Standing in the lumber yard trying to decide between prefinished and unfinished plywood? The choice comes down to three things: your timeline, your budget, and whether you need a custom finish.
Prefinished plywood costs more upfront but arrives ready to install with factory-applied finishes. Unfinished plywood is cheaper but requires you to sand, stain, and seal it yourself—which takes time and skill.
Neither option is universally better. The right choice depends on your specific project needs.
Quick Decision Guide
Choose prefinished if you:
- Need the project done fast
- Want consistent results across large areas
- Don’t have space or skills for finishing work
- Are working in occupied buildings (no fumes)
Choose unfinished if you:
- Need exact color matching to existing finishes
- Have a tight materials budget
- Enjoy finishing work and have the time
- Want control over finish thickness and quality
What’s the Real Difference?
Prefinished plywood comes with stain, paint, or clear coating already applied at the factory. You unpack it and install it. Common options include clear poly for natural wood look, pre-stained panels, painted finishes for cabinets, and UV-cured coatings for durability.
Unfinished plywood is raw wood—sanded smooth but with no protective coating. You get complete flexibility for custom colors and finishes, but you’re also responsible for all the finishing work. That means sanding, conditioning, staining, sealing, and waiting for everything to dry between coats.
Important note: Most prefinished plywood has finished faces but raw edges. Any cuts expose unfinished wood that needs touch-up.
Prefinished Plywood: The Good & The Bad
Why People Choose It
Time savings matter. You skip days of finishing work and move straight to installation. No waiting for coats to dry. For contractors on tight schedules, this alone justifies the premium.
Consistency across the project. Factory-controlled conditions mean every sheet looks identical—no variations in color or sheen. Critical when you’re doing kitchen cabinets or large wall installations where inconsistency shows.
The wood is protected immediately. No risk of moisture damage during transport or storage. You can work in less-than-ideal conditions without worrying about raw wood getting compromised before you seal it.
The Downsides
It costs more upfront. Expect to pay a premium over unfinished. For large projects, that adds up fast.
Limited finish options. You’re stuck with whatever colors and sheens the manufacturer offers. Need to match your client’s existing cabinets exactly? Tough luck. Want a specialty finish? Not happening with prefinished.
Edges and cuts still need work. Factory finishes don’t cover edges, and every cut exposes raw wood. You’ll still need edge banding or touch-up work. Matching the factory finish with your field touch-up can be tricky.
Quality varies wildly. Cheap prefinished plywood may have thin coatings that scratch easily. Always buy from reputable suppliers who stock quality brands.
Unfinished Plywood: The Good & The Bad
Why People Choose It
Material costs less. The price difference can be significant, especially on large projects. That budget savings can go toward better wood grades or other project needs.
Complete customization. Any color, any stain, any sheen you want. Need to match 30-year-old trim? You can get it exact. Want a unique distressed finish? Do it your way.
You control quality. Apply as many coats as you want with premium products. Use marine-grade sealants for maximum protection. The durability depends on your standards, not the manufacturer’s cost-cutting.
The Downsides
Finishing takes days, not hours. Sand, condition, stain, seal—with drying time between each step. Weather affects your schedule. For time-sensitive work, this delay creates real problems.
Results depend on skill. Quality finishes require experience and the right equipment. DIYers face a learning curve. Application errors show in the final product, and fixing mistakes means starting over.
Raw wood is vulnerable. Until you seal it, the wood can get moisture damage, stains, and scratches. You have to protect it carefully during storage and handling.
The Cost Question
Here’s the honest answer: it depends on how you value time and whether you’re doing the work yourself.
Prefinished costs more per sheet—sometimes significantly more. But you save on finishing supplies (stain, sealant, brushes, sandpaper). More importantly, you save labor hours.
For contractors, those labor hours have real dollar value. The time spent finishing unfinished plywood is time not spent on other paying work. The material premium often costs less than the lost productivity.
For DIYers doing their own work, unfinished usually saves money if you have the time and skills. But factor in your time value honestly—those 40+ hours of finishing work have worth even if you’re not billing for them.
The break-even point shifts based on project size, your labor rate, and how much the finish customization matters.
When Each Option Makes Sense
Prefinished Works Best For:
Commercial projects with hard deadlines. Retail fixtures that need to open on schedule. Cabinet shops producing multiple identical units. Projects in occupied buildings where finishing fumes aren’t acceptable.
Large installations requiring perfect color matching across many sheets. Situations where you don’t have suitable workspace for finishing. Winter projects when weather makes field finishing difficult.
Unfinished Works Best For:
Custom furniture requiring specific aesthetics. Historic restoration matching old finishes exactly. Projects where you’re working with tight material budgets but have available labor.
Situations where you need extra-thick protective coatings for harsh environments. DIY projects where you enjoy the finishing work and aren’t under time pressure. Applications requiring specialty finish systems not available prefinished.
Best Uses for Prefinished & Unfinished Plywood
Kitchen cabinets: Prefinished for doors and face frames gives consistent appearance and saves massive time. Unfinished for boxes saves money on parts nobody sees. Many pros use this hybrid approach.
Wall paneling: Prefinished makes sense for large commercial installations needing speed and consistency. Unfinished works for residential projects where exact color matching to existing trim matters more than installation speed.
Custom furniture: Usually needs unfinished for specific aesthetics and custom finishing techniques that define the piece’s character.
Built-ins and millwork: Depends on complexity. Simple installations benefit from prefinished speed. Custom details requiring artistic finishing need unfinished flexibility.
Critical Tips for Success
Working with Prefinished
Inspect carefully before accepting delivery—finish defects are hard to fix after installation. Use carbide-tipped blades with fine teeth to minimize chipping. Have touch-up supplies ready for cut edges. Protect finished surfaces during installation since scratches can’t be easily sanded out.
Working with Unfinished
Sand properly with progressive grits (120, 180, 220) always going with the grain. Use wood conditioner on soft species like pine and birch to prevent blotchy staining. Apply thin coats and be patient with drying time between applications.
Control your workspace environment—temperature between 65-75°F and low humidity produce best results. Seal everything, especially edges, since plywood edges absorb moisture quickly. Always test stain color on scrap before starting your actual project.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
With prefinished: assuming all brands are equal quality (they’re not), failing to plan for edge finishing, using wrong saw blades and chipping the finish, not having touch-up materials ready.
With unfinished: skipping wood conditioner on soft woods, rushing between coats without proper drying, not testing stain colors first, exposing raw wood to moisture before sealing, using incompatible products together.
Making Your Decision
Both prefinished and unfinished plywood have legitimate uses in professional construction and DIY projects. Prefinished wins when time, consistency, and convenience matter most. Unfinished wins when customization, budget, and quality control take priority.
The mistake is choosing based on what’s “better” instead of what fits your project requirements. Honest assessment of your timeline, budget, skills, and finish needs points you toward the right option.
Forest Plywood stocks both options and can help you think through which makes sense for your specific situation. With 50+ years supplying builders throughout Southern California, we’ve seen both choices succeed and fail based on application.
Call us at 800.936.7378 or visit our locations in La Mirada or National City. We’ll help you choose correctly the first time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is prefinished plywood more expensive than unfinished?
Yes, prefinished costs more per sheet. But when you factor in finishing supplies and labor time, the total project cost often narrows—especially for contractors whose time has direct dollar value.
Can you paint or stain over prefinished plywood?
Not recommended. The factory finish creates a sealed surface that won’t accept new stain well. If you need different colors, start with unfinished.
How long does it take to finish unfinished plywood?
Plan on 3-4 days from start to fully cured finish when you factor in drying time between coats. Active work time is 2-4 hours per sheet, but the waiting is what extends the timeline.
Does prefinished plywood need sealing after installation?
The faces are sealed, but cut edges and any damage need sealing. Apply matching finish or clear sealant to exposed raw wood.
Which lasts longer: prefinished or unfinished plywood?
Quality matters more than application method. High-quality factory finishes can outlast mediocre field work, but premium field finishing can exceed cheap prefinished durability.
Should I use prefinished or unfinished for cabinets?
Many pros use prefinished for doors and face frames (speed and consistency) with unfinished for boxes (cost savings on hidden parts). This hybrid approach balances budget, timeline, and finish quality.
