Unfinished Pine Furniture – Maximum Flexibility In Decorating Your Home

How many times have you seen a cool table or dresser that you didn’t buy only because the color did not match your other furniture? Countless times, most likely!

But, how can you solve this problem?

It's simple! First, purchase unfinished pine furniture--the pieces you REALLY want! Then pick up the right stain and/or paint colors and finish it in the exact hue desired to match other furnishings, carpet, wall, draperies, etc.

You can even think outside-of-the-box and paint it one of your bold accent colors---sky blue, bright red, blue-green--whatever accent color you're trying to highlight!

But, this is not the only benefit. . .

Often the quality with unfinished furniture is higher than with finished furniture. Manufacturers must use a higher-grade of lumber because knots and other obvious weak points are immediately visible. Finished chairs, tables, and dressers hide the wood's weak points. They only become visible when the furniture begins to wear.

And then there’s the price. In addition to the higher quality, you can easily save hundreds of dollars when buying unfinished furniture.

Needless to say, the concept of finishing your furniture pieces yourself has become more and more popular, especially with the advent of the do-it-yourself home decor TV shows that are now so prevalent.

Here are a few more tips to consider when thinking about finishing your furniture:

• Plan before you start. Do you know how to work with photo software? Place the new, yet unfinished item in its future location. Make a photo with your digital camera and edit your photo on your computer, giving your new piece of furniture the desired color. If it doesn’t look great on your computer, it probably won’t look great in reality!
• Make sure your work area is well-lit, but avoid too much direct sunlight which tends to dry out paint. Air out your work area regularly, and if working indoors, try to keep a window open as much as possible to vent the fumes and help your piece dry quickly.
• Obviously you'll need tools and paint. Think of everything you need before going shopping the first time--brushes, sealer coat, finish coat, sandpaper, wood conditioner, etc. If possible, use water base products – they’re safer.
• Always read the labels on the products you buy. And use all safety precautions. Wear gloves, safety goggles, old clothes and, a respirator if needed.