Cedar Chest Project Saves Sweaters, Money

If you’ve priced traditional cedar hope chests in stores recently, you know just how expensive they can be.

With a little do-it-yourself effort, though, you can build your own at a fraction of the cost.

A cedar chest is more than just a handsome piece of furniture to put at the end of the bed.

The fragrance of cedar helps to discourage moths, so a chest is a good place to store blankets, linens and sweaters. Because it’s sturdy, it’s a safe place for china and other collectibles.

This project is not difficult. It requires straight cuts for the sides, top and bottom and curved cuts (traced from full-size patterns) for the four base supports.

After the pieces are cut, assemble them with finishing nails, wood screws and glue, then sand and finish with Danish oil.

Western cedar with a bold grain is the obvious choice in lumber, but wood with a less-defined grain also works well. With pine, oak or mahogany, line the chest with cedar closet lining, available at home centers and lumber yards.

The finished chest measures 48 inches long by 20 inches high by 19-plus inches deep and has a lift-out tray for smaller items.

The Cedar Chest plan, No. 572, is $6.50 and includes step-by-step directions with 12 photos, full-size traceable patterns, exploded diagrams and a shopping list and cutting schedule.

A package of three blanket chest plans, No. C74, is $15.95 and includes this chest project and two others. A catalog picturing hundreds of do-it-yourself projects is $3.95. Prices include sales tax, postage and handling (for first-class mail, add $1 per item).

MEMO: To order, clip this article and send it with a check or money order to U-Bild Features, c/o The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2383, Van Nuys, CA 91409-2383. Please specify plan numbers.