# Refinishing Cedar Chest - 1st timer.



## Lyndsay (Oct 16, 2016)

I have this wonderful Lane Cedar chest and as you can see, I'm trying to refinish it. But I wanted some advice before I screw it up!
The veneer started chipping off so I decided to strip it completely. I want to expose the lovely cedar underneath. My main concern, however, is the top.
I started taking off the veneer on the lid, only to realize how thick it really is. If I chisel that off, it would be about a 1/4" off the top, no longer lining up with the sides (see 3rd picture). AND it would be a good 1/4" gap under the decorative lining around the lid. I kind of want to keep the deco around the lid.

Can anyone give me any advice on whether or not I should take off the veneer on the top? I was thinking I would take off the veneer and then sand down the sides to make it level. Is that a crazy idea? 


Help!!


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

From where you are I believe I would continue stripping the veneer off. Once you get it all off I think you will end up having to veneer back over some spots with cedar veneer. I believe the left side of the lid is made of poplar. The moldings appear to be a different species of wood. This may be a challenge finishing it to match the cedar. All in all I think you would have been better off not removing the veneer.


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## m.n.j.chell (May 12, 2016)

I am not a fan of veneer. I know it can be used to make something look like it's made of a better wood ... or whatever ... but I just don't care for it.
Like Steve said, finish stripping it.
Strip it all off, sand it all down and see what it looks like. It might be prettier with what ever wood is under there. 

Good luck with it.


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## Lyndsay (Oct 16, 2016)

Thank you for your input. I'm also not a fan of veneer but I understand why it's used. It was so bad on the bottom that I decided not to try and fix it. I thought the natural cedar exposed would be really nice, so my thoughts exactly, MikeChell. If it's gross then I'll obviously research adding cedar veneer.

Another question would be the legs. That also look like poplar. Hmm Thoughts? I just realized I didn't post that picture. I'm going to post it up tonight and hopefully you can tell me what kind of wood it is.


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## m.n.j.chell (May 12, 2016)

Once you've got all the wood looking pretty ... I don't think it will matter if some of the wood isn't cedar. As long as there's some symmetry to the placement of the different woods, it will still look great.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Lyndsay said:


> Thank you for your input. I'm also not a fan of veneer but I understand why it's used. It was so bad on the bottom that I decided not to try and fix it. I thought the natural cedar exposed would be really nice, so my thoughts exactly, MikeChell. If it's gross then I'll obviously research adding cedar veneer.
> 
> Another question would be the legs. That also look like poplar. Hmm Thoughts? I just realized I didn't post that picture. I'm going to post it up tonight and hopefully you can tell me what kind of wood it is.


If you have access to cedar and the means to do it you might fabricate the legs out of cedar so it all matches.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

Based on the pictures, I think it would be best to fill all indentations and imperfections, sand with 150 grit sandpaper and paint the piece.


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## m.n.j.chell (May 12, 2016)

:surprise2: Paint over cedar???
Sacrilege !!!



:wink2:


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

mikechell said:


> :surprise2: Paint over cedar???
> Sacrilege !!!
> :wink2:




She would only paint the outside. The interior still remains raw Cedar. 
Remember the exterior was covered with a veneer. It was not Cedar to start with. 
It has been pointed out that at least 3 different types of wood are seen on the outside of the chest. The carcass of the chest was made to be veneered and was not made to be finished out. 
That's why I think painting will be her best option. Done well, it can look very nice. :thumbsup:


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## m.n.j.chell (May 12, 2016)

I know what you're talking about, Toolman. I don't disagree, if the finished surfaces look terrible together ...
But looking at the pictures, I think it will look great without paint. None of the surfaces exposed, so far, appear to be "bad looking" wood. I've got an old desk at home that was intentionally made with different wood, to give some aesthetic appeal. Nothing wrong with a cedar chest being decorated with other than cedar on the outside.


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## Lyndsay (Oct 16, 2016)

I did consider painting, but I will know more when I take off the top veneer. I really do want to keep the cedar exposed and put a clear finish on it. However I must admit I'm a little nervous. I really don't want to ruin this thing. I'm posting a couple more pictures to show you the leg deco underneath. From what Steve said, it looks like the top sides and the deco is poplar. You can see the thick veneer separating itself. So out of curiosity we peeled it off to see what it looked like. "IS" that also poplar?

Poplar looks rather bland... maybe if I stained everything the same color...


