You don’t need to be a re-finisher or an expert in upholstery or antique furniture to recognize and identify high quality furniture. Follow these furniture feature guidelines to help you recognize the craft and quality of a piece of furniture;
Features of quality typically found in furniture that is at least 10 years or older;
Wood Furniture Composition:
- Softwoods Are made from coniferous trees: pine, fir, redwood and cedar wood. Softwoods require more care due to being more prone to scratches and dents.
- Hardwoods Are made from deciduous trees: oak, maple, teak, mahogany, cherry, walnut and birch. Hardwood is dried to remove moisture.
Furniture Joint Construction:
The construction of a piece of furniture can tell you about the quality of the piece, look for these;
- Dovetail, Mortise & Tenon are the oldest ways furniture makers put furniture together.
- Reinforced corner blocks seen from the inside add to the stability and strength of a piece of furniture.
- Dowels and Screws
Furniture Drawer Structure:
- Dust panels are thin sheets of wood between drawers in a chest or desk of drawers.
- Floating bottom are not affixed to the sides of the drawer, instead they float in the groove of the drawer.
- Metal glide rails drawers run smoothly and have stops to make sure the drawer does not pull all the way out.
- Springs hand-tied springs, close together even resistance.
Upholstered Furniture:
- Cushions firm foam / wrapped in padding , protective inner cover , reversible cushions.
- Fabric high grade 120,000 rub fabric, aligned pattern , skirts with lining or weights.
If you have questions on the quality or craftsmanship of a piece of furniture from a Chippendale piece of furniture, a rare unknown antique piece to a piece that may be modern but you just aren’t sure, Contact Our Specialists at Foxwood Restorations.
