Lloyd’s Woodworking · Hudson, Massachusetts
By Lloyd’s Woodworking Inc.
How Can You Tell If Old Furniture Is Well Made?
DIRECT ANSWER:
Well-made furniture is usually identified by examining the entire piece rather than relying on age, weight or a brand name alone. Construction, joint quality, drawer construction, materials, proportions, hardware, stability, previous repairs and how the piece has survived years of use can all provide useful clues.
OLD DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY MEAN GOOD.
NEW DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY MEAN BAD.
LOOK AT HOW IT WAS BUILT.
A piece that has survived 60, 80 or 100 years may have something to tell you.
But age alone is not proof of quality.
START WITH THE WHOLE PIECE
Stand back first.
Look at:
Proportions
Alignment
Doors
Drawers
Legs
Top
Base
Overall stability
Then look closer.
LOOK UNDERNEATH
The underside may reveal more than the polished front.
Look for:
Joinery
Fasteners
Repairs
Construction methods
Secondary materials
Labels or markings
Do not dismantle furniture simply to inspect it.
CHECK THE DRAWERS
Look at:
Drawer sides
Bottoms
Joints
Runners
Fit
Wear patterns
Repairs
A drawer that has functioned for decades can provide useful information about construction.
CHECK THE BACK
The back may help reveal:
Construction
Material choices
Repairs
Alterations
Age-related clues
Do not assume an unfinished or different secondary wood means poor quality.
LOOK AT THE JOINTS
Furniture may use many legitimate construction methods.
The important questions are:
Are the joints appropriate?
Are they still functioning?
Have they been damaged?
Have previous repairs altered them?
WEIGHT IS NOT A QUALITY TEST
Heavy does not automatically mean well made.
Light does not automatically mean poor quality.
Materials and design differ.
SOLID WOOD IS NOT THE ONLY SIGN OF QUALITY
Quality furniture may include:
Solid wood
Veneer
Plywood
Other appropriate materials
Veneer has been used in fine furniture for centuries.
Judge the complete construction.
LOOK FOR REPAIRABILITY
One useful question is:
"If something fails, can this piece reasonably be repaired?"
Furniture designed and constructed in understandable components may have a long useful life.
SURVIVAL TELLS YOU SOMETHING
If a piece has been used for generations and remains fundamentally sound, that history is relevant.
It has already completed a very long real-world durability test.
Frequently asked questions
DOES DOVETAIL CONSTRUCTION MEAN FURNITURE IS HIGH QUALITY?
Dovetails can indicate a particular construction method, but one feature alone does not establish the overall quality of a piece.
IS HEAVY FURNITURE BETTER?
Not necessarily.
IS SOLID WOOD ALWAYS BETTER THAN VENEER?
No.
DOES OLD FURNITURE HAVE BETTER CONSTRUCTION THAN NEW FURNITURE?
Some does. Some does not. Evaluate the actual piece.