Tips for Buyers

Apron decorative skirt of wood set between the legs of a chair or cabinet. Armoire French term for a press, wardrobe or any large cupboard. Barley-sugar twist name for spiral turn on legs and rail. Bonheur du jour small writing table, French. Bracket foot square...

The most common problem with veneered Chest of drawers is a blown top. This is where shrinkage of the underlying carcass wood has occurred and the veneer has lifted and often split. Re-veneering is costly. Frame shrinkage will result in drawers not fitting properly or...

Check whether the top is solid or veneered. The veneer on Victorian and Georgian furniture was glued on to a pine base. With age, the pine may shrink at a faster rate than the veneer.  This causes the veneer to bubble or lift, involving re-veneering and polishing,...

Study the piece carefully.  Can you see if the wood is solid or veneered? A veneer is a thin slice of hardwood that is glued to a base wood of pine, oak, chipboard, ply-wood or MDF.  It gives the impression that the piece is made of a more expensive wood.  The usual...

Auctions Auctions are a good source for furniture in need of attention and at present, sale rooms are filled with many "lots" and not many buyers.  Try to go to local auctions and particularly look for farm sales if you have a keen eye for bargains. Remember the...

Before you buy any furniture there are several considerations that you must think about. Make sure you decide where you are going to put the piece.  If the piece is going to be stored, make sure there is no damp or too much heat and light.  Extremes of atmosphere will...