Finishing the inside of drawers

[Chad Johnson]

Any problems with using a sprayable lacquer as the finish for drawers for a dresser when I used oil based polyurethane for the outside? Would use polyurethane on the outside face of each drawer to maintain a consistent look. Am concerned about the oil based poly smelling forever if enclosed in a drawer. Also the speed of lacquer is appealing.

[Bill White]

Use shellac. I use de-waxed Seal Coat (now labeled as BIN from Zinsser). It dries quickly, very low odor after dries/cured, seals the wood well.
Bill

[Jim Becker]

Lacquer, shellac and water borne finishes are all fine for this purpose. Use your preference and what you can safely apply in your shop situation.

[Lee Schierer]

I have used lacquer based finish inside drawers with no problems. Even though you may smell the finish for some time, it doesn't affect what is stored in the drawer.

[Leo Graywacz]

I use conversion varnish on my drawers, inside and out. When I build cabinets the drawers are finished first, then the cabinet insides. That way they have the longest time to off gas. I turn my drawers upside down so the gasses don't get trapped. If you end up with drawers/cabinets that smell because the finish hadn't cured completely, leave the doors, drawers open at night with a fan blowing inside them. Helps quite a bit.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Use shellac. I use de-waxed.............

......from flakes. Don't go thru the volume that would make me comfortable with canned Zinsser [good stuff] on the shelf. Apparently infinite shelf life for flakes in the freezer [fridge upstairs, freezer down here]. Make up whatever I need, as I need it.

But - whatever. YMMV.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I have used lacquer based finish inside drawers with no problems. Even though you may smell the finish for some time, it doesn't affect what is stored in the drawer.You have to be real careful w/a statement like that. Some plastics will react and bond themselves to a NC lacquer. I had some plastic fishing jigs do that......whatta mess....



Use shellac. I use de-waxed Seal Coat (now labeled as BIN from Zinsser). It dries quickly, very low odor after dries/cured, seals the wood we
Bill, B*I*N is white paint.
It's one of Zinsser's main stay products and has been around for 70 years that I know of.

It's regular 3# cut shellac with white pigment added to it to both give it hide and produce a semi flat surface for priming.

It's most common use is to prime and seal smoke odor and fire damaged wood and walls.

[glenn bradley]

I'm another shellac fan for inside drawers. Whatever you choose you'll want the bottoms off for spraying. I shellac the inside surfaces of drawer-box material before assembly.

[Bill White]

Rich, if I'm not badly mistaken, Zinsser has re-labeled the yellow Shellac can for Seal Coat, and it is now white. Now it is under the BIN label. I'm aware of the other BIN products. Just have to read the label more carefully.
Bill

[Kent A Bathurst]

It's regular 3# cut shellac with white pigment added to it to both give it hide and produce a semi flat surface for priming.

I did not know that. No wonder it works so well.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Rich, if I'm not badly mistaken, Zinsser has re-labeled the yellow Shellac can for Seal Coat, and it is now white. Now it is under the BIN label. I'm aware of the other BIN products. Just have to read the label more carefully.
Bill,
Seal Coat is still Seal Coat.

What you're seeing is the Clear B*I*N product. It's a whole separate product.
http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/zinsser/primer-sealers/clear-bin-sealer

I wouldn't just substitute using it as Seal Coat w/out giving Rustoleum support a call first.

[Howard Acheson]

Use either a waterborne finish or lacquer or shellac on any enclosed inside surface. Oil based finish will off-gas almost forever and emit a continuing odor which will permeate anything stored in the enclosed area.