If you are buying furniture that you intend to keep for some time, you should think of each of your purchases as a mini investment. You want the best quality that you can get for your money to ensure that you don't find yourself forking out to replace the furniture in a year or two, and you need to select a style that will not quickly become outdated, or that you will easily tire of.



If you want a good deal on your furniture purchase, you should understand how to identify a well built piece. Below are some tips, and details that you might want to look out for when buying furniture, to be certain that you get excellent value for your dollars.

1. Make sure the various parts that make up the piece of furniture are joined together securely and neatly. Joins should be smooth, without overhanging edges. You don't want to have to perform DIY tasks on your new furniture as soon as you get it home.

2. If shopping for chairs with fabric seats make sure you get a look at the quality of the tailoring. It should be cleanly done, without loose threads hanging down. Trimming and other decorations should be securely fastened with thread rather than adhesive and should be placed symmetrically, depending of course on the design.

3. If you are buying a table or desk, you need to check that it is properly balanced. One way of testing this is to place your hand in the centre of the table and rock it gently back and forth. The piece will remain stable if it is correctly balanced. Check to make sure the seller hasn't put a rug or other item under the table legs in order to balance it.

4. All pieces of wooden furniture should be smoothly finished. Run your hand over the piece to check for any rough patches that may catch on your clothes.

5. If you are buying cabinets open each drawer to see if the runners are smooth and check the hinges are not stiff on any of the doors. You may feel silly doing this in a shop but you will feel sillier if you get home and find you have a drawer you can't open.

6. Any areas of untreated wood on a piece of furniture should be sanded down so the surface is not rough.

Take your time when furniture shopping. Being in too much of a hurry can make you miss important details. Damage that you only discover when you get your prized piece of furniture home can not always be rectified. If your lunch break is the only shopping time you have, you will need to return on a couple of occasions just to view your prospective purchase before actually buying anything.

Don't be deceived by furniture that looks good from a distance. It may be an attractive piece but you do need to check carefully for flaws in the design and construction. Looks and style are of course crucial when choosing the right furniture for your home, but quality and durability also need to be considered or you will be back in the store for replacements before you know it.