What to look for when buying REFINISHED furniture

I get it. Its tempting to try your hand at painting furniture. There is nothing wrong with that.

I'm here to explain the difference between purchasing refinished furniture from a hobbyist versus a professional.

When it comes to refinished furniture, I can be very picky. I have my own style that I tend to stay with but can appreciate other styles as well if done correctly. How can you tell if something is refinished correctly? Here is a checklist that can help you decide:

• Check the drawers - are they dovetail? This is usually a good indication if the piece is good quality. To me though, if the drawers aren't dovetailed it isn't a deal breaker, if the piece seems solid otherwise I still consider it a worthy purchase. Also, check to make sure the drawers have a clean paint line. Sometimes furniture artists get sloppy and over spray or brush paint on the sides of the drawers instead of taping them off to protect them.
• Are there brush strokes or does it have a professional sprayed finish? If there are brush strokes, is the piece meant to have the streaky textured look or is it supposed to be a smooth finish?
• Are there paint globs or drips? This would indicate a sloppy paint job.
• Was the piece cleaned and sanded before it was painted? Good adhesion starts with proper prep work, which means cleaning and sanding the piece before it is painted (or stripping existing paint if it was previously painted).
• Was the hardware removed before it was painted? Or was it left on and just painted over? Typically a true professional will take the extra steps to remove the hardware so that it doesn't get painted with the rest of the piece.
• Ask what kind of paint was used. Was it a type of paint meant for walls (latex) or was it an actual furniture paint meant for wood?
• Do the drawers slide easily and do they sit in the correct place or do they push too far in or get stuck? Small details like this is what makes a refinisher an expert.
• Was the piece waxed and is it high traffic? This would be a warning sign that the paint job will not last. Wax should never be used for a high traffic piece and also wax needs to be applied every couple of years, so know that if you plan to keep the piece for a long time it will need upkeep.
• Lift it - if it is EXTREMELY light or EXTREMELY heavy chances are that it could be cheaply made.

A seasoned furniture refinisher has made a lot of mistakes. Enough to know what they like and what they don't, what works and what doesn't. We learn best from mistakes though. Professionals know what furniture is the best candidate for refinishing and won't waste time on pieces that aren't quality.

Do you have anything to add if you are a professional furniture refinisher?

Also, feel free to follow me on Instagram and Facebook, I will occasionally post my process on refinishing in my stories and posts!