Buying used furniture lets you save money and get one-of-a-kind pieces for your home. However, when shopping pre-owned, you need to choose furniture carefully to ensure it’s of good quality. Follow these tips to guide your purchase.

Do:

Look for signs of damage.

Even if you plan on refurbishing a piece of furniture, assess it for existing damage. This is especially important when it comes to insect infestations. For instance, you can identify bed bugs by rust-colored spots on fabric or remnants of shed skin. Along with checking the upholstery, take a peek behind and under a piece. Extensive fraying, tears, and set-in stains may be more trouble to fix than the piece is worth. 

Check out structural supports.

Examine furniture supports to determine current wear and tear, especially when buying couches, chairs, or beds. For example, loose legs impact the stability of a chair. While you may be able to reinforce them on your own, splitting or rotting wood usually isn’t repairable. Also, keep in mind that pieces requiring assembly are often less sturdy than solid pieces. 

Don’t:

Buy a used mattress.

While you can buy plenty of pieces used and enjoy them for years, you should only purchase brand-new mattresses. A used mattress can house mold, bed bugs, fleas, and dust mites, all of which can spread to other areas of your home and cause health issues.

Ignore your nose.

Along with your visual assessment, don’t ignore any strange smells coming off a piece of furniture. Water damage, for example, can leave a musty smell that can be difficult to remove. Even if a piece will complement your home design, a strong, unpleasant odor will diminish your enjoyment.

When you buy used furniture from Paradise Living, you can rest assured of a quality piece free of defects and issues. Located in Lahaina, HI, they provide an expansive inventory of new and used furniture, including bedroom sets, sofas, chairs, tables, and wardrobes. If you want to reupholster or repair a piece, rely on their more than 15 years of experience. Call (808) 661-9818 or visit them online to learn more about their products and services.