Buying Used Furniture

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Buying used furniture can be an iffy proposition and can raise a lot of questions. Will it last, is it worth the money, does it need repairs. But maybe the allure of owning a vintage or antique piece compels you to go out and find it.

One of my favorite things to do is visit thrift shops and consignment shops and antique stores. You just never know what you’re going to find. Sometimes I look at a piece that is old and past its prime and I think once upon a time someone was very happy and proud to have this. Sometimes I find things and wonder how anyone could ever get rid of this.

When it comes to buying used furniture, I have a few tips to share about what I do to decide whether a particular piece is a good buy or not.

I first think about whether the item is something I need or just something I want. then I think about its intended use, whether functional or just decorative. And I look at the condition of it and if it needs repairs, is it something I can do.

I recently purchased this chest of drawers at a consignment shop. It is a beautiful piece at first glance.

Let’s look further. I first notice how extremely solid and heavy it is. That’s a good sign!

I see that it is solid wood, no pressed board MDF stuff. That is important to me. If not, it’s a deal breaker. It might be hard to ascertain, but often times you can see pressed board by looking at the back of the item where you can see the exposed side edges.

The drawers are also very telling. these are all wood, perfect. They have dove-taiI joinery, which is a strong joint. Just glue and nails will not last. I take note of the height of the drawer sides and see they are as tall or nearly as tall as the fronts. Drawers that are shorter are more stressed when open. They have wood sliders as well, which are preferred over metal ones.

Sometimes I get lucky and I find the maker’s label or stamp on a piece. This one has an original label on the back, it was made by the Davis Cabinet Company in Tennessee. It has another label telling that it’s made of solid Appalachian oak. And I found a manufacture date stamp on the inside, dated 23 Nov 1948. These things aren’t necessary, but they are a plus.

This is a good solid chest and will probably be around longer than I am, so I bought it.

Maybe at some point down the line I will refinish it, but for now I just cleaned it really well with Murphy’s Oil Soap.

Stay tuned for my tips on buying other pieces as I find them, like chairs. I love chairs and I buy them just because.