Re: HELP! refinishing old cedar chest

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

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