Does peel-and-stick wallpaper work on furniture?

Yes — especially on flat surfaces like tabletops, shelf sides, or stool seats. Seal the wood first with one coat of clear matte so the wallpaper adheres evenly. It's the easiest way to add pattern or color to a piece without committing to it forever.

What if I want to leave the wood natural?

Baltic birch has a beautiful, even grain that looks like more expensive Scandinavian furniture. Apply one coat of clear matte spray or wipe-on poly to protect it from spills. It will not yellow over time.

How long does it take to finish a piece of UNFNSHED furniture?

Most people finish their piece in one weekend. Painting or staining the flat panels takes two thin coats with dry time between, and assembly is about 2 minutes once the finish is dry. Total active time is under an hour.

Same piece. Your finish.

Q: What is the best paint for unfinished furniture?

Spray paints are fastest and give the most even finish. Chalk paint is the most forgiving for beginners and needs zero priming. Low-VOC interior latex is the most durable for high-touch pieces. We've tested all three on Baltic birch.

Q: Can I stain UNFNSHED furniture instead of painting?

Yes. Stain lets the Baltic birch grain show through, takes about half the time of painting, and is more forgiving on edges and joints. Walnut, black, and colored stains all work great. Always seal with a clear matte topcoat after.

Q: Can I change the finish later?

Yes. Sand it down, prime, and you have a blank canvas again. You can repaint or restain at any time.

Q: What kind of wood is UNFNSHED furniture made from?

UNFNSHED is built from premium Baltic birch plywood — multiple layers of real birch hardwood pressed together with no MDF or particleboard filler. It is denser, stronger, and takes paint and stain better than most solid pine furniture.

Premium Baltic birch furniture, built to be painted, stained, or wallpapered. Make it yours.

Shop the collection Try the visualizer

Try a finish

Natural Birch UNFNSHED A-Stool in natural Baltic birch

Paint itStain itWallpaper itSeal itChange itMake it yours Paint itStain itWallpaper itSeal itChange itMake it yours

4 ways

to finish — paint, stain, wallpaper, or leave it natural

2 min

to assemble — no tools required

100%

premium Baltic birch — paint and stain ready

Free

visualizer to preview your finish before you commit

Try it now →

Way 01 Paint

Pour, roll,
repeat.

The Baltic birch surface takes paint like a dream. Two thin coats and you've got a piece you'd swear cost five times what you paid.

Saturated colors Spray, brush, or roll No primer for chalk paint

See our favorite paints →

UNFNSHED Mini Rocker with painted side table in a sunlit room

Way 02 Stain

Wood grain
still wins.

Stain lets the Baltic birch grain show through. Easier than paint, more forgiving on edges, ready in half the time.

Walnut, ebony, or colored Wood grain shows through Half the time of paint

Walnut tutorial →

Round Coffee Table in walnut stain styled in living room

Way 03 Wallpaper & Contact Paper

Change your mind.
Often.

Peel-and-stick a tabletop, shelf, or stool seat — and swap the whole vibe whenever your taste shifts. No primer, no glue, no permanent decisions.

Peel-and-stick, no primer Tabletops, shelves, stool seats Swap it whenever

Shop pieces to customize →

Round coffee table with checker-pattern legs in a warm sunlit living room

Way 04 Or just don't

Skip the paint.
Keep the birch.

One coat of clear matte and you're done. The Baltic birch grain reads like Scandi furniture worth four times the price.

Clear matte, won't yellow Under 20 minutes Reads expensive

Clear matte tutorial →

Modern Shelf in raw Baltic birch in a bright living room

The Visualizer · Free

See your finish
before you finish.

Pick a piece. Drop in a paint or stain. See exactly how it'll look in your room — no commitment, no guesswork.

Preview every paint and stain we recommend
Mix-and-match across full collections
Save your favorites and shop direct

Open the visualizer → Browse finishes

02 · How it works

Flat-pack to finished,
in one weekend.

No power tools. No clamps. No five-page IKEA diagram. The hardest part is choosing your finish — which is where the visualizer comes in.

