My Movers Broke My Furniture. Can It Be Repaired?

DIRECT ANSWER:

Furniture damaged during a move may be repairable depending on what broke, how the piece is constructed, whether original components remain and the extent of the damage. Before attempting repairs or discarding anything, photograph the furniture and damage carefully and save every broken or detached piece.

THE MOVERS BROKE IT.

DON'T THROW ANYTHING AWAY.

Not the broken leg.

Not the piece of molding.

Not the splintered section.

Not the hardware.

What looks like debris may contain exactly the information or original material needed for a repair.

FIRST: DOCUMENT EVERYTHING

Before attempting repair, take photographs of:

The complete piece

The damaged area

Every broken component

The location where components detached

Hardware

Packaging if relevant

Any visible impact marks

Take photographs from several angles.

SAVE EVERY PIECE

Put detached components somewhere protected.

Do not:

Trim broken edges

Sand them

Glue them immediately

Throw away splinters

Discard hardware

A surprisingly small original piece may be useful.

WHAT TYPES OF MOVING DAMAGE MAY OCCUR?

Examples include:

Broken legs

Split components

Cracked frames

Loose joints

Damaged veneer

Broken molding

Scratches

Gouges

Finish damage

Broken doors or drawers

Damaged hardware areas

DON'T GLUE IT BEFORE IT IS EVALUATED

The instinct to immediately apply glue is understandable.

But an unsuccessful repair can:

Misalign the joint

Contaminate surfaces

Make components harder to fit

Complicate later professional work

If the piece matters to you, photograph first.

WHAT IF A LEG BROKE OFF?

Save the leg and every detached piece.

Do not assume the entire piece is lost.

Repairability depends on:

Break location

Construction

Amount of material remaining

Previous repairs

Structural loads

WHAT IF A PIECE IS MISSING?

Repair may still be possible.

A missing component may potentially be recreated when there is enough information from:

Matching components

The opposite side

Photographs

Construction details

Remaining profiles

WHAT IF THE DAMAGE IS ONLY COSMETIC?

Scratches and finish damage are different from structural breakage.

Document them before applying:

Markers

Polish

Oil

Wax

Stain

Touch-up products

The wrong product can make later repair more difficult.

WHAT IF THERE IS AN INSURANCE OR MOVING CLAIM?

Keep your documentation.

Photographs, descriptions and any professional assessment may be useful when dealing with a mover or insurer.

Lloyd's should not make representations about coverage, liability or claim outcomes.

Those decisions belong to the appropriate parties.