Garage Sale Guidelines: What to Look for When Buying Used Furniture to Refinish

Today we’re talking about what actually makes a secondhand piece worth your time (and money). I’ve learned the hard way that you can’t just grab any old dresser and hope for the best. Some pieces are treasures, and others… are more work than they’re worth.

So before you hand over your hard-earned cash at a garage sale or estate sale, here are my top 5 must-checks when buying used furniture to refinish—a.k.a. my personal garage sale guidelines.

1. Look for Solid Wood (and Know the Difference)

This is the most important thing to check—and it’s trickier than it sounds. When I first started, I assumed all furniture was more or less the same. Spoiler: it’s not.

You want to find pieces made of solid wood. Avoid laminate and particle board—they’re low quality, hard to repair, and don’t hold paint well. If you’re not sure, look inside drawers, under the piece, and at the edges for signs of compressed wood or plastic coating.

What about veneer? Veneer is a thin layer of real wood over a cheaper base. While it can chip or peel, it’s often salvageable with wood filler and paint—so I’ll let it slide, especially if the shape is great or the piece has good bones.

2. Open Every Drawer

This might sound obvious, but seriously—take out every single drawer. Even if it slides well, there could be hidden damage, bad repairs, or structural issues.

A few things to check:

• Are the drawers broken or wobbly?
• Do the joints look strong?

• Are they dovetail joints? (That interlocking design means better construction and easier repairs.)

Older furniture often has wooden or metal drawer glides. Metal ones can be reattached easily, but if a wooden slider is broken, it’s trickier unless you have the tools to cut new ones.

Pro tip: Wood glue and a set of clamps can fix a lot of drawer issues—just be ready to invest some time.

3. Check It From All Angles

In the thrill of the find, it’s easy to miss flaws—until you’re unloading it in your garage. So take a minute to inspect:

• The base for water damage (especially if it was stored in a basement or garage)
• The legs for wobbling or cracks
• The surface for deep scratches or gouges (light scratches can usually be sanded out)
• The structure for sagging or warping

Don’t forget to stand back and view it from all sides. A slight tilt or bow in the wood could mean trouble.

That said, small flaws can add character. I don’t mind a little chip here or there—especially if I can fill it in and make it beautiful again.

4. Be Honest About How Much Work You Want to Do

I’ve definitely regretted buying overly “chippy” furniture before. A little distressing is cute—but 10 layers of mystery paint can take hours (or days) to sand off. Not to mention, the fumes and effort if you need to strip it.

Before you commit, ask yourself:

• Am I planning to refinish or repaint?
• Do I have time to repair this properly?
• Will I actually enjoy this project?

Sometimes, a stunning shape is worth the extra effort. But not always.

5. Don’t Overpay

One of the best parts of shopping garage sales is the price—but it’s easy to get caught up in the hunt and overpay. Especially now that flipping furniture has become so popular.

Personally, I try to stick to these general rules:

• $30 or less for modern or fixer-upper pieces
• $50 max for old, high-quality, solid wood pieces

I also read somewhere: if you can’t fix it and sell it for 3x what you paid, it’s probably not worth your time. Even if you’re keeping it, it’s a good mindset to have.

Always negotiate. If you’re shopping toward the end of the day, sellers are much more likely to accept a lower offer just to move stuff out.

What Are Your Furniture-Flipping Rules?

That’s my personal list of what to look for when buying used furniture to paint or refinish. Everyone develops their own preferences over time—but these 5 tips have saved me time, money, and major frustration.

Got any tips of your own? Questions about a piece you’re considering? Drop them in the comments—I’d love to hear from you!

If you found this helpful, don’t forget to pin it for later.