How to Find Quality Second Hand Furniture in Melbourne

Quality furniture does not necessarily mean retail prices. Quality furniture, whether dining tables or beds, will serve its purpose for several decades, but purchasing used furniture means that another person has already taken the biggest hit. The secret is knowing what furniture pieces are real versus what looks great in photographs.

This guide will help you understand how to compare quality items one by one, distinguish between solid wood and particle board, and determine what kind of marks should be discounted and not disregarded. For a bigger understanding of why and where second-hand furniture is purchased in Melbourne, start reading our guide to second-hand furniture in Melbourne

What "Quality" Actually Means in Second-Hand Furniture

This depends on three things:

• Materials: Real wood, plywood, and good leathers and fabrics will stand the test of time. Not particle board and laminated sheets.

• Construction: How the furniture piece is made. A good joint will always beat glue or staples.

• Condition: If it is in good shape. Scratches are only cosmetic; wobbles in the frame are structural problems.

Get the first two right, and minor condition problems won’t matter. Get them wrong, and the most perfect-looking piece won’t hold up.

It is important to compare between these three things clearly because not all of them travel hand in hand. You may have a very well-built piece with great materials used, but it may seem a bit outdated; that will most probably be a good deal. You may also come across a piece which seems absolutely perfect in pictures but turns out to be made from weak particle board glued with staples; stay away from that, even though it may be cheap.

Where the Best-Quality Second-Hand Pieces Come From 

All used furniture is not necessarily alike:

• Ex-display furniture has been on display in a showroom, and people may have sat on it, but no one has ever lived with it.

• Sample furniture is a unique piece of furniture made for display purposes only.

• Surplus and boxed furniture is brand new and is being sold due to a mis-order or discontinued order.

These types of products typically originate in mid-level or high-end stores; hence, they are often more well-made compared to low-end new furniture products at the same cost. This is something worth considering when shopping: an item that has been purchased at a $3,000 retail price level has always been manufactured at a higher quality level compared to its $600 fake version, even after the reduction.

At Seconds Furniture, there is no repair or refurbishment of used products to make them look like new, and any signs of wear and tear will be communicated to you beforehand. This is by design, not out of any restriction. In other words, what you see in the store (or on the website) is what you get.

How to Judge Quality, Piece by Piece 

Sofas & Lounges

Penelope 2 Seater Sofa with LHF Chaise – Red

• Raise one of the front legs 10 to 15 cm. If the other front leg rises with it, then the frame is strong.

• Press down on the base under the cushion. It should be uniform and springy, with no rigid bars or sags.

• Grip the cushioning material. If it contains high-density foam, it should spring back immediately.

• Operate any reclining mechanism repeatedly to check that there is no grinding.

The sofa is probably the hardest-working item of furniture in most houses, so it is well worth spending those few extra minutes doing a check before relying on its appearance alone. See our guide to second-hand sofas in Melbourne. Also check out our Lounges & Sofas.

Dining Tables and Chairs 

5 Piece Dining Set – Black Round Table & 4 Leather Chairs

• Press each corner of the table. It should not wobble or bend.

• Inspect the underside to see how the legs attach to the structure. Legs that are fixed by bolts or joints withstand the test of time, while those attached by one screw alone are likely to come loose.

• Inspect the edge of the tabletop. If there is thin layering or a strip of material that differs from the rest, then the surface consists of a veneer covering an underboard.

• Sitting in all chairs and leaning backwards is another test for instability. Anything that wobbles now may become even less stable later on.

Dining furniture is subjected to a special strain, chairs being pulled out, silverware being dropped, or even a hot serving plate being placed on the table. This means that joinery work is more important in dining rooms than anywhere else at home. Please visit our Living & Dining collection.

Beds and Bedroom Furniture 

Queen Bed – Multi Colour Timber

• Examine the slats. There should be tight spacing between slats (about 7 to 8 cm), and a queen or king should have a centre rail.

• Test the headboard. It should be bolted securely; there should be no loose moving.

• Test each drawer. A well-made piece will glide easily along metal tracks, and the corners will be joined, not stapled.

• Inspect the back panel of dressers and bedside tables. If thin hardboard is attached with pins, it’s a cheap design.

