Hi NAAL,
We have one somewhat similar to yours. Eastern Red Cedar wood once dried is normally considered dimensionally stable. Yours is probably already dried sufficiently. I would not do anything else to it to dry it.
The bad news is that almost any treatment will add an amber tint.
I would probably lean to a tung oil rub. But other methods should be ok also. We had someone finish ours and I forgot what he used.

Hi Scotjute -

Thanks for the reply. How old is your piece? Have you seen any changes in size? Is yours a mantel also?

Why do you think my piece is sufficiently dried? Everything I've read is 1" = one year of drying time and this piece isn't even a year old. Just curious! :-)

NAAL

I have used red cedar in funiture for years and haven't had a problem yet. I built chests for my daughters over 20 years ago. They are 100% held togeather by glue and hand cut dove tails. From green stump to finished was less than 8 months. The only change in color when I coated them with 3 coats of Deft Brushing Laquer was a deeper red in heartwood and hint of gray on sapwood. One has never sat in direct sunlight and retains 80% natural color. A secound set in direct morning sun on occasion but was recconiziable as cedar at a glance when I refinished it in 2011 before granddaughter's mom gave it to her. I say install your mantel without wasting money on kiln drying. In the worst case if it srank (which I doubt will happen) a tube of MORTOR caulk will fill the crack. Look at rustic mantels,most have a gap between wood and rock anyhow.

Water based poly will not color the wood. It is a bit milky when applied but dries completely clear.

I don't have experience with it but I believe there are pour-on epoxies that leave a glassy finish, maybe look into it.

Thanks to you all for responding. I feel better now about installing it before the ledge stone goes up.

I will also look at the recommendations for finishing it too!

NAAL