1940 Lane Cedar Chest Waterfall Style
$85
5 Days
Medium
I found this on a FB for sale site for $85. At the time, I had no knowledge of Lane chests. After I purchaded it, I quickly researched Lane chests. My husband and I were determined to save this. At first we were going to paint it, but realized the veneer in the middle was worth saving.
The veneer on top was in awful condition.
We decided to take the veneer off the top. My husband did all the work. He was able to remove most the veneer with little problem. He used stripper to remove the stuck on grime from the veneer in the center of the chest.
Here's the side view.
Once the veneer is removed from the top, you will most likely see the pattern of the veneer stained onto the wood. The wood underneath the veneer is a thin, rough wood.
Here you can see the difference.
This shows the magic of using stripper. Sanding would not touch the grime. Once he finished with the stripper, he was able to sand it to bring out the detail.
Following stripping and sanding.
Here is the chest after completing both stripping and sanding. We were now able to see the beauty of the veneer. No need to paint it. Note: on the right handle, it was difficult to remove that small section of veneer. We left it alone. We didn't do anything to the handles or the small section of veneer on the ends of the top. He stained over them.
Voila! What a beauty.
My husband used satin polyurethane on the middle section to show off the veneer. He used black cherry stain for the top and very bottom trim. He used the stain over the veneer of the handles. They turned out nice. Note: even after sanding, staining, and satin finish, the top still feels rough. I'm going to add a bench pad and pillows, so it won't bother me.
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3 of 6 comments
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Yes, I am going to add a bench pad and pillows. I need a spot to sit and put my shoes on. That's what started the whole search & project.
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Outstanding work. I purchased a lane chest and they are a treasure. Thanks for sharing.
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