Replies

1. 
   HowardAcheson | Aug 25, 2012 04:16pm | #1

   Did you apply poly to any more surfaces than the drawers?  What did  you use on the interior of the carcase or the exterior surfaces of the drawers?  If you applied your oil based finish to any surface inside the carcase, you will have long term ordor problems.

   You can sometimes deal with it by applying a couple of coats of a dewaxed shellac.  Be sure to carefully apply the shellac to all surfaces working it into any nooks and crannies.  Spraying theshellac is the best way to get good and complete coverage.  Zinsser Spray Can shellac is a dewaxed shellac.

   There is no assurety that the shellac will fully control the odor.

1. 
   Josh___ | Aug 25, 2012 04:34pm | #2

   Thanks, Howie.

   The case is frame and panel construction.  None of the interior is finished, except for the panels which were prefinished on both sides prior to assembly.  The drawers are finished in poly inside and out.  Based on this information, is there much chance of the shellac controlling the odour?

   Cheers

   Josh

2. 
   bilyo | Sep 10, 2012 01:18pm | #3

   Oops...

   Josh,

   I don't know if this is an answer for you, but maybe it will ease your mind some. I recently made a similar mistake using lacquer in my drawers.  There was an odor problem for a while (maybe 2-3 months), but has gradually gone away.   After a week or two, the drawers could be used.  We just left them open a bit.  I'm guessing that the same would be true for poly.  If you can tolerate the smell for a while, why not give it some time.  You can always come back later and do the shellac if you really need to.

1. 
   HowardAcheson | Sep 11, 2012 10:59am | #4

   Lacquer Odor

   Like shellac, lacquer is an evaporative finish.  It dries by the evaporation of its thinner.  Lacquer thinner evaporates very rapidly and once the thinner has evaporated, there is no further odor. 

   Oil based finishes are reactive in that they dry/cure in two steps.  First the thinners evaporate but then the varnish begins to cure by mixing with the oxygen in the air.  This is a very slow process and most oil based finishes need 4-6 weeks to cure to 85% of their ultimate cure.  Basically, oil based finishes will always be curing.  In an enclosed space like the inside of cabinets, the odor produced by the curing process will be concentrated and while the odor is small, it will permeate any absorbent material inside the cabinet.

   The insides of cabinets, drawers, etc. should be left unfinished or finished with shellac, laquer or a waterborne finish.  These finishes totally stop producing an odor within a day or two.

3. 
   bilyo | Sep 11, 2012 05:10pm | #5

   Lacquer on Drawers

   Howie,

   You are obviously far more authoritative on this matter that I am.  I can only relate my experience.  I put two coats of brush-on lacquer on the chest drawers I built for my wife about a year ago.  For several weeks my wife complained about the smell coming from the drawers.  Indeed, if you put your nose right down next to the finish, you could smell an unpleasent odor.  It didn't smell like fresh lacquer, but the smell was definately coming from the lacquer finish.  A year later, there is still a very slight odor, but it is not particularly strong or unpleasent.