finishing inside of drawers

[Robert Wachtell]

I have made some drawers for some side tables. Door fronts are made of cherry and finished with water lox. The drawer interiors are made with ash side and back rails and the drawer bottom is a sliding cedar panel.

The ash side rails are attached to the cherry fronts with a single half blind dove tail.

I was wondering how the interior of these drawers should be finished? It seems like most of the time when I see these type drawers they are not finished on the inside. ( drawer bottom or side and end rails )

Is that the best approach to this situation?

[Mel Fulks]

I like woven felt for the drawer bottoms. No finish on the sides. Real woven wool felt ,not the grammar school craft stuff.

[Lee Schierer]

I finish my drawers inside and out. I think it gives a more finished appearance and it protects the wood better than no finish at all.

[Jim Becker]

Whether to finish the inside of a drawer is pretty much a subjective thing...drawers that get used frequently (and are seen) or for purposes where there may be moisture, etc, will certainly benefit from it. Drawers that are for storage that doesn't really change much don't necessarily "need" it.

The one rule of thumb, however, is to never used an oil based product to finish the inside of a drawer. (or cabinet) It will off-gas "forever" and that smell can get into things you may be storing if they are permeable. Use shellac or a waterborne finish instead.

[Stan Calow]

No point in using a cedar bottom to the drawer if you seal it with a finish.

[John TenEyck]

No harm in wiping a coat or two of shellac on the drawer box. As Stan said, however, I would leave the cedar bottom natural.

John

[Robert Wachtell]

No point in using a cedar bottom to the drawer if you seal it with a finish.

Stan, thanks for the input. And thanks to all who are on this incredible website of sharing.

Do not take this personally but rather as a complement as I surmise that you know more about this topic then I do.

Its important to fortify "No Point" with factual back up rather then ambiguity. For a variety of reasons.

What is the point of using a cedar bottom anyway?

I made my cedar bottom panels from 4 x 4 reclaimed playset supports, using/milling quarter sawn sectionals only and decided to use them for the following two points.

Extraordinarily clear and beautiful.

Extraordinarily cheap. ( In fact, I got paid $50 an hour to take away the cedar )

On another aspect, perhaps negative aspect of the cedar, the cedar is so old and dry that none of the resin/aroma/pitch exist that would serve the purpose you are probably talking about anyway, but not sure. So based on this scenario finishing or not finishing them would have no impact on this potential benefit of the red cedar.

But perhaps there is another reason to use cedar and not seal it. Please enlighten me to that if so.

However as another Creeker pointed out "do not use oil based finish". In addition that creeker supplied fact without ambiguity, and unlike your "helpful" comment it is "Extremely Helpful" and well ... "Non Ambiguous"






But as I like to say on all these websites, my mother was from Missouri, "the show me state" and my father was from New York, "the no BS state" ( in 1929 at least ) and I am a mix of both.

Now .. I know you are supplying no BS to this thread, I just need a little more "show me" added to your "No Point"

Rob

[Stan Calow]

Rob, sorry if it was a short and flippant response. I did assume that it was being used for the aroma purposes, and was picturing a dresser drawer situation. I've not seen ERC used in drawers otherwise. My early experiences with cedar (hope chests) was that the common finishes (for the outside) were either too glossy or too dull for my taste.

[Stan Calow]

Rob, sorry if it was a short and flippant response. I did assume that it was being used for the aroma purposes, and was picturing a dresser drawer situation. I've not seen ERC used in drawers otherwise. My early experiences with cedar (hope chests) was that the common finishes (for the outside) were either too glossy or too dull for my taste. Here in Missouri, I could "show you" tons of glossy cedar souvenirs - boxes, trinkets, and "Ozark-ie" stuff that make me not like the look. That's just my opinion. But clearly, if you like the look of finished cedar, then you have a reason.:)

[Jim Becker]

What is the point of using a cedar bottom anyway?
Aromatic cedar is a natural insect repellent, such as to combat moths. This kind of thing isn't needed as much these days because a lot less clothing is made with materials like wool that attract them.

