If you would like to be featured in an upcoming edition of Teach Me Tuesday, please email me at LivingWithLindsay@gmail.com and we’ll chat!
Today’s edition of Teach Me Tuesday features Joy from Joys of Home. Joy’s blog was one of my very first first favorite blogs. If you aren’t a regular reader of her blog, you really should be. She is a DIY extraordinaire, and there’s nothing this lady can’t do with a can of spray paint!
Joy has a real knack for finding wonderful furniture pieces at thrift stores and transforming them into real beauties. She wrote a great post last November about how to shop for furniture at a thrift store. Her direction has been invaluable to me, and I think her post should be one that every other DIY’er refers to often. I know I do!
Joy writes:
I painted another piece to go into my youngest son’s room. Of course I found this chest of drawers at the thrift store. I was attracted to it because of those over-sized drawer knobs. But, looks aren’t everything! I thought I’d give you a quick 101 on how to buy used furniture.
When I find a piece that looks good I make sure it passes a few other tests.
First, I place one hand on each side of the piece of furniture. I add a little pressure by leaning into it and then I give it a good WIGGLE. This little test tells me how sturdy the piece is. If it wiggles, it’s an indication that the areas where the wood is joined together are loose and it will need gluing and possibly nailing—usually more work than I care to do.
Next, I try all of the parts that move. I open and close doors checking to see if they line up straight and if the hinges are in good shape. I slide out drawers, checking to see if they slide easily. I also check the construction of the drawer. A well built drawer has dove tail construction. The edges are cut in a tail shape and fit together like a puzzle.
Vertical dove tail construction is the next best. That’s where the drawer side is cut vertically into the tail shape and it is slid into the drawer front.
This is also a good time to see if the piece is made from solid wood, veneer or particle wood covered to look like wood.
I also check the weight of the piece. I like furniture that is heavy, not wimpy and light weight. If the furniture passes these tests, I know that it’s worth investing my money.
I LOVE buying used furniture because I can afford quality pieces and with a little work and paint they can be customized to fit my home and family.
I’d like to thank Joy for all of her great advice. Be sure to check out Joy’s blog for tons of cute DIY ideas like this one, and this one, and this one.
Ready to get started finding your own thrift store furniture? Remember that today is Tuesday…and you know how I feel about Tuesdays! What are you in search of this week?
Love this idea to have someone share how they do something. And buying a fixing up used furniture is a great one! Thanks for sharing these ideas with us!
Hi Lindsay, thanks for sharing Joy’s post. I just love her blog, and yours too!
This is a fabulous idea you have to feature other bloggers and their ideas. I would be so excited if you would consider any of mine. I couldn’t find your e-mail, hope this is okay!
Great post! I am loving the whole thrifty shopping thing and have been looking at some furniture lately. So, this was a timely post for me. I’m heading over to her site to check out more great ideas.
BTW, I love your header.
Pam
I left you a comment earlier, but I think blogger has it out for me today :~[
Thank you so much for featuring my post on your blog! I’m very happy to know that you learned something of value from my ramblings.
Teach Me Tuesday is an awesome idea. You’re a genius!
I keep my fingers crossed for wood furniture at GW, but all I ever see is old upholstered items, complete with stains of undetermined origin. Thanks for the info though…I’ll keep looking!!
Thanks for sharing this information on buying used furniture. I’ll bet you can get some great bargains when you know what to look for in a quality piece.
Great tips! Thank you!