How to finish a dresser

[AlexSwansboro]

I am working on a dresser and am ready to start finishing it. The only concern is that the wood not catch on the clothing.

So the biggest question is, what would you use to finish it?

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Alex, I'm assuming you are referring to clothes stored in the drawers? You don't want them to "snag".

If so, go ahead and build the drawers out of any suitable material (e.g. pine, poplar, or even smooth plywood). Then sand the inside of the drawers to about 180, or even 220 grit. Finish the drawers w/ shellac. After the first coat, lightly sand w/ 320 grit, then apply at least one more coat. Drawers should be smooth enough not to snag.

If you use plywood, make sure it is a "smooth" surface, such as birch veneer, or the "sand ply" you find at some BORGs. Don't get the rougher construction ply.

HTH

Bill

 

[AlexSwansboro]

Alex, I'm assuming you are referring to clothes stored in the drawers? You don't want them to "snag".

If so, go ahead and build the drawers out of any suitable material (e.g. pine, poplar, or even smooth plywood). Then sand the inside of the drawers to about 180, or even 220 grit. Finish the drawers w/ shellac. After the first coat, lightly sand w/ 320 grit, then apply at least one more coat. Drawers should be smooth enough not to snag.

If you use plywood, make sure it is a "smooth" surface, such as birch veneer, or the "sand ply" you find at some BORGs. Don't get the rougher construction ply.

HTH

Bill

Bill,

I was thinking about shellac as the finish and have built them out of birch veneer ply. How do I apply the shellac to the wood ie, what kind of brush etc?

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Actually, I would probably pick up a few rattle cans of clear shellac and do it that way. It will be a lot quicker and a lot less messy.

Make sure you presand the plywood. It may feel smooth, but it really isn't.

 

[Bas]

Shellac is a great choice. It dries fast and does not have a lingering smell like oil-based finishes. Shellac is not easy to brush, a drawer is not too bad but it definitely requires practice. Rattle can shellac is much easier, but not cheap.

An alternative is to use something like Minwax polycrylic. It's readily available, reasonably affordable, and really easy to brush. The only downside is that it won't impart any warmth to the wood, it dries virtually crystal clear. Shellac will give it a bit of a glow.

You can get a simple HLVP spray gun at Harbor Freight for ~$100 w/ coupon, which will work with both shellac and water-based finishes. While spraying takes some practice too, it's a great addition to your finishing arsenal.

You can certainly use different finishes for the inside and outside. Shellac would be a good choice for the exterior as well, although varnish (both oil-based and waterborne) and lacquer are also excellent options. I would not use polycrylic alone for the exterior, you'd want something else to give it some color.

 

[TominZebulon]

At the risk of highjacking this thread (and I am sorry if I do), I am also getting close to finishing a dresser for a friend at work. I am not sure why, but she wants it painted black. I have done everything I can to talk her out of this, but she is the customer! Anyway, I have recently bought a spray gun and wanted to try my hand at this. I know I can spray paint, but are there any tips anyone can impart to me about this? Things such as enamel or latex, thinning the paint, etc. I thought about tinting pre-catelyzed lacquer but I am not sure where to get that done. I checked Sherwin Williams but they only sell it in 5 gallon buckets and I do not need that much. Thanks for any tips and I am planning to use those already given for the drawer insides and interior.

 

[Jeremy Scuteri]

At the risk of highjacking this thread (and I am sorry if I do), I am also getting close to finishing a dresser for a friend at work. I am not sure why, but she wants it painted black. I have done everything I can to talk her out of this, but she is the customer! Anyway, I have recently bought a spray gun and wanted to try my hand at this. I know I can spray paint, but are there any tips anyone can impart to me about this? Things such as enamel or latex, thinning the paint, etc. I thought about tinting pre-catelyzed lacquer but I am not sure where to get that done. I checked Sherwin Williams but they only sell it in 5 gallon buckets and I do not need that much. Thanks for any tips and I am planning to use those already given for the drawer insides and interior.

Practice on scrap that is prepared (sanded to same level, etc) as your project pieces.