[Ron Citerone]

I have a method to my waterlox madness. I pour some finish in a clean can. Then I work from the can and brush or wipe on the finish to the parts that are going to show. Usually there is a little extra in the can which I read somewhere, maybe the Waterlox site, should never be returned to the original finish since it has been exposed to the air. Soooooo, I always use that extra finish to do the inside and outside of drawers and bottoms and any where that hasnt been finished. So my drawers always do get finished on all sides.

BTW, I save old olive, caper, food jars and when I open a new can of waterlox, before doing any finishing, I fill all the jars to the very top and close them tight and use as needed from those jars. I've had to much of my waterlox jell up when it sits around.

IMO, the only brown clear liquid better than Waterlox is Bourbon.:) Incidentally, I never waste any Bourbon in the tin can either!:p

[Lee Schierer]

Additional reasons for finishing the drawers is that they will be easier to clean to remove dust and lint. Finished wood is less likely to snag on delicate fabrics.

I use brushing lacquer which does smell, but after a week or so of curing in warm weather, there is little if any smell. It certainly doesn't last for years.

[Ron Citerone]

When I made my kitchen cabinets I used a water based finish for the drawer boxes and cabinet interiors to avoid the off gassing that Jim Becker alluded to. Easy to do with drawer boxes that will be mounted with metal glides. For furniture I put the waterlox on every single surface.

I can't imagine not finishing the inside of drawers on anything worth building except for the issue of not sealing cedar in this case.

[Robert Wachtell]

I have a method to my waterlox madness. I pour some finish in a clean can. Then I work from the can and brush or wipe on the finish to the parts that are going to show. Usually there is a little extra in the can which I read somewhere, maybe the Waterlox site, should never be returned to the original finish since it has been exposed to the air. Soooooo, I always use that extra finish to do the inside and outside of drawers and bottoms and any where that hasnt been finished. So my drawers always do get finished on all sides.

BTW, I save old olive, caper, food jars and when I open a new can of waterlox, before doing any finishing, I fill all the jars to the very top and close them tight and use as needed from those jars. I've had to much of my waterlox jell up when it sits around.

IMO, the only brown clear liquid better than Waterlox is Bourbon.:) Incidentally, I never waste any Bourbon in the tin can either!:p

Yes I learned that through horrifying experience that Waterlox exposed to air will catalyze faster and if put back in a can of non exposed will take the non exposed off to catalyze world faster too.

BTW I save every jar I can find / borrow / steal for such given purpose. Even the cookie jar. Cookies get eaten first however :)

IMO the maple syrup I make is the one liquid better than Waterlox. Won't be too many years before I confuse the two jars. OUCH!

[Robert Wachtell]

When I made my kitchen cabinets I used a water based finish for the drawer boxes and cabinet interiors to avoid the off gassing that Jim Becker alluded to. Easy to do with drawer boxes that will be mounted with metal glides. For furniture I put the waterlox on every single surface.

I can't imagine not finishing the inside of drawers on anything worth building except for the issue of not sealing cedar in this case.

To me the number one disadvantage of Waterlox is it is a soft finish and scratches easily and does not work well for high contact areas such as cabinet/drawer pull areas or on floors. I know of several well established floor finishers who will not use Waterlox on floors. I know it is advertised as otherwise, but as usual the Devil is in the details.

To me the gas off of Waterlox is a secondary more minor disadvantage of Waterlox. The gas off from me is more dangerous then Waterlox gas off.

Otherwise Waterlox is Drop Dead Gorgeous and I use it wherever I can and find it sprays well too.

[Robert Wachtell]

Also regarding Waterlox.

I don't think the sealer ( first coat ) or stuff that comes in the square can needs to be shaken. I surmise that shaking it will make it gel sooner too. The finish that comes in the round can needs to be shaken, as the flateners for the satin finish settle rather quickly to the bottom of the can. So if you do not shake a satin finish you will have a glossy finish. Perhaps that is why they put that one in the round cans so it can go in the shaker.

I find the finish ( round cans ) will not gel nearly as easily as the sealer in the square cans.

This could all be written on the cans ... but I can't read text that small anymore.

[Jim Becker]

If it's a sheen other than gloss...it needs to be thoroughly mixed to insure the flatting agents are evenly distributed throughout the finish.

[Jerry Olexa]

I use SHELLAC on drawer interiors..Most practical, dries quickly and no after odor. My 2 cents worth.