UV-curable waterborne unsaturated polyesters for wood coatings were prepared. The effects of different polyols and acids on the properties of the UV-curable waterborne unsaturated polyesters were investigated. Several different unsaturated polyester prepolymers were prepared from three different polyols [ethylene glycol (EG), diethylene glycol(DEG), and propylene glycol(PG)] and three different acids [tetrahydrophthalic anhydride (THPAn), terephthalic acid (TPA), and trimellic anhydride (TMAn)]. UV-curable coating materials were formulated from the prepolymers and 2-hydroxy-2-methylphenyolpropane-1-one as a photoinitiator with distilled water as a diluent. Trimethylolpropane diallyl ether was used as an air inhibitor of cure. The dynamic mechanical studies showed the properties of those unsaturated polyesters were well correlated with their glass transition temperature behaviors. It was found that the unsaturated polyester prepared with 60/40 (mol %) TMAn/THPAn and the equimolar mixture of EG, DEG, and PG showed balanced coating properties such as good tensile properties and weatherability, as well as proper viscosity (ca. 2500 cps) when using distilled water as a diluent.