How to paint an old cedar chest?

Hi Dam, any time you're painting you will want to sand the piece down and use a stain blocking primer first.

Clean it up and make repairs, if needed. Lightly sand with either fine steel wool or sand paper. Clean with TSP or denatured alcohol. Prime with a good primer like Kilz original of Zinsser. Then paint.

Cedar will bleed through light colors, so be sure to coat it with shellac to seal in the tannins. Otherwise your paint job will turn yellow in a few months.

Here is my basic refinishing guide- hope it helps! https://www.thatsweettealife.com/my-basic-guide-to-refinishing-furniture-well/

The suggestions above are all good if you want to paint but why? Cedar is such a attractive wood and has a beautiful aroma that makes it antifungal, antibacterial and insect repellent. Please, if you do paint at least don't paint the inside.