As tactfully as I can put it----Polyshades is crap.

Shellac is fine for interiors and back, but not the best choice for the exterior( front/sides/top). But, proper coverage means at least two coats of shellac.

Exterior should be a more durable type like varnish or polyurethane. I dislike poly use in areas where chipping/marring/etc. is possible simply because poly cannot be spot repaired due to the plastic ingredients. Does not allow feathering of the finish.

Real varnish is not difficult to apply, but good protection means three coats.

1, Besides being "the worst thing to happen to a can," I'd not use Polyshades, or anything polyurethane, on the inside of casegoods. The oil smell will linger for a long time and remind you whenever you open the drawers.

For the inside, I would use shellac (and recommend it since you already have some on hand for the exterior) or a water-borne finish. Neither will have a lingering smell.

2. Most interiors are not stained (other than what oversprays on the face frame), but left natural, so another strike against Polyshades.

3. Should this finish get scratched (e.g., from drawers going in and out), Polyshades would be near impossible to spot repair seamlessly. With shellac, just brush, pad, or spray on another coat.

3 strikes, y'er out!

My grandmother waxed the drawer tracks and put a pretty paper in the bottom of the drawers. The dressers are still in use.

I painted the inside of one set of drawers in a contrasting color for fun. It held up alright. I touched it up easily when I moved.

What varnish do you like, handyman?

I use either Sherwin Williams or Ace Hardware non poly varnish.

Mainly because those are the closest stores to me and I have been using those two for 20 years or so.

Well, by the time I got back to check the replies, I had already talked myself out of it anyway, mostly for the reasons Bob stated.

There is overspray from when the piece was originally done. I think I'll gently sand that off, then just do a coat of shellac, plus a nice paper for the bottoms of the drawers.

And I'll either paint or replace the plywood backing, which is current a muddy shade of white with drips of stripper down it. .

It just bugs me to no end to see a nicely finished piece of furniture, but then when a drawer is pulled out, it's all ugly and messy. I get that the front and top is the "show" but shouldn't the whole thing be pretty when you actually use it every day? If you're going to go to the trouble of doing all of that refinishing work, don't stop short and leave the rest of it looking like crap.

I painted some old beat up nightstands, then painted the insides of the drawers in a pretty contrasting color. Most drawer interiors get pretty gross after 40-50 years, and these were no exception. The entire piece looks fresh and clean and pretty and it makes me happy every time I open the drawers,