Do you really need to stabilize knots if they are not visible?

[Jon Singh]

I've been working on a new walnut desk for myself and I've got a few knots on the bottom of the desk, do I need to do anything to them besides seal em when I apply finish? I had two on the top side that I filled in with epoxy but trying to avoid the work if I dont need to do it.

[Jamie Buxton]

If you can't see them, they don't matter. They can fall out, and it doesn't matter.

...but of course there will those who here who have a different opinion...

[Doug Garson]

Not an opinion, just a question. What will it cost you in time and material to fill them and not have to worry if you should have?

[Paul F Mills]

I made a desk for my second office last year. I knew it would be a temporary office and I had no idea what I would do with the desk when done. I build it properly and with care, but did not fill a few knot holes on the bottom. Fast forward a year and I am ready to bring the desk home. A friend texted last weekend saying he wants to commission me to build him a desk for his house, great timing. Now I am thinking I should have filled the holes though he will probably never look at the bottom.

I will always fill the holes on future projects.

[Ron Selzer]

My wife and step dughters insist knots and other "imperfections" show in a prominent spot, so they know that real wood was used.
When I made a TV stand for my wife , she showed all the people who looked at it the knots(2), rift sawn white oak, no stain, clear poly finish.
She caught me cutting the knots out early on and said no more, nw she hand picks the prominent boards on what I build for her.
Ron

[Steve Jenkins]

Over the years I’ve figured out that whenever I ask myself should I or shouldn’t I , the fact I asked gives me my answer.

[Jim Becker]

If they are "unseen" and are not going to create any structural issues for the project, you can do "nothing" or "minimal" work to them. If they are loose in a way that might affect the structure, then they need to be dealt with, either by directly stabilizing them with glue, etc., or by pocketing them out and replacing with good stock closely fitted to the pocket and glued in securely.

And Steve's got it absolutely correct...if you have to ask...there's likely a reason. :)

[Jon Singh]

Thanks everyone, Steve pretty much wisdomed me into filling everything in this evening