Selling Broken & Damaged Furniture

23 guides to selling furniture that are broken, damaged or incomplete. Every one covers what it is worth at Fair and For Parts, how to grade and photograph the defect, and what buyers ask before committing.

Solid wood furniture is worth repairing and veneered chipboard usually is not, and that single distinction sets the price of everything in this category. Loose joints, water rings, missing handles and worn upholstery are all straightforward. Missing fixings on flat-pack are the quiet killer — say whether you have them. Upholstered items sold in the UK also need their fire label intact, so photograph it.

1 of these say do not sell it. Where damage defeats something that exists to stop a person being injured, the guide says so and explains what to do instead. Those pages are in the list below like any other.

Before you write it off

Establish whether it is solid wood or veneered board first, because that decides whether repair is worth anyone’s time. Loose joints in solid wood are re-glued and clamped as a matter of course; a blown chipboard edge is not coming back. Check whether you still have the fixings and the instructions for anything flat-pack, and photograph the fire label on anything upholstered.

What a defect actually costs you

WishThrift grades run New with Tags, Like New, Good, Fair and For Parts. Fair is roughly 45% of the working price and covers heavy use or a described fault; For Parts is roughly 25% and covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen. Grades are seller-declared — nobody inspects them for you — so an honest grade plus a clear photograph of the defect is what actually closes the sale. All five grades explained.

Across the 23 guides below, For Parts prices run from about £2 at the low end to £138 at the top, against £10 to £550 for the same items in sound condition. Those are guide figures in sterling; WishThrift lists in your local currency and does not convert for you.

Every furniture guide

Frequently asked questions

Is damaged furniture worth the effort of selling?

Solid wood, usually yes: joints are re-glued, water rings are removed and finishes are restored as a matter of course, and there is an active market in pieces to restore. Veneered chipboard, usually not — once the board has blown there is no repair.

Do I need the original fixings?

For flat-pack, effectively yes, and it is the first thing a buyer asks. Missing cam locks and dowels can make an otherwise sound wardrobe unbuildable. Say clearly whether you have them and the assembly instructions.

Listing is free and there is no commission. Neither side pays a buyer-protection fee either — create a free account to list yours, or browse the full faulty and damaged index.