If you sand the cedar wood on the inside, it refreshes the cedar wood. What you do with the outside, paint or stain is your choice. I have an old lane cedar chest and the top is actually laminate, so find out if yours is too before you decide on what to do on the outside. Good luck, you can do it!
I'm not sure about refinishing but one thing you need to do if you have small children. The old Lane cedar chests have a latch in front that closes automatically when the lid comes down. Children have been killed when playing hide and seek and the lid closes them in. You can write to Lane and they will send you a latch that will open when pushed from the inside. Install it when you refurbish your cedar chest and you won't worry about small kiddo's hiding in it.
If you sand the cedar wood on the inside, it refreshes the cedar wood. What you do with the outside, paint or stain is your choice. I have an old lane cedar chest and the top is actually laminate, so find out if yours is too before you decide on what to do on the outside. Good luck, you can do it!
I'm not sure about refinishing but one thing you need to do if you have small children. The old Lane cedar chests have a latch in front that closes automatically when the lid comes down. Children have been killed when playing hide and seek and the lid closes them in. You can write to Lane and they will send you a latch that will open when pushed from the inside. Install it when you refurbish your cedar chest and you won't worry about small kiddo's hiding in it.
You may want to find out its value before changing it.
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/remove-old-finish-lane-cedar-chest-98859.html