Look carefully at the bottom, sides, and back of the drawer; if the wood shows nicks or cuts, it was probably cut with a plane, a spokeshave, or a drawknife. Straight saw marks also indicate an old piece. If the wood shows circular or arc-shaped marks, it was cut by a circular saw, not in use until about 1860.

How do you evaluate a piece of furniture?

Use a pocket level on a piece of glass or a mirror as these also warp with age; any signs of warping can give you an indication of whether or not the piece of furniture is really old or just made to look old. Run your hand over the surface for hairline cracks and ripples that come with aging.

How can you tell the quality of furniture?

Good quality furniture frames will sit even level with the floor. Bad quality furniture will wobble, twist, or creak. Wood on a good quality furniture piece should be reasonably scratch resistant, if it dents easily the furniture will not stand up to much use.

How do you know if a couch is good quality?

Evaluate the Frame If your goal is to buy a good sofa, start by learning about the frame. Cheaper sofas may have frames made from particleboard, plastic, or metal, but a good-quality couch will have a solid hardwood frame—preferably a kiln-dried hardwood frame made of oak, beach, or ash.

Where should you not buy furniture?

5 Stores Where You Should Not Buy FurnitureMacys. Macys | Spencer Platt/Getty Images. Value City Furniture. Bedroom set | Source: iStock. Big box stores. Target | Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images. City Furniture. Living room | Source: iStock. IKEA. IKEA | Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images.5 Dec 2016

What is the best time to buy furniture?

That means youll want to shop toward the end of winter (January and February) or the end of summer (August and September). Retailers will be discounting their old stock during these months to make room for the new styles. Presidents Day and Labor Day weekends are especially good times for sales.