Re: finish for pine dresser

For color work, I'd vote for a higher viscosity gel stain like Bartleys. Many gel stains are formulated on the thin side but Bartleys is a good balance as a thixotrope. Takes the guesswork out of washcoating or conditioning (I've fixed problems on pine when people have tried washcoating for themselves - what may seem foolproof to those of us who do this for a living can lead to visual mayhem in the hands of a novice).

Gel stains are polymeric which means (in simple English!) that they contain a finish binder as well as the coloring agent. You can topcoat with clear gel varnish (a polyurethane / alkyd varnish blend) which will give you a low build soft sheen.