The term unfinished, when relating to furniture, indicates any items of furniture sold without first receiving any form of finish or final coating such as wax, paint or varnish. Usually a term applied to wood furniture, the items are delivered bare, ready for the customer to apply the finish that best suits their needs. Here are a few great reasons for choosing to buy unfinished furniture for your home.
Cutting Costs – Unfinished furniture saves the manufacturer from having to finish the items themselves, cutting out a substantial and time-consuming part of the production process. This in turn saves the manufacturer a fair amount of money which is usually passed on to the customer resulting in far cheaper furniture for your home. These savings can become very significant when furnishing an entire home therefore many choose to purchase their furniture in an unfinished state.
Choice – Another great reason for choosing unfinished furniture is the sheer range of choice it allows. Are you a fan of modern cube furniture but can’t find it anywhere finished in a cherry red stain with high gloss polyurethane top-coat? No problem, just choose the style you like and finish it the way you like it.
Colour Matching – One of the more popular reasons for purchasing unfinished furniture is that it allows you to match items from different ranges or suppliers by simply applying the same finish to each piece. Many people get annoyed when they look to buy an additional item to match an existing furniture collection only to find that the range has been discontinued. With unfinished furniture this is no problem, just purchase a design similar to your existing furniture and finish to match.
Quality – When choosing your unfinished furniture, it pays to think about what quality of furniture is required. Solid wood is usually far better quality than manufactured boards such as plywood but do cost more. Think about how long you are likely to keep the furniture, the finish you will be applying and where the furniture will be used. For example, if you are planning on using a dark stain on the furniture for your living room, we would suggest that solid wood would be the best choice however for a painted piece to be placed in a child’s bedroom, furniture constructed from man-made boards would be a cheaper alternative and would more than likely last long enough.
Preparation – Thankfully, the preparation work required for finishing your unfinished furniture is minimal. With most finishes, all that is required is a wipe over with a tack-cloth or lightly moistened rag to remove any dust. For a painted finish, a few coats of primer will be required before the finished top coat is applied.
Choosing a Finish – The possibilities for finishing your furniture are nigh on endless although there are a few common choices you may wish to consider: Tinted or clear varnishes, paint, polyurethane lacquer, oil based clear or stain finishes such as Danish oil, wax finishes such as beeswax and shellac. Whichever product you choose, be sure to read the application instructions thoroughly and if required, test on an inconspicuous part of the wood before covering the entire piece.
This article has hopefully provided some useful information about unfinished furniture and its uses in your home. Whichever way you choose to decorate your home and furniture, if you are unsure about anything, please talk to a professional or at least someone competent at DIY before starting any projects.
If you enjoyed this article, and would like to find out more please visit Sheesham Furniture. This article was written by James, who is passionate about furniture and writes regularly for sites such as Jali Furniture amongst others.