What to Look Out for Before Taking Home Used Furniture
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Whether you're a fan of vintage items or you're shopping on a budget, opting for used furniture can be a great way to furnish your home. While some may be wary of bringing home secondhand goods, many decor items are usable long after their original owner has given them away. Plus, from Craigslist ads to sidewalk freebies, used furniture can often be snapped up for a fraction of its original cost (or for nothing at all!).
“A good clean and some elbow grease can bring most furniture back to life,” says Jess Farinha, founder of London House Cleaners.
However, bringing home used furniture also comes with a few caveats. From strange smells to unsightly stains, it's important to trust your gut and know your deal-breakers when it comes to items that require a lot of work to restore. If you're a DIY fan who's not afraid of a fixer-upper project, it could be time to invest in some vintage furniture.
Here's what you need to know before bringing home used furniture, whether you've bought or found it.
Look for quality materials
Opting for used furniture over new often allows buyers to purchase higher-quality items than they would ordinarily be able to afford.
When browsing secondhand pieces, some materials may be worth preserving more than others, says Aaron Christensen, resident cleaning expert at Homeaglow. These include items made from the following:
Glass
Lucite
High-quality veneer
Metals, such as wrought iron or aluminium
Hardwoods like mahogany, oak, or walnut
Softer woods like cedar and pine
“These kinds of materials are worth restoring, even if they have a few stains, bumps, or imperfections,” explains Christensen. “In fact, these little quirks can add to the charm of a piece.”
Although upholstery is more likely to be problematic, selecting items with tighter weaves is preferable. Christensen advises that “50,000 count is standard, 80,000 premium, and 100,000 golden standard.”
Ensure the piece is structurally sound
As well as seeking out secondhand furniture made from quality materials, buyers should ensure that a piece is structurally sound before taking it home.
“Check for sturdy construction, smooth functioning of drawers or doors, and intact joinery,” says Carol Wilson, a home decor expert at YouComfort. If something is broken or not working well, it may be difficult to fix.
Christensen also suggests seeking out furniture with mortise and tenon joints, which indicate that a piece has a solid structure.
“These are generally the easiest to fix up,” he explains.
Be prepared to refurbish
Used furniture pieces come with their own idiosyncrasies, many of which may require some TLC. But our experts emphasize that many items can be brought back to life with a little work.
“If you find some beautiful old iron chairs, don't be scared off by a bit of rust,” explains Christensen. “Rust can be easily cleaned off. A lick of powder-coat paint will leave you with a stunning, durable piece for minimal effort.”
Farinha advises investing time in renovating vintage items, as the finished product could surprise you. “Leather, with proper care, can be cleaned and conditioned to look luxurious again,” she explains. “And solid woods can be sanded and refinished.”
Wilson notes that painting or staining a piece of wooden furniture can transform a previously worn-looking item. “Wood is durable,” she says, “and minor scratches or dents can often be easily repaired.”
Avoid these red flags
As you're shopping at an antique shop (or even your neighbor's tag sale) for used furniture, it's important to keep in mind that some items may be more trouble to repair than they're worth.
Furniture with structural issues: “A piece is past its prime if it has structural issues like severe warping, wood rot, or persistent, unidentifiable odors, indicating potential mold or mildew,” explains Farinha. Cracks and breaks in an item are also best avoided, as is anything that wobbles, creaks, or relies on staples or glue, says Christensen.
Furniture that smells: “For upholstered pieces, the smell is a critical factor — avoid anything with a musty or moldy odor, as this can indicate more profound issues,” explains Wilson. Plus, the smell will only follow you home and could permeate other items in the house.
Upholstery, unless you love it: “Upholstery ages a lot worse than solid materials, and you want to be really careful with what you pick up,” explains Christensen. “In general, upholstery is worth avoiding unless you adore it.” Because textiles are more likely to absorb moisture and smells, they're more difficult to clean, and they're more prone to fading and general wear and tear.
Toxic items: “It’s crucial to be wary of anything pre-1978,” warns Christensen. “It may be coated with lead paint, which cracks or wrinkles.” Renovating furniture coated in lead paint can be particularly dangerous, as dust and debris might accidentally be inhaled or ingested, and could cause lead poisoning, per the Minnesota Department of Health. The effects of lead poisoning can be severe — they include kidney damage, fertility issues, memory problems, joint pain, and high blood pressure. If you're unsure what something is made of, it's probably best to avoid it.
Used mattresses or bedding: Since fabrics can be particularly challenging to clean, bringing home used mattresses or bedding will likely be more trouble than it's worth, explains Farinha. “These are hotbeds of secondhand germs and may also contain bedbugs, mold, and dust mites,” Christensen says. Rather than taking a risk (and potentially bringing an infestation into your home), it's probably best to avoid used mattresses altogether.
Beware of pests
Obviously, no one wants to unknowingly invite pests into their home, so it's important to use common sense when bringing home used furniture.
“It's crucial to address the concern of bedbugs, cockroaches, and other pests, which can pose a significant threat to furniture integrity and hygiene,” explains Shawn Zar, the furniture expert at Superior Seating. Christensen, meanwhile, notes that old wooden furniture can be a haven for termites, which buyers will also want to avoid.
To avoid taking home unwanted pests, a thorough inspection of the furniture is key, and Zar advises getting up close and personal with any pieces before taking them home.
“For wooden furniture like tables and chairs, keep an eye on nooks, joints, and even small cracks or crevices, as these can become nesting grounds for insects,” he explains. As for termites, Christensen notes that they generally lurk in the base or interior of a piece of furniture. “Look out for their droppings, called frass, which are hexagonal, odorless pellets,” he warns.
And when it comes to cleaning upholstered furniture, buyers need to consider that pests thrive in layers of fabric. “I recommend regular vacuuming with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, steam cleaning, and the use of nontoxic, furniture-safe insecticides if necessary,” says Zar.
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