What Is Unfinished Furniture?

The term “unfinished” refers to pieces of wood furniture which are purchased without any finishing coat applied to them. The wood is supplied bare, without any paint, wax or varnish, ready for its new owner to apply the finish of their choice. Reasons for purchasing unfinished furniture are manifold. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Cost – Cutting out a large portion of the construction process of a piece of furniture greatly reduces the cost of manufacture and as such, unfinished furniture usually costs significantly less than the equivalent finished item. Great savings can be made by choosing to purchase unfinished items, especially when furnishing your whole house.

Greater Choice – Unfinished furniture gives you the choice of finishing in whichever way suits you. Simply pick a design you like and finish in a way that compliments your home. Like a modern design with a classic painted finish, no problem. Want solid oak with a dark stained finish, no bother. Have the furniture you want, finished exactly the way you want 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.

Which Unfinished Furniture? – As with any home furnishings, when picking an item of unfinished furniture for your home, it is essential to think about the quality of furniture required. Before deciding on whether you require solid hardwood, softwood or furniture made from man-made woods such as MDF, you will need to think about its purpose and the finish you intend to apply. For example, a painted item for a child’s bedroom may be fine made from MDF whereas oak or pine may be more suitable for a stained coffee table for a living room.

Preparing for Finishing – The beauty of buying unfinished furniture is that it is supplied ready for you to add your chosen finish without much preparation work required. When finishing your unfinished furniture, all that is usually required before applying your chosen finish is to rub over the surface of the wood with a tack-cloth or vacuum cleaner to remove any dust. If you have decided to finish your furniture by painting, the entire piece will require a coat or two of water-based primer which then needs to be lightly sanded before a final coloured top coat is applied.

Finishes – There are a great many choices when deciding on a way of finishing your furniture. Some of the more popular choices include: Oil finishes such as teak or Danish oil, waxes such as beeswax, shellac, varnishes and paint finishes. No matter which you choose, always read the instructions for application carefully and always test for correctness of colour on a hidden area first.

Hopefully this article has provided you with plenty to think about when choosing furniture for your home. As with any other area of home furnishing or DIY, if you are in any doubt, always consult a professional or specialist who will be able to help you with any queries.

This article is by James Rockford, who is a regular writer for prestigious furniture websites such as Walnut Furniture. James has a passion for furniture and interior design and also authors periodically for amazingwebsites such as Mango Wood Furniture amongst others.


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