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Those places with loose thicker veneer would be easier to repair if you would work glue under the veneer and clamp down. Since the bottom trim is contoured it isn't feasible for you to veneer over it with cedar veneer. Lane would have had a mold to press the veneers to the base using a wood welder to accelerate the glue. This would just leave contact cement for the DIY which wouldn't last but a year or so before bubbles in the veneer would appear. You have to make a choice whether to keep the clear base or remove it and fabricate one out of cedar.


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## m.n.j.chell (May 12, 2016)

You could stain the "bland" parts, however ...
I've been told, all my life (first Mom and sisters, then Wife), never mix stripes and plaids ... or two different prints. Always choose a monotone pair of pants if you're going to wear, say, a Hawaiian Shirt.
So, I think the plain color of the legs and end pieces will nicely compliment the exaggerated grain patterns of the Cedar.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

Lyndsay said:


> I did consider painting, but I will know more when I take off the top veneer. I really do want to keep the cedar exposed and put a clear finish on it.
> 
> If you put a clear finish on the interior you will lock out most of the aromatic smell of the natural Cedar. No interior finish is advised. Only a little light sanding if needed.
> 
> ...


Poplar paints well. Painting offers many choices. If done well, it can be a very nice piece. 
See above regarding putting a finish on the interior.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*before we "paint it"....*

Getting the existing veneer off is the biggest challenge as I see it. Are you using just scrapers and putty knives to pry the veneer off? Or are you using a steam generator, a hot iron or other means of heating the surface Or are you using any chemicals to strip the veneer off? IT must be removed carefully to avoid damaging the surface or loosening any of the other wood joints. If you are successful in getting it all off... a huge job, then let's see some photos at that stage! :smile3:


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## Lyndsay (Oct 16, 2016)

Woodnthings: About 70% of the veneer just peeled right off on the sides. There are some parts where the glue was rough so we took a heater to it. (My brother has an industrial blow dryer of some sort and that was helping.) And yes we are using scrapers very carefully. However in the front there was a little bit of wood that peeled off with the glue. I think it will be fine once we sand it down. I'm not too worried about some imperfections.

I started to peel away the top and realized how thick it was so I stopped. You can see from the image. From the back, you can see how thick it really is. I plan to go back tomorrow and see how that slab of cedar looks underneath it. But it's the curvature and deco around the edges that makes me worry. Once that veneer is off, what will that mean for the decorative rim around the lid?? Not sure yet.

I think the general consensus is to continue to peel this stuff away. 

(I'm doing this in my brother's garage as I live in the city. So I only get to it on weekends.)


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## Lyndsay (Oct 16, 2016)

The sides are all ready for sanding and finishing. I was wondering if just sanding off the veneer would be doable on the top. Still afraid of what is underneath. What would you guys do? I know some of you said just go with taking off all veneer.... Any books or sites you can direct me to about taking off thick veneer? I can't seem to find anything useful. I'll get some photos and post this weekend. 

Thanks everyone!
l.


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## m.n.j.chell (May 12, 2016)

I did recommend removal ... on the other hand, nothing says, "Old, loved and used furniture" like a few dings and dents. If there's enough of the top veneer to look good, then just sand it down some and finish it.
It's for you to use, right? You're not looking for perfection to sell it or anything.
If you don't like the looks of the sanded veneer, THEN you can go ahead with peeling it off.


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## Lyndsay (Oct 16, 2016)

I like that. I will try that thank you. And yes this is a personal project. A piece I want to keep in the family as my grandfather bought this years ago for my grandmother. It just needed some love. 


l.


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## Lyndsay (Oct 16, 2016)

Mikechell: Would I strip it first before sanding it?? Or can just take a sander straight to it? And what size paper would you recommend? I'm reading a lot of different ways to do this.

Thanks.


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## m.n.j.chell (May 12, 2016)

The guys who do this for a living (or are much more into it than I) say that sanding never removes all the previous finish. 
I would be very careful with a chemical stripper, though, if you've decided to leave the veneer on. Too much stripper might also "remove" the glue holding the veneer on.

Steve Neul might give you a better answer to this particular question.


