What a Furniture Listing Is Not Telling You
Online furniture listings are written to sell an image, and the specifications that predict whether you will be happy in three years are frequently absent. Knowing what to look for changes the outcome.
The Specifications That Matter
- Board type and grade, rather than the word wood
- Surface finish: melamine, laminate, veneer or printed wrap
- Edge banding type, which is where moisture damage starts
- Drawer runner type, which decides how it feels in use
- Stated shelf load limits
- Whether anti-tip hardware is included
- Assembled weight, which is a crude proxy for material quality
- Carton dimensions, for getting it into the house
Listings that state board grade, runner type and per-shelf loads, of the kind at facbotall.net, are answerable; ones that describe a finish in adjectives and give only overall dimensions are not.
Silence Is Information
An omitted specification is usually omitted because stating it would not help the sale.
No board grade means the cheapest available. No shelf rating means the shelf is not intended for a heavy load. No runner type means a single roller.
Photographs Reveal More Than Copy
Detail photographs of edges, drawer interiors and the back panel tell you a great deal.
A repeating grain pattern across panels means a printed surface. A thin back panel with few pin holes means racking later. Visible thin edge banding means moisture damage waiting.
Photographs of the assembled unit from behind are rare and informative when they exist.
Weight as a Proxy
Where nothing useful is stated, shipping weight is the crudest and most reliable signal.
Two nominally identical chests of drawers with a substantial weight difference are not made from the same thickness of board. Heavier is generally better made, though it is also harder to carry.
Reviews, Read for Time
Most reviews are written the day it was assembled, when nothing has failed and the reviewer is describing the assembly.
The useful ones mention six months or more: whether shelves sagged, whether drawers still run, whether edges lifted, whether it survived a move.
Recurring specific complaints matter considerably more than the average score.
Assembly Time Estimates
Generally optimistic and worth roughly doubling, particularly for anything with drawers.
Where a listing says two people are required, believe it. That is usually about the weight of a panel rather than the complexity.
Check the Return Terms
Furniture returns are expensive and some retailers will not accept assembled items back.
Knowing that before building it, and inspecting all parts before starting, is what preserves the option.
Measure Before Anything Else
The route in, the diagonal, the walkway and the opening clearance. Most disappointment in this category is a size problem rather than a quality one.