finish dresser drawer boxes, or not to finish

That is the question... I see it done both ways, regardless of the quality of the piece. Is it simply an unnecessary step taken by some? Is it the odor left by some finishes? I've scoured several forums, and can only find "I always finish" or "I never finish" answers, but not a lot of reasoning behind the answers.

Well, one of the best reasons to not finish (unless a customer asks you to)... is money.. and time. Plus bare wood smells nice, no smell of finishing.

I finish with shellac after sanding well. Keeps the drawer bodies and bottoms from snagging any clothing, and the shellac has no odor after curing.
I also use shellac in antiques with drawers that might have the "old" smell that is so common.
Bill

I do the same as Bill. Raw wood will eventually get dirty with dust etc., at least here in the Southwest.

I finish all of mine with water based poly so there is no smell. Finished drawers are easier to clean.

Thanks for the replies. Finishing them seems to make the most sence to me, it's just that I see so many unfinished. Maybe it IS just a time/cost savings for mfg's. I was thinking shellac would be the thing to use, but I've got some General finishes WB poly on hand (love the stuff for kitchen cabs!) , so I might just use it.

i like unfinished pine.

One of my last purchased pieces was made by Stickley of Manlius, NY in the 1990's.
The external finish on the cherry is probably an oil/varnish blend and has some fading where it's exposed to baseboard heat.

The drawer fronts are finished, the drawer interiors may have a spray shellac, but I doubt it. Most mass produced products shave time off the process where possible.
I've used this every day since 2001, and there's no breakdown of the drawer components.

An aside - the mediocre quality of this piece goaded me to start making my own furniture. This thing was expensive, and the cost is justified by neither the materials or finesse in construction.

Were I to build my own dresser (and I may yet), I would line the drawers with aromatic cedar slips and replace them every year or three.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jim Matthews

One of my last purchased pieces was made by Stickley of Manlius, NY in the 1990's.
The external finish on the cherry is probably an oil/varnish blend and has some fading where it's exposed to baseboard heat.

The drawer fronts are finished, the drawer interiors may have a spray shellac, but I doubt it. Most mass produced products shave time off the process where possible.
I've used this every day since 2001, and there's no breakdown of the drawer components.

An aside - the mediocre quality of this piece goaded me to start making my own furniture. This thing was expensive, and the cost is justified by neither the materials or finesse in construction.

Were I to build my own dresser (and I may yet), I would line the drawers with aromatic cedar slips and replace them every year or three.

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I've used aromatic cedar for drawer bottoms before and that's definitely a time when you wouldn't finish. (the bottoms at least) I've read that a quick pass with a ROS will reactivate the scent. There are aromatic cedar oils available as well. Any more, I find people don't care for the cedar. Just personal preference I guess.