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## Rollinonaplane (Feb 4, 2017)

*Did you ever get to finish this project?*

I had a solid Lane cedar chest that I refinished a while back with sanding and staining. So when a found another one on Craigslist, I jumped on it although it was covered in veneer. I thought, I just strip off the veneer and expose the cedar, how bad can it be right? wrong! I tried the damp towel and putty knife trick, the chisel and hammer and finally used a No.5 planer to get all the veneer off. I got the lid and the face part done and really really disappointed. Underneath all that veener, looks like they just used particle board and used the cedar to frame the box and line the inside. I'm really really bummed. I'm thinking of getting rid of the rest of the veneer now and painting it instead. I'm a little worried on how the paint would hold up on raw particle board. I'm planning to prime it with ziln oil based primer twice before painting. I might do multiple layers of paint to get it to a smooth finish.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Rollinonaplane said:


> I had a solid Lane cedar chest that I refinished a while back with sanding and staining. So when a found another one on Craigslist, I jumped on it although it was covered in veneer. I thought, I just strip off the veneer and expose the cedar, how bad can it be right? wrong! I tried the damp towel and putty knife trick, the chisel and hammer and finally used a No.5 planer to get all the veneer off. I got the lid and the face part done and really really disappointed. Underneath all that veener, looks like they just used particle board and used the cedar to frame the box and line the inside. I'm really really bummed. I'm thinking of getting rid of the rest of the veneer now and painting it instead. I'm a little worried on how the paint would hold up on raw particle board. I'm planning to prime it with ziln oil based primer twice before painting. I might do multiple layers of paint to get it to a smooth finish.


That will work but the texture of particleboard will be difficult to cover. You will probably have to apply multiple coats of primer sanding between the coats with an orbital sander. If you can get the surface level with the primer it will paint fine. 

Incidentally any time you refinish a piece of furniture with the intention of using a stain finish the old finish should be removed with a chemical paint and varnish remover. A finish soaks into wood and if you sand it off it just removes what is on the surface and leaves what is penetrated into the wood. Then when you stain the stain won't penetrate in spots because the old finish has the wood sealed.


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## Lyndsay (Oct 16, 2016)

Hi Rollinonaplane! This project was halted due to the weather. I will start it back up when it is warm and I can work outside.
I will face the same issue. I already knew that the top was not cedar just by researching and inspecting it. I started to chisel off the top and realized it was poplar and not cedar. The sides are solid cedar and are beautiful. Sometimes I just want to get another slab of cedar and replace the top entirely. 
But my initial plan is to strip off the decorative lining somehow, strip/sand everything down, stain and finish. Perhaps even paint the top if it doesn't look good. I might also replace the decorative feet on it with real cedar blocks. I'll post my progress this season. I'd love to see the first one you finished.


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## Jesse Blair (Oct 9, 2016)

Veneer is my mortal enemy. Kill it!!!


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## Jamie52 (Feb 5, 2017)

Steve Neul said:


> Incidentally any time you refinish a piece of furniture with the intention of using a stain finish the old finish should be removed with a chemical paint and varnish remover. A finish soaks into wood and if you sand it off it just removes what is on the surface and leaves what is penetrated into the wood. Then when you stain the stain won't penetrate in spots because the old finish has the wood sealed.


Thanks for that tip, I'm working on restaining a table and was wondering why the stain wasn't as consistent as I thought it should be; very well might have been because I didn't do anything but sand away the old stain.


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## Rollinonaplane (Feb 4, 2017)

Lyndsay said:


> Hi Rollinonaplane! This project was halted due to the weather. I will start it back up when it is warm and I can work outside.
> I will face the same issue. I already knew that the top was not cedar just by researching and inspecting it. I started to chisel off the top and realized it was poplar and not cedar. The sides are solid cedar and are beautiful. Sometimes I just want to get another slab of cedar and replace the top entirely.
> But my initial plan is to strip off the decorative lining somehow, strip/sand everything down, stain and finish. Perhaps even paint the top if it doesn't look good. I might also replace the decorative feet on it with real cedar blocks. I'll post my progress this season. I'd love to see the first one you finished.


Hi Lyndsay,

The bicycle chest was my first one. Unfortunately, I don't have the before picture of that one. This time, I took pictures from the start. So the rest of the pictures are of the veneer piece. Took me a week (2-3hrs a day) of planing to get rid of all the veneer.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

What I've learned from these post is if you're buying an old cedar chest to restore, make sure it's older than 1960 so it will be pre-particle board era. 

When the veneer is removed and particle board is exposed, it would be hard for me not to just trash it. 
You may be able to cover the PB with 1/8" plywood. Available in Birch or Luan.


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## Rollinonaplane (Feb 4, 2017)

Toolman50 said:


> What I've learned from these post is if you're buying an old cedar chest to restore, make sure it's older than 1960 so it will be pre-particle board era.
> 
> When the veneer is removed and particle board is exposed, it would be hard for me not to just trash it.
> You may be able to cover the PB with 1/8" plywood. Available in Birch or Luan.



Yeah, now I know better  I thought about covering up with Cedar plywood initially but decided to paint instead. I think I'll paint a corner and see how it turns out. If the texture of the PB can still be felt, then I'll go with the first option.


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