Holy Smokes… Literally: My First Battle with a Smoky Dresser

People loved to smoke in the time of MCM furniture. Here is how to combat those smoke odors in your furniture.

Recently, while scrolling through Facebook Marketplace hunting for my next mid-century gem, I noticed something unusual — prices for worn, outdated pieces were surprisingly high. Maybe it was a fluke, maybe just bad timing, but it had me watching several listings to see whether reality would eventually settle in.

Then I saw it: one of my favorite MCM styles at a price that could be negotiated into something fair. After a little back-and-forth, Michelle and I hopped in the truck and started the 45-minute drive. My mind immediately went to finishing ideas — bold color or neutral? Something trendy or timeless?

This is one of the things I love about refinishing furniture: the creativity pulls you away from the noise of the world.

Finding the Piece

When we arrived, the dresser was already outside waiting for us. The drawers slid smoothly, the wood was solid, and the original hardware was intact — a huge win for any refinisher.

I asked my usual question:“Is there a story behind this piece?”

The seller shared that it belonged to her uncle, who had owned it for his entire life. I love when pieces come with history.

What I apparently didn’t do well was the sniff test. Either excitement got the best of me or my nose simply took the day off, because nothing seemed off.

Working in Fresh Air (and Missing the First Sign)

Once home, I rolled the dresser outside and immediately got to work. I sanded, primed, painted, and stained it all in fresh air while wearing a ventilator — which probably stopped me from noticing any underlying odor.

By the time the finishing touches were done, I was proud of it. Staged inside our living room (our unofficial warehouse), it looked incredible.

Then Michelle slid a drawer in and said four words no furniture flipper wants to hear:

“This smells really bad.”

At first, I convinced myself it was just the paint or topcoat off-gassing. But after a day or two inside, there was no denying it — this dresser had lived in a smoker’s home, and the odor had soaked deep into the unfinished wood.

A Tough Decision

I take a lot of pride in producing quality work, so selling a piece with any questionable smell was out of the question. Donation didn’t feel right either.

So we cleaned it. And cleaned it again. And again.

Fresh air, sunlight, fans… nothing worked.

At that point, I had two options:

1. Cut my losses and scrap it

2. Shellac every inch of bare wood and hope it sealed the odor

   
   

I’d never used shellac, on bare wood, specifically for odor-blocking before, but refinishing teaches you something new every day. So off to the store I went for clear shellac.

The Shellac Experiment

Shellacking the inside of a dresser is not for the faint of heart or flexible of joints. But I coated every nook and cranny thoroughly and let it cure in the garage for a few days.

When we finally brought it back inside, Michelle and I did what only furniture refinishers would do — we pulled drawers out, stuck our heads inside, and performed dramatic sniff tests like trained scent hounds.

To our surprise and relief, the smoke smell was gone. If anything, there was the faintest hint of shellac still fading, but no trace of nicotine.

So we listed it.

The Moment of Truth

The post quickly got attention: hundreds of views, dozens of saves, and one very excited couple who politely asked us not to sell it before they arrived.

When they came, I walked them through the piece and explained the restoration process — including the extra steps taken to ensure it was clean, odor-free, and ready for its next life. They told us about their frustrations with modern “quick build” furniture falling apart and how they were looking for something solid.

Then came the moment of truth.

They opened drawers. They leaned in. They talked quietly.

And then we heard it:

“Wow! For how old this is, it doesn’t even smell bad.”

Michelle and I exchanged a silent celebratory high-five behind the kitchen counter.

What I Learned

Yes — I am now a firm believer in shellac’s ability to seal in stubborn odors that nothing else touches.

Will I intentionally buy smoky furniture again? Absolutely not.

But if my nose ever fails me again, at least I know I have a reliable, tested solution that works.

Every piece has a story, every project teaches something new, and every challenge makes me a better refinisher. This one just happened to include a lesson I won’t forget anytime soon.