Buying Guide

17 Questions to Ask Before Investing in Heirloom Furniture

Quality furniture is an investment, and not every piece marketed as heirloom quality is built the same way. Here is what to ask before you buy.

RUSTIC RED DOOR DESIGN TEAM  |  9 MIN READ

Before You Buy

Before you buy, ask these 17 questions.

Furniture can be one of the most-used investments in your home. That's the idea behind heirloom furniture: pieces made not just for the room you have today, but for years—and potentially generations—to come.

But not every piece marketed as “solid wood,” “handcrafted,” or “heirloom quality” is built the same way.

Contents

The 17 Questions

Part One

Materials & Construction

01 Is It Actually Made From Solid Wood?

02 What Species of Wood Is Used?

03 Where Is the Furniture Made?

04 How Is It Constructed?

Part Two

Size & Customization

05 Is the Furniture Made to Order?

06 Can the Dimensions Be Customized?

Part Three

Living With Real Wood

07 Will the Design Still Work If My Style Changes?

08 How Will the Wood Change Over Time?

09 What Does the Finish Look Like in Real Life?

10 How Much Natural Variation Should I Expect?

11 Is the Piece Designed for Everyday Use?

Part Four

Built for the Long Run

12 Can It Adapt to Future Needs?

13 Can It Be Repaired or Refinished?

14 What Maintenance Does It Require?

Part Five

Buying and Beyond

15 How Will It Be Delivered?

16 What Happens If I Have Questions After the Sale?

17 Will I Still Be Happy I Bought It 10 or 20 Years From Now?

Part One

Materials & Construction

Questions 1–4

Question 01

Is It Actually Made From Solid Wood?

Start with what you can't always see.

Ask whether the piece is made from genuine solid wood or whether it contains MDF, particleboard, veneers, or other engineered materials. Those materials aren't automatically wrong for every application, but you should know exactly what you're purchasing.

If your goal is furniture designed to last for decades, solid wood furniture provides a major advantage: it can often be repaired, refinished, and restored instead of replaced.

Question 02

What Species of Wood Is Used?

“Solid wood” is only the beginning.

Different wood species have distinctly different appearances, characteristics, and levels of hardness. White oak, walnut, maple, hickory, cherry, and reclaimed wood can all create beautiful furniture—but they don't look or age the same way.

Ask what species you're getting and why it makes sense for the piece you're considering.

One species, fourteen stains. Hickory shown in the full stain range.

Question 03

What Species of Wood Is Used?

Knowing where your furniture comes from tells you a great deal about how it was produced.

Ask where the piece is built, who makes it, and whether the company has a relationship with the craftsmen producing its furniture.

When you're making a significant investment, transparency matters. The furniture you get from us is handcrafted in mid-America by expert woodworkers whose proven woodworking techniques are reflected in each piece. Learn more about how our furniture is made.

Question 04

How Is It Constructed?

Beautiful wood can't compensate for poor construction.

Look beyond the surface and ask how the piece is assembled. Pay attention to joinery, support systems, drawer construction, hardware, table bases, and other structural details.

Heirloom furniture should be engineered for everyday life—not just for the showroom.

Fairdale Extendable Dining Table in Hickory, construction detail.

Part Two

Size & Customization

Questions 5–6

Question 05

Is the Furniture Made to Order?

Made-to-order furniture gives you something mass-produced pieces usually can't: choice.

Depending on the piece, you may be able to select the wood species, stain, dimensions, base style, edge profile, hardware, seating options, or other details.

That can be especially valuable when you're trying to fit an unusual room or create furniture you'll want to keep for decades.

Question 06

Can the Dimensions Be Customized?

An almost-right piece of furniture can become frustrating surprisingly quickly.

Before ordering, think about:

Room dimensions

Walkways and traffic flow

Seating clearance

Future entertaining needs

If standard sizing isn't quite right, ask whether custom dimensions are available.

Keep Reading How to Find Your Dream Table — sizing a dining table for your room

Live Edge Walnut Epoxy River Dining Table.

Part Three

Living With Real Wood

Questions 7–11

Question 07

Will the Design Still Work If My Style Changes?

Trends come and go. Heirloom furniture shouldn't have to.

Look for a piece with enough character to feel special but enough versatility to adapt as paint colors, rugs, lighting, upholstery, and decor change around it.

A well-designed solid wood table, bed, or case piece can work in many different rooms and styles throughout its life.

See it in real homes →

Question 08

How Is It Constructed?

Real wood isn't static.

Color can deepen, finishes can mellow, and everyday use may gradually add character. Sunlight can also affect certain species more noticeably than others.

Ask what you should expect so the natural aging process doesn't come as a surprise.

Question 09

What Does the Finish Look Like in Real Life?

Online photos are helpful, but screens can alter color considerably.

If you're choosing a particular wood and stain combination, ask us about samples or if additional photos are available. Consider undertones as well as overall darkness.

