I am in the process of designing some large closets in my attic. I have plenty of headroom and floorspace which I will need for off season clothing for my wife and our 3 daughters. I have seen people do cedar lined closets for moth proofing and am wondering if they sell cedar in 4×8 sheets.
I have seen and used hardwood (oak and maple) plywood and if I can get cedar veneered I could use it instead of cedar planks.
Next question – is all cedar the same as far as moth resistance? I know that there is western red cedar and northern white cedar and maybe some others. Do I just give it the smell test or is one type normally used for cedar closets?
I also assume that a cedar closet should be sealed pretty well as opposed to vented. This is an attic and it can get pretty hot up there and I don’t want to cook the clothes. However, I also don’t want easy bug access to the stuff in the closet.
Thanks.
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The big box stores sell cedar beadboard and cedar Tongue and Groove.
What you'll see as cedar closets is, I assume, t&g. WRC and others don't really do a lot - you'll need 'aromatic cedar', available in strips. You might save a lot of expense by buying the little bags full of offcuts...because , in order to retain that smell you must sand it down frequently. Doing this to a closet can get tiresome.
A sealed closet will probably create its own problems. Ventilation can be attained w/o having insect infestation, and I would suggest you go that way, from what you are saying.
Talk to an exterminator and ask what other options you have, IMHO.
Aromatic cedar boards is what you want. Visit a good quality furniture store and look at their cedar lined blanket chests and the armoires. They use t&g about 3/8 thick. The oils in the cedar will help keep the bugs away. Not too many will tolerate the odor. Sanding doesn't have to be done very often with a good grade of cedar.
Again, it is the oils that create the aroma. Great for blankets and woolens but not necessary for fleece and other synthetics. With good design you might be able to simply do one or two sides and not the entire closet. Or, a door and ceiling.
If you start to balk at the cost of the closet (s) just stop to think of the value of the coats, sweaters, blankets, gloves, scarves, jackets shirts, etc. that you'll be storing. It is a one time expense to protect a lot of investment.
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I've seen some 4x8x1/4" sheets of cedar beaver barf (OSB) a HD for that purpose. Not pretty, but less expensive than boards (and probably marginally less effective)
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That sounds like what I am looking for.
Now if I can just find someone at HD who knows anything about anything I will be okay.
Aromatic cedar is available in 4x8 sheets of what looks like a chipboard product. I made a cedar closet (lined the interior, actually) using it, and lined the shelves with the T&G boards.
OBTW, when cedar no longer is as aromatic as you would like, just use some fine sandpaper and lightly sand it, your nose will thank you.
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This sounds good. Was it a lumberyard stock item or special order?
It was a stock item several years ago. I haven't seen it in a while, but call around.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
Dunno what area of the world yer in (Profile, man - fill out yer profile!), but if you can't find the stuff otherwise, Menards carries aromatic cedar in T&G packages. Might check it out. ISTR that they have more than one thickness available as well - one that's about 3/8", one that's more like 5/8".
Jason
I don't know where this "aromatic" cedar stuff is coming from.
Probably some marketing guy came up with it. Fact is - all cedar is aromatic. You want red cedar for te right aroma.
It an be had in chipboard panels or in T&G either 3/4" thick or about 5/16".
After a while, the cells exposed dry out - the essential oils no longer give off much scent. so about once a year, you need to use a very fine sandepaper to refresh the surface, just enugh to expose new cells and volatile oil to the air.
Do ventilate the closet. No need to keep it airtight
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The aromatic cedar isn't cedar at all, but Juniperus virginiana aka Eastern Red Cedar. I've used the flakeboard sheets to line closets, the 1/4" T&G for lining blanket chests, and the 4x8 sheets of veneered 1/4" ply for drawer bottoms. (The veneer is about the thickness of a sheet of paper.) It smells wonderful, but it won't do a thing for your moth problems bec the fumes aren't concentrated enough.
The cedar smell can be initially overwhelming, but dissipates quickly. Some people are highly allergic to it, so try it out first. It is extremely irritating dust to breathe, so a mask is necessary. The smell can be brought back with sanding, but nobody in their right mind would remove all the clothing to do that inside a house.
If you want to protect your clothing, launder it and put it immediately in a plastic container with a tight cover. Only moth balls are lethal to the little suckers. If you like the smell of the "cedar", you can buy vials of the essential oil for a whole lot less money and dribble it on a bowlful of shavings sitting on a shelf.