When hunting for bargains…search high and low!

Today we will be looking at a few tips on buying used furniture on Craigslist and at garage sales.  I have written this post using bullet points so you can easily skim the tips to find the ones that are best for you.  I’d love to hear some of your tips in the comments section of this post…

• Good bones – “They just don’t make it like they used to” is a very accurate phrase for the comparison between modern furniture and most pieces that are 30 years or older.  The vast majority of current production furniture is made with some sort of pressed wood and sometimes even cardboard.  “Knockdown furniture” (furniture in a box for assembly) serves a purpose and can be useful but is primarily short-lived and disposable.  Never waste time trying to fix cheap furniture that is made of particle board and laminate.  Solid wood pieces are easy to find at garage sales and on Craigslist.  Wood pieces with minor defects can be a good bargain if you know how to touch things up.  Let me share a few tricks I have learned for quick touch ups for wood defects on those pieces with good bones!
• Water rings – Giant white rings in the finish of wood furniture can be unsightly and drop the price dramatically.  If the ring is white and foggy looking, there is a quick fix.  You will need an iron and a thin piece of material like a dinner napkin.  With the iron hot and the steam off, place the corner of your cloth over the ring and begin making circles over the ring with the iron.  Continue for 5 to 10 seconds then pick up your cloth and spin it around to a cool spot of fabric and continue for another 5 to 10 seconds.  Moving the cloth keeps it from bonding with the finish of the piece.  This process allows moisture trapped in the finish of the furniture to be released.  Continue ironing and moving the cloth for about one minute and evaluated the ring.  Most rings will come out in a minute or two.  I would not try this method for more than a few minutes as you might damage the finish.  Water rings that are dry and faded looking might be a good candidate for the next tip…
• Howard’s Restor-a-Finish – I am not compensated by Howard’s at all…but this stuff is AMAZING!  My parents introduced me to this liquid miracle.  Howard’s can be used on most stained wood furniture to revitalize the finish.  I have used it on dried out water rings, scuffs and dings, even sun faded furniture.  The product comes in a variety of colors so you can closely match your piece.  Apply Howard’s using a car polish pad or a piece of 00 steel wool (super fine steel wool).  Follow the instructions for drying time then wipe away any excess.  It is important to seal the piece with wax for a long lasting repair.  Do not try and seal the piece with polyurethane or any other type of finish as this will cause hazing.  I have restored desks, tables, and other items with Howard’s Restore-a-Finish and it is an amazing product.
• Chalk Paint – I am not a huge fan of painting beautiful wood furniture, but sometimes wood pieces are too damaged to be refinished with stain.  Chalk paint is the new and hot item for painting wood furniture.  In most applications it covers with just one coat and has a unique look and feel.  Retail chalk paint is expensive!  I have already written about making my own DIY chalk paint.  Prep the piece by lightly sanding away any glossy finish.  The old paint or stain finish doesn’t have to be completely removed it just needs to be scuffed up if it was glossy.  Fill in any gouges with wood filler and allow it to dry if you want a smooth surface.  Chalk paint is applied with a standard paint brush and goes on pretty thick.  You might see some brush strokes but most of these will go away as the product dries.  Once the paint cures, make sure to seal the piece with a rub on or spray on polyurethane product.  Chalk paint will not be very durable if it is left unsealed.
  

  Getting children involved in safe refinishing projects is great family fun.

• Upholstery – Many times I have been surprised by how well furniture upholstery can clean up, but there are times when upholstery is too far gone or long outdated.  When buying a piece to re-upholster, here are a few things to consider.  How easy will the task be?  Dining chairs with removable bottoms are the easiest thing to re-upholster.  Simply pop the bottom off and staple your new fabric on.  Follow the patter the manufacturer used will help produced a good looking finished product.  Dining chairs with the cushion missing can be a good find.  Make a seat template from cardboard then trace the pattern onto plywood.  Using foam rubber panels cut out the desired shape and thickness for your seat and cover with material.  How expensive will it be? Couches and side chairs are beyond the skill set of the average DIYer.  It will cost several hundred dollars to get a side chair re-upholstered and at least $500 to get a couch recovered.  Use a 40% off Hobby Lobby coupon to get upholstery fabric at a good price.  Furniture with decorative tacks can be fun but time consuming.  It pays to get a tacking hammer to save your finger from getting pinched or smashed when tapping in decorative tacks.

There are many other tips and tricks for buying and restoring furniture.  Starting with cheap (or free) furniture projects is the best way to learn.  Buying furniture to refinish and resell is a challenging proposition due to the expense of the products use to make repairs and the time involved.  Buying and restoring used furniture is a great way to save money on home decor.  The unique and well built pieces you create are far superior to the over-price, mass produced junk that the big box stores pump out.