S/O questions about handmade furniture

[Melaine]

This is sort of a spin off from my other thread about the IKEA table. we are looking for a kitchen table and I have not found anything I liked on Facebook marketplace so we were looking at IKEA. Then today, I saw a listing for beautiful 8’ farmhouse style table that is handmade, comes in 2 colors, and is only $250 with a turn around of 3-5 days for pickup. That basically sounds too good to be true to me! Obviously I would go see it before committing. But what questions do you ask or consider before deciding if a handmade piece of furniture is a good purchase?

She said it is made out of white wood and stained with color “Jacobean” with a clear sealant for waterproofing. Any thoughts on this?

[SnuggleBuggles]

Check around and see if she had an Etsy shop with any reviews. Just google some buzz words from her ad. You can also just check Etsy with the local filter on too- you might find a winner!
I’m sure there’s something about how the legs are secured and how the wood is sealed that you should ask but I know nothing of wood making. :)


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[Melaine]

That’s a great idea to check Etsy. I did pop around her Facebook page and don’t see any business reference which seems odd too. She seems to be a decorator. Maybe it’s a new business launch.

[khm]

This is sort of a spin off from my other thread about the IKEA table. we are looking for a kitchen table and I have not found anything I liked on Facebook marketplace so we were looking at IKEA. Then today, I saw a listing for beautiful 8’ farmhouse style table that is handmade, comes in 2 colors, and is only $250 with a turn around of 3-5 days for pickup. That basically sounds too good to be true to me! Obviously I would go see it before committing. But what questions do you ask or consider before deciding if a handmade piece of furniture is a good purchase?

She said it is made out of white wood and stained with color “Jacobean” with a clear sealant for waterproofing. Any thoughts on this?

There's a LOT of people in my area selling Ana White/DIY type furniture as a side gig. Basically, easy to build stuff that is cute. I'm sure it isn't heirloom crafted quality, but very on trend to the primative/farmhouse vibe.

I'd definitely give it a look. $250 seems very cheap, but if she's just starting she's probably just covering her costs (inexpensive wood) plus a little bit of time.

[ciw]

She said it is made out of white wood and stained with color “Jacobean” with a clear sealant for waterproofing. Any thoughts on this?

By white wood, I assume she means white pine? If so, that is a cheaper and softer wood than something like oak or cherry. That's totally fine - lots of beautiful and durable pieces made out of pine; just be aware upfront that pine tends to dent/scratch more easily than hardwoods. Some sealers can make pine harder and more durable, so you may want to ask about that. We had a pine butcherblock style island in a former house and it had a sealer on it that made it extremely durable. Of course, if your table is farmhouse style, any dings or dents might just add character anyway...

[robinsmommy]

A table with no moving parts (leaves that insert) can be a lot cheaper if made of standard big box store lumber. But you lose the Thanksgiving and dinner party flexibility.

I would be sure and ask how legs fasten and if they come off for moving- some cheap ways to do this will not fare will if you remove the legs multiple times for moving- they may loosen over time leaving you with a wobbly table.

And ask how the finish does with cleaners, heat and moisture. Old varnishes can suck at this, and get white rings from either heat or moisture, even briefly. Some new finishes don’t cope well with the kind of treatment family dinners can give it, either.

[niccig]

There's a LOT of people in my area selling Ana White/DIY type furniture as a side gig. Basically, easy to build stuff that is cute. I'm sure it isn't heirloom crafted quality, but very on trend to the primative/farmhouse vibe.

I'd definitely give it a look. $250 seems very cheap, but if she's just starting she's probably just covering her costs (inexpensive wood) plus a little bit of time.

DS and I have started making some things like Ana White has on her web site. Pine 2x4 by 8’ are $4, so the wood is cheap. It’s probably built with pocket screws which are fine and stable but not craftsman quality joins. It’s more solid than some furniture that you can buy. Wood can crack as it dries out. Kiln dried wood costs more but it’s already dried out. For a table I’d be worried about the top cracking. Our dining room table has cracks in the top - DH bought it 20 years ago at a flea market. We want to replace it with one with a leaf so we can extend it. We have an Asian chest with enamel coating that has cracked due to wood expanding and contracting. I had it repaired once and now we live with it. It’s an antique piece so part of the charm.

If you like the look and are fine with knowing the finish may need some repairs or touch ups, or live with the charm of the dings/cracks, it’ll be a totally fine table.


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