drawer glides - to finish or not to finish?

[Michael MacDonald]

I have done some extensive searching on drawer finishing and glides... on this web site and others. There are a lot of opinions on whether drawers should be finished... no oil and dewaxed shellac seems to be a common recommendation, though many woodworkers don't finish at all... The clear recommendation was to wax the glide and drawer.

I wanted to pop the dovetails, though, so used oil and Zinsser dewaxed Sealcoat.

One gap I have found is a specific question on the wisdom of finishing the wooden glides... also with Sealcoat. I have a wide drawer and I already know I screwed up by not planning a center guide instead of edge guides... so will I make the racking better or worse by using sealcoat on the glides/guides? Either way, I would wax of course... but sealcoat drawer on sealcoat glide? I fear stickiness... any advice?

[John Tallyn]

Personally I would never finish a wooden glide, I usually try to use an oily type of wood. If I use something that isn't considered oily, I simply use paste wax. I don't know if using a finish would cause any harm, or would help, I'm sure that there are others that have more experience will chime in.
John

[Lee Schierer]

I have done some extensive searching on drawer finishing and glides... on this web site and others. There are a lot of opinions on whether drawers should be finished... no oil and dewaxed shellac seems to be a common recommendation, though many woodworkers don't finish at all... The clear recommendation was to wax the glide and drawer.

I wanted to pop the dovetails, though, so used oil and Zinsser dewaxed Sealcoat.

One gap I have found is a specific question on the wisdom of finishing the wooden glides... also with Sealcoat. I have a wide drawer and I already know I screwed up by not planning a center guide instead of edge guides... so will I make the racking better or worse by using sealcoat on the glides/guides? Either way, I would wax of course... but sealcoat drawer on sealcoat glide? I fear stickiness... any advice?

Adding finish to the wood will essentially give you a hardened wear layer that should prolong the life of the runner and slide. I made a drawer in an end table many years ago and not only finished the drawer, but also finished the slide and runner with Deft Clear Wood finish. It shows no signs of wear after about 10 years, it also doesn't stick when the weather changes.

Personally I like to finish my drawers inside and out as it keeps them from getting dirty from the stuff that gets put in them. The Deft Clear wood finish has a strong smell, but that goes away in a short time and it doesn't seem to react with much of anything I've ever put in a drawer. I find that finishing drawers where cloth items will be store prevents snagging.

[Bruce Darrow]

I like finishing moving parts like your drawer slide(s) w/ 2 coats of Sealcoat, sanding lightly between coats, and finishing with paste wax. In this man's book, you're on the right track. I'd forgo the oil, though, on both the drawer and especially on the slide.

[Neil Brooks]

I've always just hit 'em with paste wax.

[Larry Edgerton]

I finish the drawer except for the glide, tape that off and hit the glide with West system, polish and spray it with TopCote. West will not stick to itself with time as some finishes are prone to do, and the TopCote gives it a clear slippery surface.

Larry

[Joe Scharle]

I spray shellac throughout the inside of my projects. After assembly, I wax all the moving parts.

[Michael MacDonald]

I tried to look up west system... it seems to be an epoxy? is that right?

all this feedback so far is helpful... I have been working on this since December, so I don't want to screw it up now that I am a nudge away from completion.

[Joe Angrisani]

I tried to look up west system... it seems to be an epoxy? is that right?

Yes. It's a line of epoxy and epoxy products.

[Michael MacDonald]

WORKED GREAT! I have oil and brushed sealcoat on the drawer, and sprayed sealcoat on the glide/guide. I waxed the heck out of both. Slides perfectly... after experiencing the sticking with no wax, I was really getting worried I was going to have to improvise a fix. Thanks!