Unbox

Open the box. Lay the panels flat. No tools, no five-page diagram.

UNFNSHED Lounge Chair finished in walnut stain

Apply your finish

Paint, stain, or wallpaper while the panels are flat — way easier than working around assembled corners.

Adult assembling UNFNSHED furniture — quick tool-free assembly

Assemble

Slot, tap, done. About 2 minutes per piece — no Allen keys, no clamps.

UNFNSHED Round Coffee Table styled in a finished living room

Enjoy

Step back. Photograph it. Tag @unfnshedco. Repeat with the next piece.

03 · The blank canvas

Pick a piece.
Pick a finish.

Every UNFNSHED piece is paint and stain ready, made from premium Baltic birch plywood — no veneer, no MDF, no surprises.

UNFNSHED Mini Bundle of side tables in a warm living room

Easiest first DIY

04 · Why UNFNSHED

Not just unfinished.
Unfinished on purpose.

A quick look at how we stack up when you want something paintable, real-wood, and not a weekend headache.

	UNFNSHED	IKEA / Big-Box
Material	Premium Baltic birch plywood	Particleboard / MDF
Paint & stain ready	Yes — built for it	No (laminate doesn't take paint)
Assembly	2 min, no tools	Allen key & instructions
Visualizer to preview finishes	Yes — free	No
Curated finish guide	Yes — tested on our wood	No
Ships flat to your door	Yes — free	Yes — expensive
Modern designs	Yes	Sometimes

05 · Questions, answered

Everything you wanted
to ask before painting.

Do I have to sand UNFNSHED furniture before painting?

For chalk paint and most milk paints, no — the Baltic birch surface is smooth enough to skip sanding. For latex, oil-based, or spray paint, a quick scuff with 220-grit gives the best adhesion. Stain almost always benefits from a light sand to open the grain. For a deeper walkthrough, see our favorite finishes guide.

What's the best paint for unfinished furniture?

It depends on the look you want. Spray paints (matte or glossy) are fastest and give the most even finish. Chalk paint is the most forgiving for beginners and needs zero priming. Low-VOC interior latex is the most durable for high-touch pieces like coffee tables and desks. We've tested all three on our Baltic birch — see our favorite finishes for the exact products we use.

Can I stain it instead of painting?

Yes — and many customers prefer it. Stain lets the Baltic birch grain show through, takes about half the time of painting, and is more forgiving on edges and joints. Walnut, black, and colored stains all work great. Always seal with a clear matte topcoat after.

Does peel-and-stick wallpaper actually work on furniture?

Beautifully — especially on flat surfaces like a tabletop, the side of a shelf, or a stool seat. Make sure the wood is sealed first (one coat of clear matte) so the wallpaper adhesive sticks evenly and doesn't pull up fibers if you remove it later. It's the easiest way to add pattern or color to a piece without committing to it forever.

What if I want to leave it natural?

You absolutely can — Baltic birch has a beautiful, even grain that looks like much more expensive Scandinavian furniture. Just apply one coat of clear matte spray or wipe-on poly to protect it from spills and stains. Won't yellow over time. See our clear matte tutorial for the full process.

How long does the whole process take?

Most people finish their piece across one weekend. Unboxing takes a minute. Painting (or staining) the flat panels is two thin coats with a few hours of dry time between. Assembly is about 2 minutes once the finish is dry. Total active time: under an hour. Total wall-clock time including dry: usually under 24 hours.

Can I change the finish later?

That's the best part. Sand it down, prime, and you're back to a blank canvas. Painted a piece sage green and now you want walnut? Done. Try our visualizer first if you're not sure — it's free.

What kind of wood is UNFNSHED made from?

Premium Baltic birch plywood — multiple layers of real birch hardwood pressed together with no MDF or particleboard filler. It's denser, stronger, and takes paint and stain better than most solid pine furniture. The same material high-end cabinet shops use.

Your blank canvas
is waiting.

Browse the collection, open the visualizer, or grab a side table to start small. Either way, the next piece in your home gets to be yours.

Shop all furniture Try the visualizer →