Question regarding aromatic cedar

[ChrisD]

I notice in published project plans/articles where aromatic cedar is used for drawer or chest bottoms that the cedar pieces are usually installed as liners (either nailed or loose) as opposed to actually being the structural bottom.

I'm guessing it's to allow the user to remove and sand the pieces periodically to maintain the aroma. Other than that, though, is this cedar too unstable compared to other "secondary" materials such as pine or poplar?

Thanks.

[RayintheUK]

I've never found cedar to be "unstable," although it does ding very easily - my take on why it was used as linings, rather than build the whole drawer or trunk from it, would be cost and durability.

Ray.

[Hoyden]

I have seen small boxes built of aromatic Cedar. Lane used to make a small box about 4" X 8"X 3" for Furniture stores to give to High School Seniors to advertise their larger Hope Chests. These small boxes did ding very easily.
They were nice looking.

[ChrisD]

Thanks, guys. Cedar prices are pretty reasonable over here, Ray, although the aromatic kind costs a bit more than the "picket fence" variety.

[Russianwolf]

I use it for the bottoms of alot of small boxes. Also made one that is mostly cedar except for the top.

It is soft stuff, about the same as white pine.

As I recall though, My mother has a Cedar chest, solid cedar, that has been in the family for several generations.

[Jim Boyd]

Aromatic cedar has worked for me. I used it for the drawer sides and bottom, and a shelf in this blanket chest.

[DeanKC]

Just a thought...In my part of Missouri, and for some other woodworkers that I know, it's really hard to get large, clear pieces of cedar on a regular basis. The use of thin liners allows those clear pieces to go a lot farther in their mission of bug repellency and overall lovely fragrance. Also, using the thin, liner stuff, even when there are tight knots, it still works well as liner material where it might not work for structural materials.

Again, just a thought...