Finish for veneered desk

[Tom]

I am finishing building a desk for my son. The desk is made out of a mixture of solid Tassie Oak/Vic Ash/???, veneered particelboard, and veneered MDF.

As far as I can tell I have a number of options, including...

Use Organoil Hard Burnishing Oil

Use Sander Sealer followed by traditional wax...

The drawers are made of veneered particleboard as are the drawer carcases.

The top is veneered MDF.

The solid sections are the drawer fronts, and the edge trims on the top, drawers, and carcases.

I have had differing opinions on whether to put any finish at all inside the drawers.

Please, add you opinion and help me try to make a decision before my son grows up and leaves home.

[journeyman Mick]

I think it would be wise to finish inside the drawers. It's best to treat the entire piece to the same finish (not neccesarily the same number of coats, ie you might put 4 coats on the top and 1 or 2 on the underside of the top) This way movement due to changing moisture content tends to be fairly even.

Mick

[Tom]

I have been told not to put any finish on the inside of the drawers as the timber can then draw away moisture and prevent mildew

As confused as ever.

[journeyman Mick]

Might work in Canberra, but if you're in the tropics bare timber will grow mould really well.

Mick

[Shane Watson]

Not wise to polish inside drawers...But I find its more a personal choice than anything.

One of the main reason's we pro's don't polish inside drawers especially on tall boys or where clothes etc will be stored is cause, well think of the smell the clothes develope...Oil & wax'z will mark em as well....

There are more technical reason's, but follow ya heart..If you prefer doing inside the drawers, go for it.

Cheers!