Before you take that dresser or desk home from the thrift store, take a minute to determine whether the piece is truly worth revamping.
Here, expert DIYers speak to the pros and cons of refurbishing and upcycling furniture and provide insights on time, budget, and materials, all of which will help you decide whether it makes sense to invest more in a secondhand piece.
When Upcycling or Refurbishing Furniture Is Worthwhile
Before we get into the merits of upcycling and refurbishing furniture, it’s important to establish the difference between these two terms. According to Camila Pavone, an interior designer and DIYer, the goal of refurbishing a piece is to bring it back to life in the way it looked when it was first produced.
On the other hand, upcycling allows for flexibility. Josie Davis, a content creator and DIY blogger, notes that upcycling is all about re-imagining a piece in a new way—and may be with the help of paint or by reconstructing the piece entirely.
So, is upcycling or refurbishing furniture a worthwhile project?
“It depends on the piece and your budget,” Pavone says. “If you have a true antique piece on your hands or something that holds high sentimental value to you, and you have the budget, then I always think that refurbishing the piece is the way to go.”
Of course, not every item is going to cost a ton to refurbish or upcycle, but the process will require time. After having taken on many challenging projects in the past, Davis has determined that she will now only invest time and money in revamping a furniture item if she sees herself keeping it for quite some time—anywhere between a few years and the rest of her life, she explains.
Despite these caveats, there are definitely some easy projects that one can take on without breaking the bank or spending hours on end toiling away.
The One Materials Pros Always Upcycle
Davis shares that a solid wood piece is always a good investment, so if you spot a wooden furniture item that you love, jump on refurbishing or upcycling it.
Wondering whether a piece of furniture is actually made of real wood? Jessi Harris, the owner of Cypress House Restoration and Design, has a go-to hack that never fails.
“It can be helpful to view the top and side panels from the back of the dresser,” she says. “If that raw side of the material looks fairly smooth and natural, it’s most likely solid wood. “
Rather, if it appears that the backing is made of various smaller pieces glued together, she explains, you’re likely looking at an item made out of composite or particle board.
When You’re Wasting Your Money
It’s important to note that refurbishing and upcycling furniture can be time-consuming, and if your current lifestyle doesn’t allow for lots of DIY time, you may find yourself spending money on more pieces than you’ll ever be able to realistically revamp.
Pavone explains that when she was newly married and childless, she and her husband were able to tackle many different upcycling projects, but these days, she has a shed full of furniture items that she bought with the intention to restore, yet hasn’t touched yet.
“They have been in there for years, and I have no clue when I will actually get to it,” she says. Even if these pieces were inexpensive at a thrift store or yard sale, you still paid for them (and possibly spent money storing and/or transporting them, too).
Additionally, if a furniture item is made out of poor-quality material, it’s not worth spending the time to refurbish or upcycle it, the experts we spoke with explain.
Common Materials You Should Never Upcycle
- Particle Board: Davis is adamant that people avoid refurbishing or upcycling anything that is made out of particle board. “It will fall apart so quickly, especially once you start trying to take it apart or add coats of paint,” she says.
- Laminate: If a piece of furniture has a laminate top, which Davis explains was common in the mid-20th century, you will also want to practice caution. “You can’t refurbish the laminate the same way you can wood,” she says, and advises people to leave furnishings with damaged laminate tops behind.
- Upholstery: While Davis doesn’t say to never reupholster a piece of furniture on your own, she does warn that the process can be quite difficult and time-consuming if you’re a beginner. Meanwhile, going the professional upholstery route can be very expensive. Pavone adds that upholstered pieces may carry smells from their previous owners, such as smoke, which can be difficult to ever remove entirely