[dolphin]

Looking for advice from anyone familiar with Cedar Chests.

I guess you could call it trash to treasure. The cedar lined chest was my MIL's, probably from the 50's. It has some damage and it looks like she was trying to refinish/repair it before she passed. I'm not a refinisher so after almost 9 years of that chest just sitting in the workshop (and being broken into and all of the expensive stuff stolen) I dusted it off and put it in my bedroom today. The worst of the refinishing project damage is the top so I've found a very nice piece of fabric and I plan to use quilt batting and make a cover for it as soon as I can. It could even be a "settee", lol, ya know what I mean. Well anyway, I had room for it so why not use it!

My question is...What can safely be put in it so that stuff doesn't get ruined by the cedar? I've heard that cedar can cause damage/staining to textiles. Do I need to wrap all cloth items in acid free paper? And if I do, where do I find "acid free paper"?

Could I just wrap textiles in a white sheet? I want to use it for keepsakes (baby things), (quilts), (things that are special to me). MIL had some towels and linens in there and there were stains on them. So I'm sure you shouldn't just lay you stuff in the chest but need to know the right way to do it. Will all my stuff I put in there forever smell like cedar?

Another question...should I paint the outside or just leave it as is? I'm thinking that the "Old English" furniture stain polish just wiped on would help it tremendously.

No one in my family ever had a cedar chest so they can't help. Advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JanieD]

I've had my cedar chest for 15+ years. It was purchased new back then. I mostly use it to store my Hallmark ornaments (in original boxes) & other Christmas decorations. I have a few stuffed animals from my childhood in there too! I haven't noticed any stains/problems with any item, but these aren't linens. I only notice a faint cedar smell when I remove items. Think Old English would be where I would start... check the label first, just in case. I haven't used it in a while, but can't imagine it would hurt. Hope this helps a little.

 

[Marie78]

I keep my throw blankets and curtains I don't have room for right now. I haven't noticed a change in color or staining. They aren't fine linens though. I love the smell of the cedar when I wrap up in my throw blankets. I also keep a baby memory book that I bought for $1 several years ago, I hope to use it someday when we decide to have children.

 

[PrairieRose]

I keep all sorts of quilts and other linens and things in mine and have had no problems with discoloration. I think you can use it however you'd like

 

[qponfanatic]

I've had my cedar chest for 24 years, it was a gift from dh (then boyfriend) the first Christmas we were together. I keep both kids baby stuff that I have kept since they were born in there. Dd is now 20 and ds is 14 so the stuff has been in there for a long time. I haven't had a problem with any of the stuff in mine, no discoloration or stains. Everything looks great!

 

[fernykins]

I've had mine since I was 15 and I'm 51 now...... I have never had problems with it. Cedar is surpose to keep moths away.
Mine is from the late 1800's
Fern

 

[dolphin]

Thank you for all of your comments. You've REALLY helped ease my mind about how what to put in the cedar chest. :grouphug2 I'll have it filled in no time.:csign:

 

[frugalfarmwife]

My cedar chest is at least 100 years old, was my grand mothers. I also keep many "memories" in there, family quilts, old embroidery (SP?) projects from my childhood, family heirlooms and have no problems at all with staining.

kj

 

[Rosebush3]

I haven't known of items to become stained because of being stored in a cedar chest, but I am well aware of staining that shows up in storage in general. I learned this from packing away baby clothes to pull them back out and find yellow stains where they had spit up although I know they sure looked clean when I put them away. Maybe the items that you know to have come out stained were previously used and there was some residue that didn't show until later?

 

[Cricketlegs]

I keep my old vhs movies in mine! Great palce to pack alot of stuff you want fast access to.

Mine was my Grandmothers and is very old.

 

[dolphin]

Thank you everyone for all of the information and advice on using the cedar chest. It's not full yet but is getting there LOL.

 

[M55FF]

I have one... mine has a padded fabric top ( cushion ) that I recovered with scrap fabric ( bought at a garage sale)and a heavy duty staple gun.... and I use it for my art supplies now.
(posting pics of the outside and inside)
maybe
this will work for you too?

 

[M55FF]

as far as the finish and condition of the chest, you may want to consider faux paint or crackle if its very bad and dont have the money or experience to have it redone correctly... and you want a new finish or look to the outside of the chest.
Crackle is a good finish for old peices and you can even get free lessons to learn how to do it at most Home depot or Lowes stires ( call them and ask about classes)

if its really bad....... there is always decoupage :yippee: