10 Tips for Buying Used Furniture

Furniture is the primary décor item that makes the rooms in your home come together.  Since furniture is a substantial investment, you want to make sure the pieces are:  1) proportional to the size of a room, 2) fit comfortably within intended spaces, 3) are moderately priced, and 4) in good condition.  For these reasons, secondhand furniture is a budget savvy way to meet your furniture needs.

Though economical, used furniture can present some challenges not associated with new furniture.  Before purchasing a piece of thrifted furniture, it is wise to limit some of the drawbacks that come with secondhand furniture.  Here are 10 tips to keep in mind when shopping for used furniture:

1.     Determine Your Need

Furniture is not only a commodity but a way to solve problems in the way your home functions.  Thus, determining your furniture needs and the ways they will function in a room is essential before purchase.  For example, will a dining room table fit more than four people?  Will the dining room area fit a large table?  Will a bulky headboard take up too much wall space?  Will a vintage console stereo require additional space for records?  There are also constraints related to budget, storage, and special needs.  If you don’t know where you’ll put a piece of furniture or how large it should be or whether it will suit your living needs, expect problems down the line.  Knowing your furniture requirements and constraints can help you better explore your furniture needs before making a purchase. 

2.    Know Your Style

Decorating with vintage furniture requires a concept and a plan.  A clear decorating idea gives you confidence to buy just the right piece of furniture.  It also gives you greater flexibility in the places where you can shop for used furniture.  Loving a piece of furniture is not enough of a reason to purchase it.  Combining a bunch of thrifted furniture without a style concept will make the room look chaotic.  Too many secondhand pieces and décor accessories from different time periods can push your room over the edge, resulting in a crowded and hodge-podgy look.  Avoid problems by considering whether the furniture pieces you choose work together in size, shape, color, and style.  Choose a handful of quality, low-profile pieces.  Make sure they match your design plan.  If the answer is no, then leave the piece on the shelf and move on.

3.    Measure, Measure, Measure!

Used furniture, especially pieces made between the 1940’s to 1970’s tends to skew smaller in size.  Older homes did not have the square footage newer homes carry.  Before the 1970’s, the average home measured about 1,000 square feet and housed three to four people.  That means that furniture was built smaller.  Today, the average house size is about 2000-2500 square feet.  Vintage bedrooms, living rooms, and dining room furniture will fit comfortably in bigger rooms but can also look dwarfed if you don’t consider the room’s dimension or the size of your furniture.  To avoid mistakes, scale the furniture size up or down depending on your room constraints.  For a proportional look, measure the space where a piece of furniture will be placed, then look for furniture pieces that will fit the space.  Make sure that accent tables match the height of your sofa, that nightstands match the height of your bed.  Always know your room and furniture size before shopping… and take a tape measure with you!

4.    Have a Budget

Know how much you can afford to spend on used furniture before purchasing.  Create a budget and stick to it!  You can easily overspend if you are not careful.  Just because an item is used doesn’t always mean it will be inexpensive.  The best places to get rock bottom prices for furniture are garage sales, flea markets, and thrift stores, but even they can overprice an item if there is high demand for it.  So, have a financial plan in hand and be cost conscious when shopping.

5.    Inspect Furniture

Before choosing an item, check for structural damage.  When buying used furniture, you MUST check whether doors and drawers are properly aligned, whether legs are wobbly, and how much weight a piece can handle. So, open and close doors, pull drawers open and shut, sit in chairs, and lean on tables.  Check for musty odors or mold and mildew.  Wood furniture should be sturdy enough to sit in.  It should be free of termites or other pests.  Fabric furniture should not have stains, odors, fading or signs of pests.  (Bed bugs don’t always live in mattresses.)  If an item is slightly damaged, make sure it is safe and/or stable enough to be used at home.  If it needs repairs, make sure it can be easily fixed, then negotiate a lower price.

6.    Reupholstering Makeover

Sometimes the fabric on a piece of furniture may be faded or ugly, and may just need a ”facelift” to give it new life.  Instead of passing over old-looking dining chairs, for example, think of their potential if you simply reupholster the seats.  If a beautiful chair or couch needs professional reupholstering, you could negotiate the price to accommodate reupholstering services.  Either way, reupholstering thrifted furniture can save you money over purchasing brand new or replica pieces.  Reupholstering is the happy medium between sustainable design and personal style. 

7.     Laminate and Veneer Furniture Are Valid

Just because a piece is covered with laminate or veneer doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful.  Laminate furniture is made of synthetic materials, such as plastic and rubber.  It is created by layering and bonding different materials together to create glossy sheets that can emulate wood.  A thin layer is then glued onto the unprocessed wood or other surface beneath.  Though laminate is considered “fake wood” it can endure greater daily wear than wood.  Sometimes laminate can separate from the wood beneath but can be glued back.  If large sections of the laminate pull apart, be cautious of the piece.

8.    Refinish Wood

Sometimes the surface patina of a vintage or antique wood piece may be dulled from age, dirt, grime, or grease.  Refinishing the wood restores the patina and brings the piece back to life.  It may take some work, but the old coffee table with water stains on its surface can be restored.  During refinishing, the original surface of the piece is replaced with a waterproof stain or varnish.  This can be done to the entire piece or just the worn areas.  A light touch up can be done in your home.  More extensive refinishing requires the work of a professional restorer.

9.    Try Negotiating the Price

If you are looking to negotiate a lower price, point out any problems or flaws you see with the piece first.  Then offer the seller a price that is 10% to 20% off the listed price.  Going lower than 20% can be tricky.  Be reasonable.  The piece must be in need of serious repair to bargain a lower price.  Be willing to compromise if the seller refuses your offer. 

10.   Drive a Vehicle Large Enough to Take the Furniture Home

The majority of used furniture sellers to not deliver.  Thus, a mistake buyers commonly make is not driving a vehicle big enough to take the furniture home.  Some stores will hold your merchandise for a few days, some will not.  So, when you go shopping for a dining room table or a couch, map out a flea market, a few thrift stores or yard sales, then have a truck or van at your disposal to haul off furniture upon purchase.  You don't want to find something that is "perfect" for the living room or bedroom but then can't get it to your home immediately after the sale.