Information on Cedar Closets
I love the smell of cedar. It makes me think of hikes through a rain dampened forest and log cabins. It also makes me think of my grandmother’s cedar chest and small cedar music boxes. It isn’t as common anymore, unless you do have a log cabin, but still a cedar closet lends a nice touch, even in a modern house.
Cedar closets may not be considered one of life’s necessities but they are a nice finishing touch. Cedar has a warm rustic appearance and a distinctive fresh fragrance that appeals to most.
When we think of closet remodeling we think foremost about installing organization units, but if you already have your storage situation in hand--or you're just starting to shop for organizers--the addition of a cedar unit is something that you could do just for the fun of it. Cedar closets can be a selling feature if you are remodeling with resale in mind.
Though the material had humble beginnings, cedar closets soon became heralded as luxury items. Today the concept has come full circle again and we are now thinking of them in terms of practicality. Either way, they are attractive and desirable additions for most homeowners.
Cedar has long been reputed for repelling clothes moths, roaches and silverfish, as well as resisting mildew. The cedar scent is produced when the natural oils of the cedar lumber evaporate. The cedar typically used for closets and chests is an aromatic eastern red cedar. Other varieties of cedar will not produce the fragrance that is necessary to protect your clothing. Over time the scent will fade but can be restored by lightly sanding it. You can also buy a natural cedar extract to apply to the sanded cedar and this will revitalize the cedar.
Widely available cedar closet kits make this particular renovation something that even a novice do-it-yourself type can do, and nice closets are something that you can add to give your home a little something above and beyond the usual.
If you're not looking for actual storage modules, cedar lining made up of planks or pressed board can be glued over the existing walls. Cedar planking is of a solid aromatic cedar and quite expensive, however a cheaper version (cedar strand board) is also available at most home and garden stores. A kit covers about 20 sq. feet. Cedar panels or planks will run about $500 dollars but a cedar lining kit is more in the neighborhood of $150.
If you are not ready to recreate your entire closet, you can add small aromatic, cedar balls, blocks of wood or small bags of shavings to your present closet. You can install just a cedar floor and this alone will give you the benefits of cedar. This can be as simple as taking measurements, pulling up the existing carpets, and using special adhesives to keep the tong and groove flooring in place. If an entire closet is too costly the same effects can be achieved by installing the planking over a few large surfaces. Drawer liners and paper liners are also available.
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