Love it or leave it? How to evaluate your estate sale finds

It was love at first sight. From the moment you saw that chair at the estate sale, you knew it was meant for you and you alone. 

But then you gave it a test sit. It was so unstable, you thought it would collapse under you. 

Will true love triumph?

Mumford Restoration wants to teach you how to kick the tires (or kick the casters!) and see if a vintage piece of furniture is right for you. 

Wobbly furniture

A “rickety” chair or table often just needs fresh glue. Antique furniture was MEANT to be maintained this way. Furniture's traditional hide glue naturally deteriorated over decades, so owners knew that the chair or table would eventually need to be disassembled and re-glued. It was a normal, 100% expected process. 

Don’t we all get a little tired and need some help? If an antique chair is a bit wobbly, that just means it’s at the regluing point of its lifecycle. 

Take a very close look at the chair under a good light–your cell phone flashlight is fine! Do you see any fractures or breaks in the wood? Are there any missing pieces? No? Then, it might just be time for a regular reglue!

Broken furniture

A broken piece might need a bit more work, but don’t count it out, yet!

Is it a clean break with no pieces missing? If a chair or table leg is otherwise strong and whole, but just has a break, keep it in consideration! Vintage and antique wood is tough and generally glues up like a champ! Repair specialists at Mumford Restoration can glue the piece, clamp it, and then insert wooden dowels that will add additional strength and durability to the repair. 

We have repaired countless vintage and antique furniture with broken legs and arms. Owners often remark that these once broken pieces now feel stronger than their modern, never-damaged furniture. 

If a piece of furniture has badly broken wooden elements, it’s a bit more complicated. How much do you like the piece? A talented woodworker can create new legs, spindles, and other elements for a piece. These custom, handmade furniture elements do cost a bit more due to the meticulous work in handcrafting and color matching them. 

If the piece is collectible or you are madly in love with it, the investment might be right for you!

Sagging Cushions

When is an antique couch a steal and when is it a money pit? 

A couch with beautiful carvings and gorgeous wood can feel like a work of art. And these old couches can be very affordable. There is less competition to drive the price up, since many furniture buyers opt for modern living room furniture from big-box stores. But after 100 years of supporting derrieres, the cushions can be a bit…deflated. Is it as simple as adding foam to the cushions? 

Many antique couches rely on a system of large springs carefully knotted together and then stitched to a system of webbing on the underside of the couch. We refer to this as the foundation. Often, the sagging cushions people mention are caused these springs and webbing that need to be retied or replaced. 

Mumford Restoration's upholsterers are spring-rejuvenating sorcerers and webbing wizards. They can replace or re-secure the foundation and finish with an upholstery job so beautiful that the upholstery gods would weep for joy. You will get decades of use from this refreshed couch. So, the only question is not of quality, but of finances.

Upholstery demands some serious work from the upholsterer. In turn, that work requires an investment from the client. How unique or desirable is this piece of furniture to you? Can you easily walk away from this couch? Do you think you might eventually find something similar, but in better condition? Or is it worth the money to have this couch as a statement piece?

Smelly Furniture

Many thrift or estate-sale items spent a long time in basements or closed-up houses, so they may have picked up a scent.  It happens! In most cases, you can lessen or eliminate these smells yourself. 

Does it look as if something has spilled and soaked into the upholstery? If so, it may be difficult to remove the smell, since it has saturated the fibers. 

Before you do anything, decide how you really feel about the piece. How much do you love it? Enough to seek a furniture restorer’s help if you can’t remove the smell yourself? Would you be willing to refinish or reupholster the piece if you can't get rid of the scent? How much money would you be willing to spend on removing the odor? 

If the piece is affordable enough or special enough to take a chance on, there are a few things you can do.

First, dust off or vacuum your new piece of furniture. Wipe down any wooden elements with a slightly damp cloth and then immediately dry it with a different cloth.

Next, Give the piece some fresh air. If you can, place an upholstered piece in the sunshine for a few hours. Be sure to use a towel to cover the finished wood; some old finishes can bubble when they’re exposed to direct sunlight. 

If you don’t have a safe area for your new piece to sunbathe, that’s ok! Instead, you can place fans around it to help push air around and through the fibers. 

If none of that works, let us know! Mumford Restoration has specialty equipment designed to eliminate stubborn odors. 

Water Damaged Furniture

Water-damaged furniture can result from pipe leaks, flooded basements, or fires. You can get a great deal on these pieces, but how much money or effort will you need to put into restoring them? 

If you see mildew on an otherwise fabulous piece, you can wipe it down with a 50% water/50% vinegar solution or spray it lightly with vinegar misted from a spray bottle. Pay attention to cleaning unfinished surfaces, such as the inside and outside of drawers and the back and underside of a piece.  After you wipe the vinegar off, that may be enough! 

If you see water rings or water lines in the finish, can you live with it? If the issue is close to the floor, the damage may not be casually noticeable. If the damage is on the top, would you be happy placing a vintage dresser scarf or tablecloth over it? If you’d prefer to have the water rings fixed, contact Mumford Restoration. We frequently lessen or completely remove stubborn water rings. 

If you love a piece whose finish is badly damaged and flaking off, you may need to restore it. A specialist at Mumford can discuss your options with you. 

Many older pieces feature plywood backings that may de-laminate if they are exposed to water. If the rest of the piece is solid wood and in good condition, you may be able to simply replace the plywood backing. 

The Central Question

How much do you love the piece of furniture you’re considering? Is it valuable? Is it unusual? Is it something that you can’t imagine passing up? If you don’t buy it, would you still think about this piece weeks or months from now?

What are its structural and aesthetic issues?  How significant are they?

How much would you be willing to pay (to the estate sale AND to the furniture restorer) to have this piece fixed and in your home?

Mumford Restoration can help you restore and repair your (new-to-you) antique furniture. Just make sure you ask yourself the right questions regarding your feelings about the piece and the amount you’re willing to invest to restore it to its former glory!