In article ,
G.E.R.R.Y. wrote:
I know that conventional wisdom says that both sides of wood should be
finished the same to prevent warping. However, what if the "other side"
happens to be the inside of a chest that will hold clothes or other
goods that you don't want "stinking" of stains, varnishes, shellacs,
or, in fact, any type of finish? Can the inside be left unfinished?
What would be the consequences of leaving it unfinished?

Gerry

Shellac won't leave any odor. Old furniture is often unfinished on the
inside (talking about stuff in the 50-75+ year old range) and while it
seems to hold up fine as far as warping goes, very often the surface
of the wood inside drawers becomes somewhat soft and creates dust. I
find that wiping on a thin coat of shellac will help seal such items
and reduce the dust. In fact, if the piece has a musty odor
inside, shellac will often take care of that as well.
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Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland