Furniture Buying and Care Tips

By: Stefan Teek

The furniture in a home says a lot about the personality of the owner. This means you need to get the right furniture for you. Here is how to go about making sure that happens.

1. Antique Furniture Authenticity – If you are looking at expensive antiques, make the dealer prove to you he or she knows what they are selling. If they don’t, how do you know if it is real?

2. Leather Furniture Warranties – When buying leather furniture, ask about warranties. This is one time you want to buy the warranty. Leather repairs can be pricey.

3. Hard and Soft Wood – One would think a hardwood is better than a softwood. This is not really the case.

4. Antique Furniture Salespeople – A sales persons job is to sell furniture, not necessarily be “accurate.” Don’t rely on anything they tell you about an antique piece.

5. MDF Labels – Look out for MDF on furniture labels. While the salesperson may be trying to tell you it is solid wood, MDF means it is medium density fiberboard.

6. Slip Sliding Furniture – If you need to move furniture around a house, you can do it easily now. An enterprising company has pads you can place on the bottom of the legs that slide.

7. Stripping Furniture Finish – If you are a do it yourself kind of person, you need to know what you are getting into. Stripping the finish off furniture sometimes does not get rid of the color. Make sure you know before spending the time.

8. Heating Vents and Leather – Do not place your leather furniture around heating vents. They will dry the leather out.

9. Squeaky Wood Beds – If you have a big wood bed and it squeaks, you are being warned the joints may be coming loose. Have it checked out.

10. Drawers Are Sticking – How many times have you run into the problem of drawers sticking? Lots, I bet. You can use a paste furniture wax on the surfaces that rub. It will slide like a dream after that.

To effectively buy furniture, you need to be able to do some mental imaging. A piece in a store may look great, but will it look good in your home? The answer may be no, so make sure to visualize before buying.