 

[kooshball]

I just finished my third chest of drawers this weekend. I use Pratt and Lambert varnish for the exterior surfaces and shellac for the insides of the case and the drawers as described by Bill. The shellac smooths out well under 320 grit and when waxed (outside of drawers and runners) will slide smith as silk for years before you need to wax again.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

At the risk of highjacking this thread (and I am sorry if I do), I am also getting close to finishing a dresser for a friend at work. I am not sure why, but she wants it painted black. I have done everything I can to talk her out of this, but she is the customer! Anyway, I have recently bought a spray gun and wanted to try my hand at this. I know I can spray paint, but are there any tips anyone can impart to me about this? Things such as enamel or latex, thinning the paint, etc. I thought about tinting pre-catelyzed lacquer but I am not sure where to get that done. I checked Sherwin Williams but they only sell it in 5 gallon buckets and I do not need that much. Thanks for any tips and I am planning to use those already given for the drawer insides and interior.

Tom, I helped a High School student build this dresser two years ago for his senior project. It's made of Oak, but he insisted on painting it black. :gar-Cr At least when he comes to his senses and refinishes it, he will have a nice Oak dresser. Anyway, I sprayed all the finish w/ my HVLP gun as follows. Zinsser B-I-N primer (2 coats), followed by 3 coats of oil based black paint, thinned to a consistency suitable for the spray gun.

B-I-N is a shellac based primer and can be used under any top coat (oil, water, lacquer, shellac, etc.). It goes on easy and dries fast. I've tried water based paint and succeeded only in raising my blood pressure. So I stick w/ oil base, and patiently wait for it to dry. It also seems to go on much smoother than water based, for me at least.

HTH

​

 

[TominZebulon]

Fantastic info everyone!! Thanks! I will borrow from each of you your ideas. Is the primer tinted also or is it clear? And if it is clear, can I use that on the interior and the drawers?

 

[Jeff]

Caution! Do not use anything oil based on the drawer interiors. They'll smell like a refinery for years!

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Fantastic info everyone!! Thanks! I will borrow from each of you your ideas. Is the primer tinted also or is it clear? And if it is clear, can I use that on the interior and the drawers?

The B-I-N primer is tinted white, so I would not use that on the drawers, even though it is shellac based.

Caution! Do not use anything oil based on the drawer interiors. They'll smell like a refinery for years!

+1. Stay away from anything oil based on the drawers. For me, sprayed clear shellac is the best choice.

 

[TominZebulon]

thinned to a consistency suitable for the spray gun.

HTH

​

OK, one more question for now. How do I know what consistency will work for my gun? I am willing to learn by trial and error, but where should I start? (OK, I realize that was 2 questions).

 

[Bill Clemmons]

OK, one more question for now. How do I know what consistency will work for my gun? I am willing to learn by trial and error, but where should I start? (OK, I realize that was 2 questions).

There are all kinds of devices you can use to measure consistency that involve strainers, cups, stop watches, cycles of the moon, and the sun's magnetic field. Okay, maybe not the last two. :nah:

Personally, I just use the "eyeball" method, developed over many years of lazy woodworking. I pour my finish into a measuring cup, then add the solvent and stir. When I pull the stir stick out, I want to see the material start dripping almost immediately, like water. If it's too thick, I add a little more solvent. As a general rule, I start w/ about 25% solvent. (Ex: if I want 16 oz. of finish, I start w/ 12 oz. of material and 4 oz. of solvent.) This works well for varnish, polyurethane, and lacquer.

For shellac, I find that a 1.5# cut sprays very well for me.

 

[Jeff]

My spraying experience is limited to shellac (a 2 lb cut diluted with DNA to about a 1 lb cut) and Waterlox Original Sealer/Finish right out of the can. I use an Earlex 5000 HVLP with a 1.5 mm nozzle. The video is specific to the Earlex but the concepts apply to spray finishing in general.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIZI8jle0-4

1. What type of finish are you going to use? Solvent based or water-borne?

2. Measure the viscosity as is to select the recommended nozzle size. Try spraying it on some scrap stuff. Hmmm. Do I need/want to dilute this just a bit or is it simply an adjustment of the spray pattern or flow? If diluted, redo the viscosity check.
Try it.

3. Clean the gun thoroughly before storing it.

 

[TominZebulon]

1. What type of finish are you going to use? Solvent based or water-borne?

I will be painting the dresser with oil based paint. I think I will start with the 25% solvent to start and see what I think on scrap. I assume mineral spirits is the solvent of choice for paint? The paint will be black, not that it matters I guess..