Either should work. If you don't put a clear coat on it over time it will lose some of it's looks.

It will begin to bleach out to a driftwood gray color almost immediately if left untreated and will need the finish reapplied almost yearly to keep it from graying.

Clear coat often provide no UV protection.

Western red cedar if exposed to direct sunlight and rain and snow will turn grey first and then start to darken until it's black over many years. If you keep it out of direct sun, even outside, it can keep its color. For instance, many soffits on houses around here are cedar and they do not change color, although they will require some sort of clear finish when installed.

This post was edited by rmtdoug on Wed, Feb 6, 13 at 16:19