The bed frame survives years of nightly weight, so this is an area where the internal construction needs to be inspected as well as the exterior appearance. Check out some modern pieces from our Bedroom collection.

Outdoor Furniture 

3 Seater Outdoor Sofa – Black / Charcoal

The extremes in temperatures from summer to winter and unexpected changes in Melbourne make life hard for the furniture on its open decks more than anywhere else in Australia, considering the speed at which these extremes change in a single day.

• Frames: powder-coated aluminium and teak cope well with the climate. Inspect the connections for rust and cracks.

• Wicker: synthetic wicker needs to be tightly stitched without any broken threads.

• Cushions: expect weatherproof fabric and foam that dries quickly.

View the latest items from the Outdoor Collection.

Solid Timber, Veneer or Particleboard? How to Tell in 30 Seconds 

• Consider the edges and ends: The grain will show through the edge in solid wood. Veneer will show a veneer covering another core material.

• Consider the grain pattern: The grain pattern continues around corners in solid wood. A repetitive or perfectly matched pattern can indicate veneer or printing.

• Consider the weight: Solid wood is heavy. Particle board is also heavy but dense and lifeless; chipping may show weak fibres under.

• Look inside: Unfinished surfaces will reveal the material type.

However, there is nothing wrong with veneers. Good quality veneer glued to plywood or MDF is a stable material used in good-quality furniture – many high-end companies use veneer on purpose, because it is less likely to warp than wood in controlled climate conditions. The type of material you need to be careful about is particleboard with a printed surface, particularly when applied to table surfaces or drawers which suffer from constant wear and tear.

Cosmetic Marks vs Real Damage 

Markings are what make second-hand furniture and samples cheaper, so it is important to know which ones to look for.

A good rule: cosmetic marks are on the outside; damage marks impact the stability, opening mechanism, and ability of the item to bear any weight. "Ex-display" and "clearance" items are sold as is, so view them in person and feel free to enquire first; our shipping/return policies outline everything.

Also, it may be sensible to know exactly where a mark is prior to buying. For example, a marks on the bottom side of a table or on the backside of a bookcase that will be pushed up against the wall in a home is likely unimportant, but if that same mark is on a visible portion of the item, it becomes more important.

What Quality Costs in Melbourne Right Now 

Our Epping stock is often available at a 35%-55% discount off RRP. Here are a few examples of our latest items from the Melbourne warehouse:

• 5-piece dining set featuring a timber and black table, $1,399 (RRP $3,000)

• Black timber queen bed, $1,559 (RRP $2,400)

• 2-seater sofa with chaise, $1,499 (RRP $3,000)

• Corner lounges with two ottomans, $2,199 (RRP $4,000)
  
  

These items are typically not stocked, meaning they will probably be gone when you see this – this is the nature of unique furniture. Check out our current stock collection in Melbourne.

How to Shop Our Epping Warehouse 

The Melbourne warehouse is located at 20 Litoria Court, Epping. Every single piece is available for viewing, touching, and measuring, which is exactly what a warehouse does better than any online store ever can.

• Bring your measurements, including doorways and stairs.

• Bring a tape measure and your mobile phone to take pictures of the furniture and compare it to your home.

• Check Melbourne warehouse stock online in advance to be well prepared.

• Pick up the order on the same day, or arrange for delivery based on your postcode.

As we sell ex-display and clearance items as is, we don’t offer any change-of-mind returns, so make sure to inspect every item and discuss with our team before you pay.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell if second-hand furniture is good quality?
Look at the material, construction and condition of the piece. Good materials include solid wood and plywood, while well-made joints and smoothly operating drawers are also good indications. Movement, cracking and thin veneers are all red flags.

Is ex-display furniture good quality?
Yes, sometimes. They have typically been on display in mid- and high-end retail stores and not lived in. Anything that may have gotten damaged should be reported before purchase.

What's the difference between veneer and solid timber?
Solid wood is made up of one material throughout. Veneer is a thin sheet of genuine wood over some other base like plywood or MDF. Good-quality veneers are durable materials; however, thin printed materials over particleboard are not.

Do you deliver across Melbourne?
Yes. We deliver to Victoria and New South Wales. Ask us for a quote based on your postcode and specify any stairs or apartments.