I posted this question back a few months ago but did not get a lot of responses. Now that I’m getting closer to doing the work, I decided I’d re-post it.
I am planning to rebuild my walk in closet with a ‘california closets’ type style (lots of plywood shelving, drawers, etc. Right now it’s just the standard white metal shelving.
I want the closet to have a classy look to it which to me would mean finishing all the wood. Nothing fancy, I just want to bring out the color a bit more.
What I’m worried about is the smell that the finish would leave on the clothing. This is obviously something I’d like to avoid. As I’m still a newbie when it comes to finishing, I was wondering if anyone could suggest a type of finish that does not smell (or has a very minor odor).
Thanks,
Dan
Replies
Stay away from any oil based finish like Danish Oil or oil based varnish or poly varnish. Shellac and waterborne finishes work fine. Also, lacquer finishes will become odor free within a few days.
I did something similar with my closet (not a walk-in, though) about a year ago. I ended up finishing with water-based poly. No smell after it cured.
I'd use shellac...easy to use, cheap and it is totally odorless when it dries.
Good luck!
Well, it looks like the consensus is water-based poly or shellac. I think I'll go the shellac route since I'll be using it on another piece as well.
Thanks everbody for the feedback.
Dan
Dan, why not go the easy route and build your shelving out of cedar? If sanded smooth (which is pretty easy in cedar), it doesn't need any finish at all, and your clothes will smell wonderful - also keeps out bugs.
One note on the sanding, though - be sure to wear a mask. I spent yesterday afternoon on the lathe and turned a wee goblet out of a very dry piece of cedar - dust everywhere, including up my nose. I'll be blowing out black gunk for a week!
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