# What now??



## ibs76 (Nov 9, 2009)

We were given a very nice old dresser that I think we ruined while refinishing. I decided to finish the inside of the drawers after talking to a couple of people and used the Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane. It's only been 6 days but yes the drawers stink and I won't be able to put clothes in there. What can I do to fix this smell problem. Do I have to totally sand the inside of the drawers, is there something I can "paint" on over it. Do I need to give it some more time? I just want to know how to fix this now. The outside turned out beautiful but it's the inside that has me sick because I refuse to just toss it, I want to fix it......right.http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/helmsman_spar_urethane.html


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

Take the drawers out and set them outside or, somewhere that they will get plenty of air circulation.....garage?? You may need an oscillating fan. Same with the dresser as the inside has also been contaminated with the odor. Leave them for several days. The smell will dissipate as the finish fully cures. It may take a couple more weeks.

Not to argue with those who told you to do so but, I never finish the drawer insides. 

Gene


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## ibs76 (Nov 9, 2009)

Thanks Gene. Do you think the smell will go away eventually even though I didn't use a water based poly? I just want to use it as a dresser. Wish I would have researched it on my own instead of listening to others. Oh well....


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

ibs76 said:


> Thanks Gene. Do you think the smell will go away eventually even though I didn't use a water based poly? I just want to use it as a dresser. Wish I would have researched it on my own instead of listening to others. Oh well....


Yep, eventually it will go away. Time is all it takes....and good air circulation.


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## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

Nothing nicer than the smell of sandalwood or oak when you open a drawer. Let the wood talk.
johnep


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

You might not like my take on this. Helmsman Spar is intended for exterior use (and not that good BTW). Spars have a higher ratio of oil to allow for weather and temperature variation. IOW, it's more flexible than an ordinary varnish or polyurethane.

It can take weeks or longer (month +) for it to cure, but it will never get very hard, depending on how thick the application is. It's likely that it will provide an odor for a very long time. I'm guessing many months, or longer. I'd be real surprised if it entirely goes away.

At this point I would use a chemical stripper and remove the finish. I finish the interior of drawers as it keeps the wood from getting dirty. I would only use lacquer or waterbase polyurethane.


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## Julian the woodnut (Nov 5, 2008)

Water based poly or even shellac would have been a better choice than any oil based finish. You might be able to just cover the varnish with shellac to cover the smell. I know it works for subfloors that have been stained by animal urine.


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## dragonslumber (Nov 7, 2009)

Julian the woodnut said:


> You might be able to just cover the varnish with shellac to cover the smell. I know it works for subfloors that have been stained by animal urine.


Cool tip

Don


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## ibs76 (Nov 9, 2009)

Should I try to shellac it first and then if that doesn't work just strip it all? Any particular brand/kind of shellac? I varnished the inside because it's so old and no matter how much I tried "cleaning" it I was always getting dirt and junk on my rag so I didn't want my clothes directly on the wood that I couldn't get fully clean. I already had the spar stuff because that is what our kitchen cabinet installer told us to put on under the cabinet where the coffee maker goes and above the lip above the dishwasher where steam comes out to prevent it from warping there from the heat and steam. So when asked since I already had a container of the spars was told it would be fine for the drawers.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

At this point, shellac may or may not cut the odor, but will seal in a very slowly drying finish, and keep it from curing. I'll stick with my original assessment.


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## ibs76 (Nov 9, 2009)

Could I sand the insides instead of using a chemical stripper? My husband is telling me just to put dryer sheets in it and it will be fine lol Um no amount of dryer sheets will cover up the smell! I do have it sitting right in front of our pellet stove hoping that heat will help it dry/cure faster since we don't have nice weather or sun anymore but I think even that is a lost cause.


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## Jim Tank (Apr 28, 2009)

if you sand it, that will thin the top cured or hardened film and allow the evaporators trapped underneath to escape sooner. rub it down with mineral spirits liberally to speed up curing by keeping the top of the surface soft so curing will speed up in the deep pockets. As it hardens, sand with 180 or so grit. Like others have said, spar varnish has lots of oil and not much hardener, so it cures real slow. what your smelling is the chemical evaporators escaping as the other chemicals harden. Sanding will give you a silky smooth interior surface so your unmentionables wil never snag on varnish nits. Be patient and by Christmas you'll have a nice dresser and a swell memory of punching your cabinet installer in the nose!


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

Unfortunately Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane is the crapiest of the crap. It takes an exceptionally long time to dry. In the direct sunlight it will take several days and possibly a week in the southern hot sun. I dont suggest putting furniture in direct sunlight though, it will split. Inside an aired out boat it can take up to a month. Eventually it will dry. In a confined space such as a drawer, I just dont know. 

Hasn't anyone ever noticed that usually furniture drawer insides are unfinished? So why not keep the tradition? Can anyone list resons why? 
For one, wood open wood breathes and helps prevent mildew. Another reason is if the room gets hot and humid, which is rare these days of Air Conditioning, the finish might cause the drawers to stick.


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## ibs76 (Nov 9, 2009)

I have decided to put the whole thing unassembled(meaning drawers out) downstairs and see how it is in a few months. I don't need to use it right now. So I will put it down there and just "forget" about it and see how it is next spring/summer and then tackle it outside. Thanks everyone for their help and I am making notes on what to do if need be some spring/summer!


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## Old Skhool (Oct 31, 2009)

That's the best idea, it's always been difficult for me allow time to work in curing a finish. Patience is a long hard taught lesson, at least for me. I was watching a program where they were making wooden levels and kept the stock in the clamps for 2 weeks, even though the glue itself was dry well within the 1st day. They just wanted to be sure the bond, moisture content, had fully stabilized before machining.


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