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Aromatic Cedar
Bright red-purple and cream, with the classic “cedar chest” smell. Used to line closets, chests and drawers. It isn’t a true cedar: it gets the name from its strong, pleasant fragrance and natural rot resistance, much like Spanish cedar.
Color over time
Approximate, in a normally lit room. Illustrated grain; real boards vary.
- Hardness
- 900 MediumHigher number means harder to dent. About the Janka test
- Weight
- Light
- Cost of the wood
- $Budget-friendly, per board foot
- Grows in
- Eastern North America
What it looks like
Vivid reddish-purple and salmon colored wood mixed with cream-yellow streaks, and lots of small knots. Smooth and even. New cedar is the most colorful it will ever be.
How it changes over time
The red-purple fades to a soft amber-brown over a few years (faster in the sun), and the cream streaks turn more yellow. The bold contrast of new cedar softens a lot.
Shimmer
None.
Smell
The famous “cedar chest” and pencil-shavings smell. It lasts for years, and a light sanding brings it back. In a closed chest, it helps keep moths away.
With a natural wax finish
Linings are usually left bare so the scent keeps working. Wax gives a soft satin look without sealing the scent much.
With a semi-gloss lacquer finish
Makes the red and cream colors bolder right away, but it seals the scent in, so usually only the outside of a chest is finished.
Safe for food?
Looks great with
- American Black Walnut: walnut chest, cedar lining
- Black Cherry: cherry chest, cedar lining
- White Oak: oak chests and wardrobes
- Hard Maple: a light case with a fragrant interior
Not the best match
- Spanish Cedar: keep them in separate pieces; the scents compete