Placing some sort of finish on the wood surfaces of furniture dates from the earliest periods of history. Whether or not these first wood finishes were intended primarily as decoration or as a means of preserving the wood is unknown. The early Egyptian varnishes and Oriental lacquers probably combined both these purposes. On the other hand, the hand-rubbed sweat finishes prevalent in Europe prior to the seventeenth century provided little more than a decorative effect for the wood.

Modern wood finishes are designed to be both protective and and decorative. The nature or extent of the protection provided by the finish depends upon the type used, which in most cases is usually (but not always) determined by the intended service usage of the piece of furniture. A shellac finish, for example, does not provide the toughness and durability of varnish, enamel, or lacquer.

It is therefore not advisable to use shellac on table and desk tops, children's furniture, chair arms, and other surfaces subject to hard wear. On the other hand, shellac finishes are much easier to apply by the beginner, and are often used for this reason. It should be apparent at this point that the selection of a finish is determined by a number of interrelated factors. Since some of these factors, such as ease of application and the degree of toughness, may be conflicting in nature, the worker must choose among The best possible combinations when making the selection of the most suitable finish to use.

Some of the factors used in selecting a wood finish include the following:

1. ease of application
2. cost
3. intended service condition
4. appearance desired