Shopping for secondhand furniture can feel like a gamble. You’re standing there in someone’s garage or scrolling through listings online, wondering if that gorgeous dresser is actually a steal or if it’ll fall apart the second you get it home. I’ve seen way too many people get burned by furniture that looked great in photos but turned out to be a disaster.
Here’s the thing though. You don’t need to be a furniture expert to spot quality pieces. You just need to know what to look for. And honestly? Most problems are pretty obvious once you know where to check. Whether you’re hunting for Used Furniture for sale in Pasadena or anywhere else, this checklist will help you avoid expensive mistakes.
Let’s break down exactly how to inspect secondhand furniture like a pro. No fluff, just the stuff that actually matters.
Start With the Frame and Structure
The frame is everything. Seriously. You can fix scratches and replace hardware, but a busted frame means you’re buying garbage.
First thing you do? Give the piece a good shake. Not gentle either. Really test it. Quality furniture barely moves. If it wobbles like crazy or makes creaking sounds, that’s your first red flag. Loose joints mean the piece has been stressed beyond its limits or wasn’t built well to begin with.
Check all the corners and joints carefully. Run your hands along them. You’re looking for gaps, cracks, or separation. Wood joints should fit together tightly. If you can see daylight through the corners or feel movement when you apply pressure, walk away. According to furniture construction standards, properly built pieces use mortise and tenon joints or dowels, not just nails or staples.
What Good Construction Looks Like
Flip the furniture over if you can. The bottom tells you tons about quality. Look for:
- Solid wood corner blocks, not particle board
- Screws and wood glue, not just staples
- Dovetail joints on drawers (those interlocking zigzag patterns)
- Even finish work on hidden areas
Cheap furniture skips all this stuff. Manufacturers figure you won’t look underneath, so they cut corners there first. But that’s exactly where quality shows up.
Test Every Moving Part
Now we get to the fun part. Time to open, close, pull, and push everything that moves.
Start with drawers. Pull each one all the way out, then push it back in. They should glide smoothly without sticking or requiring force. Check the drawer slides. Metal slides with ball bearings are gold standard. Wooden slides work too if they’re smooth and waxed. But if drawers stick, scrape, or fall off the tracks? That’s a no.
Don’t forget to look inside the drawers themselves. Smell them too. I know it sounds weird, but musty odors mean moisture damage or mold. Neither of those problems go away easily. The drawer bottoms should be solid, not sagging or separating from the sides.
Doors and Hinges Matter
Open and close every door multiple times. They should swing smoothly and close evenly. Watch the gaps around the doors when they’re shut. Are they even? Or does one side have a bigger gap than the other? Uneven gaps usually mean the frame is warped or the hinges are shot.
Test the hinges by gently lifting up on the open door. Quality hinges won’t budge. Loose or damaged hinges let the door move up and down, which means they’ll only get worse over time. Replacing hinges isn’t hard, but it’s still work you probably don’t want to do.
Inspect the Wood Carefully
Wood tells stories. You just have to know how to read them.
Look for water stains first. They show up as dark rings, white spots, or cloudy areas on the surface. Light water damage might sand out. Deep stains? Those go all the way through the finish and into the wood itself. That’s structural damage you can’t fix with furniture polish.
Run your hands over the entire surface. Feel for soft spots or areas that give when you press them. Soft wood means rot, and rot spreads. One soft spot today becomes a crumbling mess next year. Not worth it at any price.
Check for cracks too. Small surface cracks in the finish are whatever. But deep cracks that go through the wood itself will only get bigger. They’re especially bad on weight-bearing parts like table legs or chair seats.
Veneer Problems to Watch For
Lots of quality furniture uses veneer, which is totally fine. Veneer is just a thin layer of nice wood glued over cheaper wood underneath. The problem comes when that veneer starts peeling or bubbling.
Look closely at edges and corners. That’s where veneer lifts first. If you see edges curling up or bubbles under the surface, moisture got in there. You can sometimes re-glue small spots, but widespread veneer damage is a nightmare to fix properly.
Examine Upholstered Pieces Extra Carefully
Upholstered furniture hides problems better than wood pieces. You’ve got to dig deeper here.
Start by sitting on it. Really sit. Bounce a little. Does it feel solid or mushy? Push down on different areas of the seat. The cushioning should push back evenly. If one spot feels way softer or harder than others, the foam or springs are breaking down unevenly.
Now get your nose involved. Smell the cushions and back. Musty smells mean mold or mildew in the padding. Pet odors, smoke, and other strong smells live in upholstery foam basically forever. Professional cleaning helps, but it rarely eliminates deep odors completely. When you’re looking at Used Furniture for sale in Pasadena, don’t let a good price blind you to smell issues.
Checking for Hidden Structural Issues
Lift up the cushions. Look at the deck underneath. It should be solid and even, not sagging or broken. Push down on it. If it feels weak or you can see it flexing way more than it should, the support system is failing.
Feel around the frame through the upholstery. You can usually feel the wooden frame through the fabric on arms and along the bottom. Press firmly. If the wood feels soft or you hear cracking sounds, moisture damaged the frame.
Flip the piece over if you can manage it. Check the bottom. You’re looking for broken webbing, loose springs, or torn fabric. All those things mean expensive repairs.
Look for Pest Problems
This one’s important. Bugs in furniture spread to your other furniture and your house.
Check every crack, crevice, and joint for tiny holes. Fresh holes look clean and light colored. Old holes darken over time. Lots of tiny holes close together? That’s powder post beetles or wood borers. Those bugs keep eating the wood from the inside until there’s nothing left but a shell.
