Wood and Supplies Lumber and Sheet Goods Aromatic Cedar Aromatic eastern red cedar Juniperus virginiana) has been the traditional choice for blanket chests and closet linings for generations because of its purported moth-repellant properties and fresh smell. Is it a miracle wood or too good to be true? By WOOD Magazine Staff WOOD Magazine Staff Launched in 1984, WOOD® magazine is the world's most trusted woodworking resource — a distinction we've earned by guaranteeing our readers' success in their woodworking shops. It is the mission of our staff to inspire and inform woodworkers at every stage of their journey by providing reliable and accurate project plans, woodworking techniques, and product reviews. WOOD magazine's Editorial Process Published on March 28, 2017 Aromatic Cedar Aromatic eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) has been the traditional choice for blanket chests and closet linings for generations because of its purported moth-repellant properties and fresh smell. Is it a miracle wood or too good to be true? Mothbusters? Two culprits commonly damage cloth: the casemaking clothes moth, shown at right, and the webbing clothes moth. These reclusive, small critters (about 1⁄4 " long with a 1⁄2 " wingspan) don't resemble your standard porch-light moths. If you see them at all, it may already be too late to save your sweaters because it's the larvae, rather than the adult moths, that munch on wool, fur, and feathers. So how does aromatic cedar contribute to your pest-control solution? When concentrated in a tightly-sealed space, such as a blanket chest, the vapors from this wood species will kill hatching moth larvae. But those vapors have little or no effect on larger larvae, adult moths, or eggs, and less effect still in wide-open areas, such as closets. That said, it has been found that aromatic cedar blocks bugs no better than simply sealing uninfested clothes in a plastic container or bundling them in taped-up butcher paper. Shown is the life-cycle of thecasemaking clothes moth fromlarva to pupa to adult. If you seethem in any of these stages,aromatic cedar will offer littleprotection. Skip the finish Top-coating aromatic cedar seals in, and therefore negates, its insect-repellent properties. But you should also avoid applying any stain, paint, or finish to the non-cedar interior surfaces of a cedar chest. That's because the resins in cedar share characteristics with turpentine, and the solvent-like vapors can cause oil- and water-based stains, paints, and finishes to soften, making lids (and clothes) stick. If you include a cedar lining or tray in your blanket chest, leave the interior unfinished. Aromatic cedar loses both its smelland insect-repellent properties aftera year or two. Occasional sandingrestores cedar's effectiveness forseveral years. The cedar-lined bottom line If you want to give your blanket-chest project a traditional look (and smell), search no further than aromatic cedar. However, as a pesticide, aromatic cedar makes a better preventative medicine than it does an ultimate cure. So don't expect miracles. A sacrificial towel between the cedarand your clothes protects against oiland pitch stains while still allowing thewood's protective vapors to circulate. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit