Yes. While you can leave the paint unfinished it will attract lots of scuffs and scrapes and is not ideal for furniture. You could use the Behr wax (for a soft finish for lightly used furniture) or (my preference) a strong non-yellowing polycrylic top coat. Always test in an inconspicuous area first (and use good lighting to check for yellowing). I used Minwax Polycrylic in a clear matte for my review piece.