Look for sawdust or a fine powder around holes or in corners. That’s frass, which is bug poop mixed with wood dust. Active infestations produce frass. If you see it, the bugs are still there eating away.
Bed bugs are sneakier. Look for tiny dark spots (their droppings) in seams, tufts, and folds of upholstered furniture. Check where fabric attaches to wood. Even tiny reddish-brown bugs about the size of an apple seed mean you need to run away from that furniture. EPA guidelines on bed bug identification can help you spot the warning signs.
Assess the Finish and Surface Condition
Surface problems are mostly cosmetic, but they still matter.
Light scratches and scuffs? Those buff out or hide with furniture markers. No big deal. But deep gouges, burns, or major finish damage require refinishing the whole piece. That’s time and money.
Check if the finish is sticky or tacky anywhere. That happens when old finish breaks down. You’ll need to strip and refinish, which is a whole project. Run your hand across the surface. It should feel smooth and consistent. Rough or uneven spots mean the finish is failing.
Look at the piece from different angles in good light. You’ll spot things you miss head-on. Dents, dings, and uneven color become obvious when light hits them at an angle.
When Surface Issues Don’t Matter
Here’s the reality. If you’re buying Used Furniture for sale in Pasadena CA or anywhere else, some wear is expected. Normal wear actually proves the furniture held up over time. What you’re avoiding is damage that affects function or requires major work to fix.
A dresser with scratched veneer on top but solid structure? That’s probably fine. You can refinish the top or just live with it. But that same dresser with drawers that don’t open and loose joints? Pass.
Check Hardware and Mechanical Parts
All those little metal bits matter more than you’d think.
Test every handle, knob, and pull. Give them a firm tug. They should be solidly attached. Loose hardware means stripped screws or cracked wood underneath. Sometimes you can fix it with wood glue and toothpicks, but sometimes the wood is too damaged.
If the piece has wheels or casters, roll it around. All wheels should turn freely and support weight evenly. Broken casters throw off the whole piece and put stress on the frame. Replacing them is easy if you can find matching ones, but vintage furniture sometimes has weird sizes.
For reclining chairs or convertible furniture, work the mechanisms several times. They should operate smoothly without sticking or making scary noises. Mechanism repairs get expensive fast because the parts are specific to each model.
Negotiate Based on What You Find
Everything we’ve talked about gives you negotiating power.
Found minor issues? Point them out and offer less. Most sellers know their furniture isn’t perfect and expect some negotiation. Approach it friendly but honest. “I really like this piece, but I noticed the drawer sticks and there’s a scratch here. Would you take $X instead?”
Major structural problems though? Those aren’t worth negotiating over. A wobbly frame or soft wood isn’t worth any price because you’re buying future problems. Save your money for a solid piece.
Sometimes sellers don’t realize their furniture has issues. If you point them out respectfully, they’ll often drop the price without you even asking. Nobody wants to seem like they’re trying to rip you off.
Know Your Deal-Breakers
Not everything is fixable or worth fixing. Some problems mean you should just walk away.
Absolute deal-breakers include structural damage to the frame, active pest infestations, extensive water damage or rot, strong odors that permeate the piece, and missing or broken parts that you can’t replace. These issues either can’t be fixed or cost more to fix than buying different furniture.
On the flip side, these things are usually okay: surface scratches and minor finish damage, loose hardware you can tighten, stuck drawers that need adjustment, and minor upholstery wear on solid frames. These are either cosmetic or easy fixes that don’t affect the furniture’s functionality.
Bring the Right Tools
Want to inspect like a pro? Bring some basic tools.
A flashlight helps you see inside drawers, under furniture, and in dark corners. Your phone’s flashlight works fine. A tape measure confirms the piece fits your space. Bringing exact measurements beats guessing every time. Some people bring a level to check if surfaces are flat and even.
Taking photos of any damage helps you remember what you saw when comparing multiple pieces. It also gives you documentation if the seller disputes condition issues later.
Trust Your Instincts
Sometimes a piece just feels off even if you can’t pinpoint why.
If something bothers you about the furniture, listen to that feeling. You’re the one who has to live with it. No amount of “good deal” makes up for furniture you don’t actually like or trust.
And honestly? There’s always more furniture out there. If this piece isn’t right, another one will come along. Don’t let FOMO pressure you into buying something you’ll regret. For more helpful information on making smart furniture decisions, check out additional buying guides and tips.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the biggest mistake people make when buying used furniture?
Not testing structural integrity. People get distracted by how furniture looks and forget to check if it’s actually solid. Always shake, push, and stress-test the frame before you buy anything. A pretty piece that falls apart in six months is no bargain.
How can you tell if wood furniture is solid wood or particle board?
Look at unfinished edges like the back or bottom. Solid wood shows continuous grain patterns. Particle board looks like compressed sawdust with a wood veneer on top. Also check weight. Solid wood is significantly heavier than particle board of the same size.
Are scratches and dents deal-breakers on used furniture?
Not usually. Surface damage is mostly cosmetic if the structure is solid. You can refinish, touch up, or just embrace the character. Focus on whether the furniture functions properly and has good bones. Everything else is just personality.
Should you buy upholstered furniture if it smells musty?
Probably not. Musty smells indicate mold or mildew deep in the padding and frame. Professional cleaning helps but rarely eliminates it completely. Unless the frame is incredibly valuable or unique, musty upholstered furniture isn’t worth the risk or hassle.
How do you check for bed bugs in used furniture?
Inspect all seams, tufts, and crevices carefully. Look for tiny dark spots, which are bed bug droppings. Check where fabric meets wood frames. Use a flashlight and look closely. Even one bug or sign of bugs means you should absolutely avoid that furniture. Bed bug infestations are expensive nightmares to eliminate.
