Things to Look For When Purchasing Reclaimed-Wood Restaurant Tables

Reclaimed wood furniture is a popular style right now, and becoming even more so. Worn, vintage, and reused décor isn’t just aesthetically pleasing, it creates a homey, comfortable environment that encourages customers to spend more time (and often more money) in your restaurant. But while reclaimed wood is a great way to appeal to customers, it can be tricky to find quality materials and furniture that’ll stand up to the everyday wear and tear of a restaurant. Read on for our top tips on purchasing reclaimed-wood restaurant tables:

Look for character, not perfection Remember that imperfections improve the piece, rather than ruining it. Consumers aren’t looking for the perfect, mass-produced look anymore; they’re looking for unique features. Whether it’s a feature of a table or the reclaimed wood itself, imperfections add character and authenticity to your furniture and your customers’ experience; so don’t be afraid to buy something that doesn’t look perfect.

Look for wood with a history you know and can trust What’s the wood’s history? Where is it from? What species is it? Asking these questions can, at worst, give you a story to tell about your furniture; and at best, help you understand the potential risks that could be lurking beneath the surface before you make your purchasing decisions. For example, older reclaimed wood can have lead paint on the surface—and that’s definitely something you’d want to know before you buy. Even though it’s not possible to know every detail of every piece’s history, it can be risky to buy reclaimed wood without knowing its origins, so try to find out as much as you can before you purchase.

Also look for any external issues with the furniture We’re not talking about imperfections like knots or holes—we’re talking about potentially dangerous additions like nails and screws or anything else that could potentially cause a problem. Remember that a lot of these issues may not be visible to the naked eye, so make sure it goes through a metal detector before you make a decision to buy.

Look for a good, trustworthy distributor or seller A lot of these tips come down to our final best practice of finding a reputable seller. Reclaimed wood furniture and décor is a hugely popular style right now, and while it might be fine to use almost any old wood pieces to decorate your home, it takes more preparation and research to acquire it for your restaurant. You need to make sure it’ll stand up throughout a lot of heavy use, fluctuating temperature, deep cleaning, and more; so though you’re buying secondhand furniture, it’s incredibly important that you’re buying quality products from someone you trust.

A distributor you can trust is one who’s knowledgeable about what they have and what you need. Find a distributor who understands where their materials originated and were last used, the species of tree they come from, and the risks each piece’s history could mean for you. A partnership you can trust will likely cost you less money in the long run and definitely cut down on the time and stress it takes to research, find, and buy high-quality restaurant tables secondhand.

Looking for the best quality Reclaimed Wood Table Tops or Reclaimed Wood/Industrial Bar Stools and Chairs for your restaurant? Check out our enormous selection all at wholesale prices. Superior Seating is the superior source for restaurant, bar, lounge, and other dining venue furniture. Call us today at 866–213–2401.