Use a low-odor finish. Shellac, lacquer, or a water-based finish work best for sides, backs, and bottoms.
Q:
Should the interior parts of a drawer be finished? If so, what type of finish should be used?
Anderson Curry, Hannibal, MO
A:
I recommend finishing them. A finish slows the wood’s seasonal movement, making the drawer less likely to bind in summer. It also makes the surface easier to keep clean. Finally, a finished surface feels better, especially important on the drawer bottom, which your fingers often touch. Choose a finish that has little inherent odor when dry, like shellac, lacquer, and waterborne finishes. It takes only a few thin coats of shellac or lacquer, or one thin coat of a waterborne finish. Never use an oil-based finish on the interior. They cure by oxidation and inside a drawer there is not enough oxygen to cure, so their unpleasant smell will never go away.
Just a thin coat. On the outside, it’s enough to slow the wood’s expansion and contraction, but not enough to foul the drawer’s fit.Don’t forget the inside. That way both faces of the board are equally protected, expanding and contracting at the same rate.
Fine Woodworking Recommended Products
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While Diablo’s SandNet disks perform similarly to conventional paper abrasives in terms of material removal and surface prep (with some exceptions at the lower grits), they make keeping your work surface and work area clean much easier, thanks to the great dust collection possible with them.
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