A simple guide to buying second-hand furniture

Why second-hand furniture is worth the hunt

There is something quietly satisfying about furnishing a home with pieces that have already lived a life. Solid wood that has darkened with age, a chest of drawers that still glides forty years after it was built, a lamp with a shade that no high street shop would bother making now. Second-hand furniture is often better made than the flat-pack alternative, costs a fraction of the price, and keeps something useful out of landfill. For anyone living in a small flat or a rented room, it is also the easiest way to find pieces that actually fit the awkward corners a modern home throws at you.

But the charm of a bargain can wear off quickly if you get it home and discover the drawers stick, the frame wobbles, or the whole thing will not go up the stairs. A little preparation before you part with your money makes all the difference. Here is how to shop well.

Check the joints before you fall for the finish

Everything that matters in a piece of furniture is hidden in the places you cannot easily see. Run your hand along the underside of a tabletop and feel for a rough, splintered edge — a sign the piece was cut down or repaired. Turn a chair upside down and look at how the legs meet the seat. If you can see screws driven straight through the wood at an angle, someone has patched a broken joint rather than fixed it properly.

Give each piece a gentle test:

• Wobble test: place it on the floor and press lightly on opposite corners. Any movement means a loose or cracked joint.
• Drawer test: pull each drawer out fully and push it back. It should glide without jamming, and the runner should be intact rather than held together with tape.
• Door test: on a wardrobe or cabinet, check that the doors sit flush when closed and that the hinges hold their position.
• Knock test: tap the back panel and sides. A hollow, rattling sound can mean water damage or a very thin, cheap board.

Small repairs — a re-glued dowel, a replaced screw, a new set of felt pads — are well within reach for most people. Structural cracks in a load-bearing frame usually are not.

Measure everything, twice

This is the step that trips up nearly everyone. A beautiful sideboard is useless if it will not fit through your front door, up the turn in your staircase, or into the lift of your building. Before you go anywhere, measure and write down the width of your doorways, the narrowest point on your stairs, the height of your ceiling where the piece will sit, and the floor space you have to spare.

Then take those numbers with you, along with a tape measure in your bag. Measure the piece itself, but also measure the diagonal of any doorway you need to pass through — a slim sofa can still fail to make a turn if the hallway is tight. If you are buying a wardrobe, remember that it will need to be laid flat or tilted at some point during the journey, so add that height into your calculations.

Look beyond the surface scratches

A scuffed edge or a ring-marked top is usually cosmetic, and often the reason a decent piece is priced low. Light sanding, a little wax, or a fresh coat of paint can transform it in an afternoon. What you should look past the scratches to find is damage that will not buff out.

• Woodworm: look for small, perfectly round holes and fine dust beneath them. Fresh dust means active infestation.
• Water damage: dark staining, a soft or spongy feel, and a musty smell are all hard to reverse.
• Woodworm and rot aside, check for veneer lifting: run a fingernail along the edges. Loose veneer is repairable but fiddly.
• Upholstery: sit on it properly. Listen for a crunch, press the cushions, and check underneath for sagging webbing or a broken frame.
• Smells: stale smoke, damp, or pet odours can linger in fabric and foam long after a surface clean.

Ask yourself honestly whether you have the time, tools, and appetite for the work involved. A project is a joy when it is small and a burden when it is not.

Where to look, and how to spot a fair price

Charity shops are brilliant for small pieces — bedside tables, lamps, mirrors, and the occasional well-made chair — and the staff are usually happy for you to inspect something closely. Local online marketplaces and community selling groups are best for larger items, because you can ask questions and see more photographs before making the trip. Car boot sales reward early arrivals, and house clearance sales often have the best prices on solid, unfashionable pieces.

On price, compare like for like. Search for the same type of item, roughly the same age and condition, before you agree a figure. If a seller will not let you inspect the joints or take measurements, walk away — there will be another piece along shortly.

Getting it home and settling it in

Arrange transport before you buy, not after. Measure the inside of the boot or van, bring blankets and straps, and take a friend for anything heavy or awkward. Once it is home, clean it properly: a mild soap solution for painted and laminated surfaces, a little beeswax or linseed oil for bare wood, and a vacuum with a brush attachment for upholstery. Leave drawers open for a day or two to air, and let the piece settle on its new floor before you decide whether it needs a felt pad under one corner.

Buy slowly, choose pieces you genuinely like, and your home will fill up with things that are well made, well loved, and entirely your own.