Before you take a piece of furniture home from the store, run a few tests to see if it's well-constructed.
More Furniture Quick Tips
Wood Furniture
- Lift up one end of the piece and shake it a bit. Quality wood furniture has weight and solidity, and won't wobble.
- Drawers should glide smoothly and not bind. Drawer interiors should be smooth to the touch; extra points if the corners feature dovetailed joints.
- Back panels should be wood, not cardboard or fiberboard, and should be recessed from the back, not applied to the perimeter of the frame.
- Hinges should be solid, secure, and strong enough to support the weight of the door. Knobs and pulls should feel substantial.
- The corners underneath a dining table should be joined with corner blocks that are glued and screwed.
- Don't dismiss a piece of furniture just because it's finished with a wood veneer. Today's veneered furniture is just as good--if not better--than its solid-wood counterpart.
Upholstered Furniture
- Test the seat for comfort, then bounce around a bit to listen for telltale squeaks or the sound of springs rubbing against the frame.
- Pick up one end of the piece and shake it. Good upholstered furniture is solid and heavy.
- If you're looking for a top-quality chair or sofa that will last, ask the salesperson if the frame is made from kiln-dried hardwood such as oak, alder, birch or maple. "All-wood" is not the same thing; particle board is "all-wood," too.
- Make sure the frame follows the contours of the piece; curves should not just be filled out with padding.
- The best furniture has legs that are a continuation of the frame, not a screw-on addition. However, the latter may be handy if you're trying to get the piece through narrow doors or elevators.
- If the seat cushion is removable, pick it up and check the weight. Most cushions today have a polyurethane foam core; the denser the foam, the heavier it is and the longer it will last.
- If the fabric has a pattern, make sure it continues across seams and welts.
