Photos and price tags don't tell you how well a piece is built. A few minutes of hands-on checks will. Start with the tests that apply to everything, then use the checklist for the piece you're buying.
Five checks for any piece
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The wobble test. Push gently on a top corner, side to side and front to back. A well-built piece stays square; a weak one sways or creaks.
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Look underneath and behind. Hidden surfaces tell the truth: staples, hot glue, rough particleboard and unfinished edges are signs of cut corners. Good makers finish surfaces you won't see.
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Open everything. Drawers and doors should move smoothly, close fully and line up with even gaps.
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Ask what it's made of. Which parts are solid wood? What's the finish? Where was it made, and what's the warranty? A good maker answers without hesitation.
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Check that solid wood can move. Wide solid-wood tops and panels should be attached so they can expand and contract with the seasons. See our guide to why solid wood moves.
Bookcase
| Good signs |
Red flags |
| Shelves at least 3/4" (19 mm) thick in solid wood or plywood, ideally with a solid wood front edge that stiffens them |
Thin MDF or particleboard shelves, or shelves already bowing in the showroom |
| Spans of about 36" (91 cm) or less between supports for 3/4" hardwood shelves holding books |
Wide spans with no middle support |
| Fixed shelves set into dadoes (grooves) in the sides; adjustable shelves on metal pins |
Shelves held by small plastic clips |
| A solid wood or plywood back set into the sides and fastened along its edges, which stops racking |
A thin fibreboard back held on with a few staples or nails |
| A wall-anchor kit included for tall bookcases |
No way to anchor a tall bookcase to the wall |
Use our shelf weight calculator to check how a specific shelf will hold up.
Bed frame
| Good signs |
Red flags |
| Solid hardwood side rails joined to the headboard and footboard with bolts or steel bed-rail brackets |
Rails held on by a few wood screws, or particleboard rails |
| A centre rail with legs to the floor on queen and king frames; many mattress warranties require one |
No centre support on a queen or king |
| Solid wood slats no more than about 3" (7.6 cm) apart, fixed so they can't shift |
Thin, bendy slats spaced far apart, which can void a foam mattress warranty |
| Silence when you sit on the edge and rock |
Squeaks or movement at the joints |
| A headboard firmly attached and a frame height that puts the mattress top near knee height |
A headboard that flexes when you lean against it |
Sofa
| Good signs |
Red flags |
| A kiln-dried hardwood or multi-layer plywood frame, glued and screwed, with corner blocks |
Particleboard, soft pine or a frame held together mostly with staples |
| The lift test: raise one front corner about 6" (15 cm) and the other front leg lifts almost at once |
The frame twists: one corner lifts while the other front leg stays on the floor |
| Eight-way hand-tied coils, closely spaced sinuous springs with tie wires, or quality elastic webbing |
Seat springs you can feel through the cushion, or webbing that already sags |
| High-resilience foam, usually 2.5 lb/ft³ (40 kg/m³) or more, wrapped in fibre or down; zippered covers |
Low-density foam that stays dented after you stand up |
| Fabric rated for about 15,000 double rubs or more; patterns matched at seams; straight, even stitching |
No abrasion rating available; loose threads or wavy seams |
| Legs bolted into the frame |
Legs that wobble or are screwed into a thin base panel |
Sit for at least five minutes in your usual position. Check the seat depth and height suit you: most sofas have a seat 17–19" (43–48 cm) high and 20–24" (51–61 cm) deep.
Dining table
| Good signs |
Red flags |
| A solid wood top attached with wood buttons, metal clips or slotted screw holes that let it move |
A wide solid top screwed tight through the apron, which can crack it |
| Legs joined to aprons with mortise-and-tenon joints or heavy bolted corner brackets |
Legs held on by a single bolt, or a table that racks when pushed |
| At least 24" (61 cm) from the floor to the underside of the apron, so legs fit |
A deep apron that hits your thighs |
| Legs, trestle or pedestal placed so chairs fit where you need them |
Legs that block a seat at each corner |
| A finish that resists water rings and warm dishes, and a clear answer on how to repair it |
A finish that marks easily, with no repair advice |
| Extension leaves that match the grain and colour, with pins that align them |
Leaves that don't sit flush or look different from the top |
Use our dining table calculator to find the right size for your room.
Dresser or chest of drawers
| Good signs |
Red flags |
| Dovetailed drawers, front and back |
Drawer boxes stapled or glued at simple butt joints |
| Drawer bottoms of plywood or solid wood set into grooves, not stapled on; solid bottoms fixed only at the back so they can move |
Thin hardboard bottoms stapled to the drawer's underside |
| Full-extension metal slides or well-fitted wooden runners, with stops so drawers can't fall out |
Drawers that stick, wobble side to side or tip down when open |
| Dust panels between drawers and a back fastened into the case |
An open case behind the drawers |
| An anti-tip kit, and a design that stays stable with a loaded top drawer pulled out |
No anti-tip hardware |
Always anchor a dresser to the wall, especially in a home with children. Since September 2023, most freestanding dressers and chests sold in the US that are 27" (69 cm) or taller must meet a mandatory tip-over standard (ASTM F2057-23). Wherever you live, ask whether a piece meets it.
Dining chair
| Good signs |
Red flags |
| Mortise-and-tenon or dowelled joints, with corner blocks under the seat |
Joints held only by screws or metal brackets |
| Stretchers between the legs, or a design that is still rigid without them |
A chair that racks when you rock it side to side |
| A seat 17–19" (43–48 cm) high, about 10–12" (25–30 cm) below the tabletop |
A seat too high for the table or too low for comfort |
| Legs that sit flat on the floor, with felt or glides |
A chair that rocks on a level floor |
