Can You Stain Cedar Chest

Oil-based stain is one of the best options for finishing a cedar chest. … Oil stain is available in almost any color; wipe it on, and wipe it off. Oil stain requires at least 72 hours to dry before any topcoat can be added, but it’s worth it to bring out the best possible grain patterns on your chest.

Can you sand and stain a cedar chest?

Sand the exterior of the cedar chest with 200-grit sandpaper and a sanding block. Sand in the direction of the wood grain to create a smooth, even surface. If you have to remove old stain from the chest, you may need to start with a 120-grit sandpaper and then follow it with 200-grit.

How do you bring a cedar chest back to life?

Just take a 220-grit sandpaper and lightly sand the inside of the chest. The interior is unfinished so you can easily do that. Just make sure that you sand in the direction of the grain. A fine sandpaper sanded in the direction of the gain will work wonders to restore the aroma of a chest!