I get asked this a lot by beginners: why bother with finishes at all? Cannot you just leave wood raw and call it a day?
Well, you could. But after watching an unfinished cutting board warp itself into a banana shape and a raw pine shelf develop mystery stains, I am firmly in the finish camp. Here is what I have figured out over years of messing around with wood.
Protection From the Elements
Wood is basically a sponge for moisture. Leave it unprotected and it will swell when it is humid, shrink when it is dry, and eventually crack or warp. I learned this the hard way with a nightstand I built in my first year of woodworking. Skipped the finish because I was impatient. By spring it had a gap you could stick a pencil through.
A good finish seals the wood fibers and keeps moisture from getting in and out so fast. Varnishes and polyurethane do this best since they form an actual barrier on the surface. Oils penetrate and help but they are not as foolproof.
Sun damage is another thing. UV rays will fade and gray exposed wood pretty quickly. Ever seen an old deck that has gone silvery-gray? That is what happens. UV-resistant finishes slow this down significantly.
Making the Wood Actually Look Good
Here is the thing – raw wood often looks kind of flat and boring. The first time I wiped mineral spirits on a board I had just sanded, my jaw dropped. The grain suddenly popped, colors deepened, and the whole piece came alive.
Finishes do that permanently. Oil finishes especially bring out the chatoyance (fancy word for that shimmery, tiger-stripe effect in some woods). A dull piece of cherry becomes rich and warm. Figured maple starts glowing like it has light inside it.
Some folks prefer the look of film finishes like lacquer that give a smooth, polished appearance. Others want that natural, just-been-oiled look. Neither is wrong – it is about what you are going for.
Easier Cleaning and Maintenance
Raw wood is a nightmare to clean. Spill coffee on an unfinished table and you have a permanent coffee stain. Ask me how I know.
With a proper finish, spills bead up on the surface instead of soaking in. You can wipe them away without leaving marks. Dust does not settle into the grain as much. General cleaning becomes just wiping with a damp cloth instead of an anxiety-inducing ordeal.
My kitchen table gets abused daily – crumbs, spilled milk, art projects gone wrong – and all I do is wipe it down. The finish takes the hit so the wood underneath stays pristine.
Some Finishes Are Actually Eco-Friendly
If you are worried about chemicals, there are solid natural options. Linseed oil comes from flax seeds. Tung oil is from tree nuts. Beeswax is, well, from bees. Shellac is made by lac bugs (weird but true).
These have been used for literally centuries and they work. My grandfather finished furniture with boiled linseed oil and some of those pieces are still in great shape sixty years later.
For indoor air quality, water-based finishes have come a long way. Low-VOC and zero-VOC options mean you are not filling your house with fumes. I switched to water-based poly for a lot of projects after my wife complained about the smell of oil-based products.
It Just Makes Financial Sense
Think about it this way: furniture costs money. Good wood costs money. Time spent building something costs… well, time, which is also valuable.
A few dollars worth of finish and an hour of application can make a piece last decades longer. Skip that step and you might be replacing or repairing in a few years.
I built a bookshelf early on that I did not bother finishing because it is just a bookshelf. Within two years the shelves had water rings from plant pots, the sides were scuffed, and the whole thing looked beat up. Ended up sanding the whole thing down and finishing it properly. Should have just done it right the first time.
The Bottom Line
Could you skip finishes entirely? Sure. Some woodworkers do leave pieces raw for aesthetic reasons, or if the wood will never see abuse. But for anything that will be touched, used, or exposed to real life, a finish is not optional – it is essential.
The type of finish matters less than having one at all. Start simple, maybe with a wipe-on poly or Danish oil. As you do more projects you will develop preferences. But do not skip this step. Your future self (and your future furniture) will thank you.