A finish may lean warm, cool, golden, gray, red, or brown—and those nuances can make a significant difference once the furniture is in your home.

Leighton Live Edge Bed Frame in walnut, headboard detail.

Question 10

How Much Natural Variation Should I Expect?

One of the best things about real wood is that no two boards are identical.

Grain patterns, knots, mineral streaks, color variation, saw marks, worm tracks, and other characteristics may be more or less noticeable depending on the wood you choose.

These aren't necessarily imperfections. In many cases, they're exactly what gives solid wood furniture its individuality.

Ask what level of variation is typical before you order.

Question 11

Is the Piece Designed for Everyday Use?

“Heirloom” shouldn't mean “too precious to touch.”

A dining table should handle family dinners. A bench should be sat on. A dresser should survive drawers being opened thousands of times.

Ask how the piece is intended to be used and what care it realistically requires.

The best heirloom furniture is furniture you can actually live with.

Part Four

Built for the Long Run

Questions 12–14

Question 12

Can It Adapt to Future Needs?

Your home and family may look very different ten or twenty years from now.

For dining tables, consider whether an extendable design would give you greater flexibility. For other furniture, think about whether the scale and style could work in a different room or future home.

Versatility increases the likelihood that you'll keep—and continue using—a piece for years.

Holbrooke Rustic Extendable Farmhouse Dining Table, shown extended.

Question 13

Can It Be Repaired or Refinished?

This is one of the biggest differences between disposable furniture and furniture built for the long term.

Scratches, dents, worn finishes, and signs of life are inevitable over decades of use. With quality solid wood furniture, many of those issues can be repaired or refinished.

Ask what options you'll have years down the road.

Question 14

What Maintenance Does It Require?

You shouldn't need a complicated maintenance routine to enjoy your furniture.

Still, different finishes and materials may have different care requirements.

Before buying, ask:

What should I use for routine cleaning?

Are there products I should avoid?

Should I use coasters, pads, or trivets?

How should spills be handled?

Does the finish require periodic maintenance?

Understanding the care requirements before purchasing can prevent problems later.

Keep Reading

Table Care 101 — how to care for solid wood furniture

Part Five

Buying and Beyond

Questions 15–17

Question 15

How Will It Be Delivered?

This question is easy to overlook until a large piece of furniture is sitting at your door.

Ask whether delivery includes bringing the piece inside, placing it in the correct room, and assembling or setting it up when necessary.

Also measure entrances, stairways, elevators, hallways, and tight corners before ordering oversized furniture.

Ask what level of variation is typical before you order.

At Rustic Red Door, our furniture includes free nationwide delivery with professional setup in your home or place of business—hands off for you and ready to be used.

Question 16

What Happens If I Have Questions After the Sale?

Heirloom furniture is a long-term purchase. The relationship with the company selling it shouldn't end when your payment goes through.

Our design and customer service teams are available to answer questions about finishes, care, delivery, customization, and the furniture itself—both before and after you order.

Personal service becomes especially important when you're purchasing custom or made-to-order pieces.

A live edge sycamore desk assembled in place during delivery.

Question 17

Will I Still Be Happy I Bought It 10 or 20 Years From Now?

This may be the most important question of all.

Instead of asking only:

“Do I like this today?”

Ask:

“Can I picture this being part of our home years from now?”

Think about the construction, materials, design, function, and flexibility of the piece.

Furniture that costs less today but needs to be replaced several times isn't necessarily the better value. A thoughtfully chosen, well-built piece can become something entirely different: part of your home's history.

Emily Solid Wood Bedroom Furniture.

Take This With You

The 17-Question Checklist

Use it while comparing pieces online or bring it to a showroom. Printing this page prints the checklist only.

01 Confirm it is genuine solid wood, not MDF or veneer.

02 Ask which wood species you are getting, and why.

03 Ask where the piece is built and who builds it.

04 Ask about joinery, table bases, and drawer construction.

05 Ask whether the piece is made to order.

06 Measure the room, then ask about custom dimensions.

07 Judge the design against style changes, not trends.

08 Ask how the wood and finish

 will age.

09 See the finish in person or order a sample.

10 Ask what level of natural variation is typical.

11 Confirm it is built for everyday 

use.

12 Ask whether it can adapt: leaves, scale, another room.

13 Ask whether it can be repaired or refinished.

14 Ask what routine care the finish requires.

15 Ask what delivery includes, and measure entryways.

16 Ask who you will talk to after 

the sale.

17 Picture it in your home twenty years from now.

HEIRLOOM QUALITY

Buy Once. Live With It for Years.

Personalized in your choice of woods, finishes, sizes, and details.

Ready to explore? Browse our handcrafted dining tables, solid wood bedroom sets, and other designs, or 

tell us what you're looking for and we'll help you create a piece designed for your home.

Start Your Custom Project

Or read what our customers say in their reviews.