by Pamela Siegel
Whether you’re a seasoned secondhand shopper or just getting your feet wet, don’t forget the furniture when you’re shopping online auctions and estate sales.
Wait, what? Buying used furniture online? If you’ve never considered shopping for furniture through online auctions, there’s no time like now. Sites like Auction Ninja specialize in estate sales, so furniture purchases can be a breeze online. When you know what to look for, it’s even easier.
If you’d rather inspect what you’re buying in person before taking the plunge, the following hints and tips will help you, too.
Kent Coffey Perspecta rosewood tall chest
What are the Benefits of Buying Used Furniture?
The budget-friendly nature of secondhand shopping comes to mind most frequently when thinking about the benefits of buying used furniture. In many instances, a nicely crafted used wood table, dresser, or desk will be less expensive than a comparable new piece. Some antique and vintage wood furniture selections are also better in quality than newly purchased pieces depending on where you shop and how much you’re willing to spend.
Beautifully made wood furniture is also sustainable, an attribute becoming more and more important to shoppers. It is a great alternative to prefab particle board furnishings that you put together yourself, also described as “fast furniture.” While inexpensive and easy to obtain, fast furniture doesn’t tend to hold up over time and often ends up in landfills. In other words, it’s the opposite of sustainable.
Quality wood furniture, on the other hand, can last a lifetime, making it eco-friendly. Solid wood can be refinished if you want to change the look, and you should have no problem reselling it if you decide you don’t need it anymore. You never know; a classic piece purchased at an estate sale could even become a family heirloom passed from generation to generation.
Maitland-Smith reproduction table set
How to Identify High-Quality Wood Furniture at Estate Sales and Auctions
Estate sale furniture comes in all shapes and forms. You can find a spice-of-life mix of contemporary furniture along with vintage and antique pieces. When it comes to wood, however, there are some key aspects to look for in used furniture.
One of the main things is learning the difference between solid wood and wood veneer furniture. What is veneer? Basically, it’s a thin layer of hardwood that has been adhered to a lesser-quality base. Depending on the age of the piece, the base can be a less attractive wood or a composite. These are made to look just like solid wood but at a more affordable price point. One important point to keep in mind is that veneers are vulnerable to moisture, so the top layer can buckle when stored in a damp area or cleaned improperly.
Furniture made with veneer is often a lot lighter in weight in comparison to solid wood, so that’s one of the first ways to tell the difference. Opening a drawer on a piece also offers some clues. Solid wood will usually have signs of quality craftsmanship, like dovetailing, where the front is attached to the drawer. Veneers may be put together with nails or staples, as noted by Laurel Crown Handcrafted Furniture. Larger pieces of solid wood furniture, like tables and desks, will also have glue joints where several planks of lumber were put together to form a larger surface. These joints are typically 10 inches or less apart, whereas you will not find them on most veneered pieces.
Example of veneer damage on antique table
Antique veneers from the 1800s and even older can be a very different story. Many are exquisitely crafted pieces of furniture made with exotic wood veneers or inlays combining different types of wood. The bases to which these veneers are attached are made of solid wood. These antique pieces were expensive when they were new and tend to be costly to acquire today. Learning to recognize them can net one of those great instant-heirloom finds.
In a nutshell, when looking at newer veneers and the overall construction, you’ll often find the quality to be lacking in comparison to solid wood. That’s not to say you should never buy veneers, but always make sure they’re in good shape and pay accordingly in terms of good design and quality.
Finding the Best Wood Furniture at Online Auctions and Estate Sales
So, now you know what a great buy secondhand furniture can be and to look primarily for solid wood pieces or nicely crafted veneers. Beyond the basics, there are some other things to keep in mind when you’re perusing online auctions and visiting in-person estate sales.
Here are some things to look for, along with a few to avoid:
Valuable vintage brands. Buying brand names adds another layer of desirability to a piece of furniture, along with an assurance of quality. Heywood Wakefield, Broyhill, Ethan Allen, Lane, and Drexel, along with others as noted on Vintage Furniture Guide, are all names to look for when it comes to used furniture. Most online sellers will include the brand name in an auction listing and include a photo of the label. When shopping in person, you can also double-check furniture pieces by looking inside the drawers, on the backs, or bottoms to see if a label has been overlooked.
Heywood Wakefield dining set
Types of wood. The first things you might think of when wood types come to mind are stain colors and grain patterns, but there’s more than meets the eye. Maple, walnut, mahogany, oak, and cherry woods are the best bets when it comes to indoor furnishings since they’re all strong and durable. Pine, on the other hand, is a softer wood, as is cedar. Pine and cedar won’t hold up as well for heavy indoor use. Cedar is recommended for outdoor furniture, though, due to its weather resistance and natural ability to deter insects.
Craftsmanship details. You now know to check drawers for dovetailing, but there are other things to look for in a finely crafted piece of wooden furniture. They can also be doweled or screwed together and still be considered high in quality. Nails, staples, and visibly glued construction, however, are all signs that you should consider walking away from a piece of furniture.
Quality finishes. With the passing of years, it’s almost impossible for used furniture to come out completely unscathed. Most pieces will at least have some minor surface scratching. However, if you see an end table with water rings or a dining table that is excessively scratched, these are signs that the finish isn’t of the highest quality. The best finishes will be durable and stand the test of time.
Vintage marble-topped console table
How to Care for Wood Furniture
Preventing dust and grime from building up on wooden furniture is the best way to keep it in good shape for the long haul. The main thing to do is dust frequently. Dusters made of ostrich feathers or lamb’s wool are both great options for solid woods and veneers since they hold the dust instead of just spreading it around. Swiffer dusters work well, too, but they’re not as eco-friendly.
If you find a piece of solid wood furniture with grime build-up that needs more attention, deep cleaning can be the way to go. Using an oil soap made for cleaning wood mixed with water usually works well for this purpose. After cleaning, you will likely need to apply a clear paste wax to restore and protect the finish. Follow package instructions for using oil soap and paste wax to achieve the best results.
Caring for wood furniture doesn’t have to be complicated, and less is more is usually the best route to take. Also, before attempting to clean a valuable piece of antique furniture, it’s best to consult with a professional to find out if that’s a good idea. Removing the patina that comes with age can ruin an antique and diminish its value.
Ready to join the hunt for great wood furniture? Browse our furniture auctions on AuctionNinja.com.
Written by:
December 30, 2022 Updated 01:06 PM
As a freelance writer, Pamela Siegel covers lifestyle topics ranging from antiques and collectibles to interior design and everything around the home. Her work appears on The Spruce where she shared tips and research as the site’s antiques expert for many years. She also writes for House Digest, Kovels Antique Trader, Worthpoint, and Mashed. In addition to penning thousands of articles for online resources and print-based pubs, Siegel authored several books including “Warman’s Costume Jewelry” and “Buying & Seling Antiques and Collectibles on eBay.” She also shares her expertise with other magazine writers along with doing television, radio and podcast interviews. As often as possible, Siegel loves shopping flea markets and estate sales for her next great find, home decorating, foodie pursuits, and exploring the world on cruise ships.
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