Aromatic Cedar

I put some up in the front hall coat closet and haven’t had any issues, but it’s probably breathing better given the greater volume and more frequent opening and closing. How long had the cedar been left to air out before installing it? Was it from a retailer packaged in a box or is this something you harvested yourself? I harvested, milled dried and planed my own and haven’t experienced and symptoms like what you’ve described.

Bigblockyeti,
i resawed it into 3/8 inch strips then tongue and groved it prior to installing it. Needless to say it was quite fragrant.

I have never made a cedar chest before, nor have I had this problem… so I am going out on a limb here. Cedar wood “off-gasses” as you call it, fumes of hydrocarbon Phenols and acids… if the cedar wasn’t completely dry, and the chest got warm I bet the fumes reacted with the unsealed stains… stains ride between and inside the wood cells and fibers (vs. dyes which penetrates and changes the color of the wood cells and fibers).. So I am betting the acid fumes pulled the stain out of the wood… and I could be wrong. :)

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