Before diving into what to look for when buying furniture to flip, here are a few questions to ask yourself and important things to consider!
What are your goals with refinishing a piece of furniture?
Here are three possible buckets you might fall into that can help you decide what furniture to buy and flip. You might fall into 1, 2, or all 3 (like me!) These are helpful to keep in mind to make sure you’re buying the best furniture to flip for your goals.
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1. Flipping for personal use:
If you are flipping furniture for your personal home, what to look for when buying furniture to flip is all about your personal preference and budget. This could look like you waiting patiently and watching facebook marketplace for that hard-to-come-by mid-century modern dresser that’s the perfect size for your bedroom.
You may also be willing to spend more on a piece that you will use for years to come vs. one you are looking to flip quickly for a profit. You can still flip a piece of furniture for yourself at a great price even if you spend a little more on it up front.
For instance, I flipped this antique buffet for our entryway that lacked storage. It was more than I would normally spend at $200. With materials, I flipped this buffet for under $300. A comparable piece could sell for over $1000 brand new which was way out of my price range. Now we have a perfect piece with storage and style at a fraction of the cost. Plus, there is something super gratifying knowing I updated it with my own two hands!
2. Flipping to be creative:
If you start off your furniture refinishing journey anything like mine (which you can read about how it all started) you might decide to flip a piece of furniture as a creative outlet. Let me preface, that in my 4 years of refinishing furniture I've learned it can be a TON of work, but I absolutely LOVE it. It lets you work with your hands, problem solve, be creative, completely transform something in front of your eyes, and connect with so many refinishers & clients!
Again, it’s not always rainbows and butterflies (as with most things in life), but if you start flipping furniture to relax and find a creative space, what to look for when buying furniture to flip might fall more in line with the “flipping for personal” bucket. You might take on projects that will give you more satisfaction, which can look very different for different people. If you are drawn to one style or just want a quick painting project, you will find pieces that satisfy that. You can absolutely turn around and sell them, which is how I got started, but you can decide to keep them too.
3: Flipping for profit:
What to look for when buying furniture to flip changes a lot when you are trying to sell your furniture for profit and what the rest of this blog post will focus on. This is because you have a LOT more to consider than just what you personally want and are willing to spend for your home. Considering the things below will help you pick the right projects to help you make money flipping furniture.
Top 5 things I look for when buying furniture to flip:
1: Name brand
Finding a name-brand piece when buying furniture to flip is a great way to instantly learn more about a piece and its value! If it is a high-end brand, the construction and integrity of the piece are often very reliable. They tend to be made of very solid materials which can also make for easier refinishing. People are definitely willing to pay more for these brand names because they hold their value!
Here are a few brands I rarely pass up if they are in good condition: Ethan Allen, Bassett, Thomasville, Lane, etc. When searching furniture for sale, people don’t always list the brand, (like this dresser I snuck into our garage which was Bassett for $20!) However, if you are looking at a store, garage sale, etc. check the inside, top left drawer. This is typically where the maker’s mark is. Sometimes they are also on the back. By doing this, you can quickly do a google search on the brand! Knowing the brand name and history of the company can help you determine the age and history of a piece. This really helps in advertising its value when you go to sell.
2. Wood construction:
I always try to find pieces made of solid wood. 1. Because they give you more options to refinish – you can sand and stain, leave some exposed wood etc. 2. It means the piece is solid and higher quality, often meaning it will last longer! People want to purchase solid pieces that they know will last for years. So many manufactured pieces you buy online today are particle and pressed boards with maybe a tiny bit of veneer. A solid wood piece brand new can cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. People want to buy solid wood furniture that is beautiful at a fraction of the cost!
When buying furniture to flip online, you will notice people selling don’t always know what their pieces are made of. Sometimes you can tell from the photos, but I always try to ask if the material isn’t listed. A good indicator that it is wood is if the description says, “VERY heavy!” I love seeing those because I know it is solid, like this maple dresser I did recently. The heaviest piece I have ever refinished!
Often, there will be veneer pieces, like on the top and sides, but those can also be refinished if they’re in decent shape. The bottom line is the quality and construction of wood pieces give you more to work with when flipping and gives you a higher dollar for your flip!
3. Good bones:
My husband always makes fun of me for saying, “but it has good bones!” I stand by this for buying used furniture though! If a piece has good bones, there is a lot that can be done to flip it. For example, sometimes a dresser, buffet, or hutch can have a structure or frame that is in really good shape, but it has something that makes it feel really dated. This could be scroll work, back-plates, ugly doors, etc. Or, maybe there is a drawer missing or a wonky door. These things can be changed!! That is the beauty in flipping furniture!
Examples:
Washstand turned modern end table by removing the dated side rails and backplate.
Dated hutch turned modern farmhouse hutch by removing doors, featuring fun wallpaper accent
Armoire with open shelf and pop of color due to warped door
Here is a favorite from my friend Katie who repurposed a hutch into two pieces! This is the second piece! Talk about getting the biggest bang for your buck.
IMPORTANT: The caveat to this is making sure you know YOUR skill set and what you feel comfortable and confident doing. This leads me to the next thing I always look for when buying furniture to flip… the level of repairs needed.
Level of repairs needed:
I always inspect pieces for the repairs they will need to be flipped. Sometimes it is easy to get hung up on the FREE or $10 dresser you find (and sometimes they can be big scores), but often there is a reason they are so cheap. For example, if every single drawer on a dresser is broken or doesn’t slide, this can be a TON of work to fix.
That is not to say you have to avoid these pieces, but you definitely want to consider the amount of time and materials you will need to fix it. This is so important because these things determine the profit you will make. If it requires $50 in materials and 10 extra hours, that is a lot more than FREE. I would say that these pieces can be a great way to test or learn a skill though! What better way to try something new or test an idea than on a free piece that can be scrapped if it doesn’t work.
Typical repairs I take on include chipping veneer, gauges, and scratches in the finish which can be filled. I do these repairs using Bondo with this process. I will also do furniture molds of missing detail work using this two-part system – part one and part two. Repairing dovetail joints with wood glue and clamps is common for me too.
5. The smell test
The last thing I look for when buying furniture is actually something you can’t see at all… the infamous smell test. You might look crazy, but I promise you it is worth doing. You need to open the drawers and doors of a piece before buying it and smell the inside. After you buy one piece of furniture that was in a smoking home, you won’t make that mistake again. If you smell smoke, animal urine, or mold, I HIGHLY recommend avoiding these pieces. A simple way I avoid these pieces when purchasing online is by asking if it is from a smoke-free home.
Can refinishing these pieces be done? Yes, but they are NOT worth your time and materials. To cover these odors you have to shellac the ENTIRE piece and even then, it is not always possible to remove or mask it completely. You definitely don’t want to be selling pieces that smell like this.
If the piece smells a little musty because it has been in a barn or basement for a while, that is ok! You can use vinegar and water or murphy’s oil to clean it. Using a furniture salve on the inside and drawers can make a huge difference too.
Buying furniture to flip recap:
There you have it – my top 5 tips of what to look for when buying furniture to flip! These have helped me tremendously in my business to find pieces I love for our home and make a profit on the pieces I sell.
The more you find and refinish pieces you will learn what works best for you! You might even come up with your own list that gives you a ton of success in your area for selling and help you curate a home filled with incredible pieces. What else do you look for when buying furniture to flip?
Thanks & happy refinishing!
Meg
Looking for more furniture tutorials?
If you want to learn more step-by-step processes to up your furniture game, then add these favorites to your list:
-How to do a furniture transfer!
-Learn how to prep your furniture for paint!
-Repair furniture using bondo filler
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