# Finishing aromatic cedar



## Paddywhack (Apr 27, 2011)

I have two book matched slabs of aromatic cedar I'm turning into a table. I've never worked with this wood before. Anything I should know? I'm wondering what the best finish is for this type of wood. I like a satin or matt finish.

Cheers


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## Finisherman (May 3, 2013)

Is the table going to live indoors, or is it going to be an outdoor picnic table. If the table is going to stay inside, then you can use pretty much any finish you want, from shellac, to varnish, to lacquer to waterborne. If this table is going to be used as a picnic table, then I'd steer away from finishes which for a film, like spar varnishes. These finishes won't hold up to rain, snow and intense sunlight for very long, in spite of what the label tells you. Trust me. I once had to scrape and sand a layer of peeling spar varnish off of a cedar picnic table. Not a fun project. I think that you'd be best to go with a finish which can be recoated easily like an oil varnish blend, preferably one like Deftoil exterior wood finish. Of course, you could also use a semi-transparent exterior deck stain.


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## rrww (Aug 12, 2012)

For indoors I spray my aromatic cedar with stain lacquer. I love it!

Good luck!


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

Linseed oil to bring out the color then I have used Lacquer but I think Poly is tougher.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I use Tung oil finish on cedar boxes. Wipe it on. Shellac and sand it first though. Cedar will absorb a lot of finish so the shellac helps seal it.


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## Jeff28078 (Aug 27, 2009)

I've used both poly and shellac. But you lose the cedar odor.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

I have never seen a table made of aromatic cedar. Projects I have used it for went unfinished, to maintain that pleasant smell. It is pretty soft wood.


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