How much do I finish?

[J. Z. Guest]

I'm about to start finishing a nightstand.

I have room to finish everything.

Should I finish the insides and outsides of the drawer, or just the front? What about the drawer cavity?

Thanks!

[Greg Cuetara]

Jeremy,
I would finish the inside with a coat of dewaxed shellac. I would also finish the inside and outside of the drawer with a coat of dewaxed shellac. The jury is still out and there are a lot of people who think drawers don't need to be finished. Others will say to just use paste wax on the inside and outside of drawers.

Really it is your choice as there is not a right or wrong way to finish drawers...well I take that back there is a wrong way and that is to use a finish which will gass off odors for the life of the nightstand...which is why you should use dewaxed shellac. I also tend to think that you should finish the whole project so that there is not differential seasonal movement of the wood...if the wood moves it does so at an even rate and that should happen if all sides are equally sealed / finished.

I am sure others will correct me on my advice but really the only bad thing you can do is to use something like poly inside on the drawers.

Good luck,
Greg

[Howard Acheson]

First, if there is any sensitivity to finish odor, do not use any oil based finishes inside the carcase or anywhere on parts of the drawer that will be inside the carcase. Oil based finish off-gases almost forever and cloth, clothing or other items will pick up the odor.

The bigger issue of whether finishing inside a carcase of any part of a drawer is one of aesthetics mostly. There is no technical reason to finish.

My rule is if it can be seen, it should be finished. If it can be felt, it should at least be smoothed. By smoothed, I mean apply a coat of shellac and then rub it down with a gray scotchbrite pad. Maybe even wax it. This minimal treatment gives a nice tactile feel to the surface which most folks appreciate. And, it makes it easier to dust and clean out the drawer.

[John Keane]

Howard, your finishing comment was very nicely phrased. Enough said.