Inside Drawer finishes

[Ron Wright]

I am a begining ww and am finishing my first rough wood project. I am using a NYWS plan for a chest of drawers. The plan called for pine, however I jumped in and used red oak. (maybe I should have stuck with pine on my first project...) I made the drawer insides of pine, planed to 1/2 inch, with 1/4 inch baltic birch plywood bottoms. Do I need to finish the insides of the drawers? What about the exterior of the drawers? They alide on drawer frames and am concerned about binding or sticking. If I do need to finish either the inside or outside of the draweres can anyone suggest a finish to use. Secondly, do I finish the inside of the carcas? I plan on staining the chest of drawers, so if I do stain the inside do I need to apply a varnish or shelac to the inside?
I also could use some suggestions for a finish after I stain the oak. This is my second posting on SMC and look forward to your suggestions.

[Howard Acheson]

What's going into the drawers? The main thing to avoid is using an oil based finish inside any carcase and/or drawers the will contain cloth or food items. Oil based finishes off-gas almost forever and the odor will permeate cloth and open food items.

The best finishes are either shellac or a waterborne clear finish.

All that said, it is perfectly alright to not finish the drawers or carcase interior. Most commercial furniture has unfinished interiors.

[nic obie]

It's usually wise to listen to Howard.

[Jim Becker]

It's usually wise to listen to Howard.

Very much so...

[Rob Blaustein]

What's going into the drawers? The main thing to avoid is using an oil based finish inside any carcase and/or drawers the will contain cloth or food items. Oil based finishes off-gas almost forever and the odor will permeate cloth and open food items.

The best finishes are either shellac or a waterborne clear finish.

All that said, it is perfectly alright to not finish the drawers or carcase interior. Most commercial furniture has unfinished interiors.

Interesting...I was thinking of using a wiping varnish (either Arm-R-Seal or Bartley's gel varnish) on the carcass of my bathroom vanity, and have even been applying some on test pieces. Those have oil, don't they? If so, I guess these finishes wouldn't be great if we might put things like small towels or even toothbrushes in the drawers that are in the carcass. Would you also avoid these for the faceframe and doors/drawer fronts? So what are good waterborne finishes for walnut? I've never used shellac either and have no idea where I'd start. I don't mean to hijack Ron's thread, but I suspect he'd be interested in the answers as well.

[Cecil Arnold]

While I'm not the accomplished finisher that Howard or Jim are, I would be inclined to finish the inside of the carcase as well as the drawers with shellac and also use dewaxed shellac as a seal coat after the stain if it were oil based. Then I would finish the outside with whatever clear finish meets the needs of the piece. I prefer NC lacquer for the ease of application and rub out, but find varnish to be harder and more water resistant. While I haven't had a problem I have what may be an unreasonably concern with only finishing one side of a wood panel, since I fear uneven moisture (Houston suffers from high humidity most of the year) could lead to warping.

[Ron Wright]

Thanks for all the input. I plan now not to finish the insides of the drawers or the carcus. I want to apply some sort of finish that is not glossy. I want a dark stain on red oak, and a very subdued smooth finish. Again, this is my first rough wood project and want to try and match the piece to existing bedroom furniture. The existing furniture is a dard stain, with a very satin finish. Any suggestions?

[Howard Acheson]

>> I was thinking of using a wiping varnish (either Arm-R-Seal or Bartley's gel varnish) on the carcass of my bathroom vanity,

Both are oil based.

>> Would you also avoid these for the faceframe and doors/drawer fronts?

No, they can be used on the exteriors.

>> So what are good waterborne finishes for walnut? I've never used shellac either and have no idea where I'd start.

A characteristic of waterborne clear finishes is their lack of color. Unlike oils, they do not highlight the grain or texture of the wood. Walnut is a wood that comes alive with the slight amber in oil based finishes. However, you can get the same from an amber shellac. But shellac is not a good finish in a bathroom as it has little resistance to water.

For the outside, use a varnish or a poly varnish. I much prefer non-poly varnish as it has a much clearer look. Polys tend to be somewhat cloudy. Use either a shellac or waterborne on the inside.