as a remover. If it is finished with paint or lacquer, use lacquer thinner. Using #000 steel wool, remove finish. For sides of trunk, soak the steel wool in remover of choice and carefully scrub finish off. Alternatively, use a chemical stripper. Apply chemical stripper to finished surfaces. Let sit until finish bubbles. Scrape away finish with plastic, round-edged putty knife. Repeat either method until all paint/shellac/lacquer has been removed.

Step 3 - Paint Remover Wash

After remover completely dries, wash surface with paint remover wash. This prepares the stripped wood for the finish of your choice. The paint remover wash removes all stripper residues to avoid interference with final finish. Smooth surface gently with #0000 steel wool. Use tack cloth to clean all dust. With cotton gloves on, run your hands across the entire surface of the cedar chest. If the gloves run smoothly over the surface, without catching on anything, the chest is ready to finish.

Step 4 - Stain/Protect

If you have decided to stain your cedar chest, apply 1 thin coat with a foam brush. Allow the stain to sit for 5 minutes, and then wipe off the excess with clean rag. Allow the chest to dry 24 hours. Re-apply in this manner until desired color is reached. Allow final coat to dry. Apply protective finish (shellac, lacquer, polyurethane) with a natural bristle brush. Allow finish to dry for 24 hours. Sand the surface with 220-grit sandpaper. Apply at least 1 more coat of protective finish, let dry for 24 hours. Do not sand final coat.

Step 5 - Hardware Repair/Replace

Determine whether the existing hardware is reusable. Strip the hardware with appropriate stripper, using a toothbrush and #000 steel wool. Clean with paint remover wash. Apply protective coating. Before re-assembling the cedar chest, gently sand the interior of the chest with 220-grit sandpaper to raise the cedar oils to the surface. Wipe with tack cloth. Install any new hardware per manufacturer’s instructions onto the cedar chest.