Flipping furniture is a great way to earn some extra cash or even a full income, but there are a few things you need to keep in mind if you want to start flipping furniture for money.
If you want to make a profit flipping furniture, it’s important that you approach furniture flipping like a business and make a plan so you don’t waste your money with unnecessary start up expenses.
If you're interested in furniture flipping for money and profit, here are the steps you should follow to get started:
1. Research the Market
Look at what types of furniture are popular in your area and what people are willing to pay for them. You'll want to focus on items that are in demand and can be sold at a profit. Do people in your area tend to like a specific style of furniture, or specific colors of furniture? Look on places like OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace, NextDoor and even local shops to see what types of furniture are selling for the most money. If you’re still not sure where to start, try choosing a mid-century modern style of furniture in a relatively neutral color like black, white, navy blue, or even plain wood. These styles and colors are almost universally popular and usually sell well, so you can start making a profit quickly.
2. Set Up a Budget
Determine how much you can afford to spend on furniture and supplies. Remember to factor in the cost of any tools or equipment you'll need, as well as any materials you'll use to restore or repurpose the furniture.
This is a business, and the goal of flipping furniture is to make a profit. There are lots of tempting tools and supplies to buy, but if you’re flipping furniture for money, you don’t want to spend too much money on supplies that will eat into your profit.
Look at your market research and find out how much flipped furniture is selling for in your area. You need to make sure the cost of your supplies is not more than the sales price of the finished piece of furniture, or you will not make a profit. It’s that simple.
3. Determine Your Target Market
Think about who your customers will be and how you will reach them. Who are your customers, and where are they shopping? Younger customers are more likely to shop online than older customers, but older customers often have more money to spend. Furniture can be extremely expensive to ship, so if you want to flip furniture for profit, you probably want to skip shipping and only sell locally, at least in the beginning. That doesn’t mean you need to avoid the internet, though. Facebook Marketplace, NextDoor, OfferUp, and other websites will help connect you with local customers. Consider setting up an online presence through a website or social media to showcase your work and connect with potential customers, including local customers.
An example of social media: (@ready_set_kate on IG)
4. Find Sources for Furniture
Look for used furniture at thrift stores, yard sales, and online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace. You may also want to consider partnering with local furniture stores or estate sale companies to source items for your business.
Websites like Freecycle and BuyNothing Groups are also good sources for finding discarded furniture for free. Free furniture may need a few repairs, but if you’re flipping furniture for money, free furniture is a great way to keep your supply costs down so you can earn a profit.
5. Collect Your Supplies
Once you’ve determined your market and found some furniture, it’s time to collect your supplies. There are a lot of supplies out there, but there are just a few supplies that most furniture flips will need.
Sander
You'll need a sander for nearly all furniture pieces, regardless of the ultimate finish. You can hand sand a piece, but for larger pieces like dressers and tables, hand sanding is too time consuming and physically demanding to be practical. A random orbital sander is usually the best bang for your buck. A random orbit sander works well and is not too expensive, which is important if you’re flipping furniture for money.
You’ll also want some plain sandpaper to hand-sand any nooks, crannies, or tight corners.
Paint
Most flipped furniture is painted, at least partially. Paint is a great way to rejuvenate an old piece of furniture, and can be the most cost efficient way of improving the look of furniture, which is important if you’re flipping furniture for money.
There are many paints you can use, including latex house paint, but specialty paints like chalk, mineral, and milk paints offer finishes and durability that are specifically made to be best for furniture.
If you're just starting out on your furniture flipping journey, I recommend starting with regular latex house paint. It works well, looks nice, and comes in an infinite variety of colors. Also, latex paint is inexpensive, which is important if you're trying to earn money from your furniture flipping. You can get a custom mixed paint color at your local hardware or home improvement store, or buy a ready made color like Rust-Oleum's Flat Black.
If you’re painting, you may need a primer. Primer will help your paint adhere better, and also will prevent any bleed through from poor quality wood or previous paint jobs. BIN primer is the best primer for furniture, and. it comes in both paint can and spray paint forms.
Check your market research to determine what paint colors sell best in your area. Most paint companies offer a free or low cost fan deck or chart of color options, which you can keep in your workshop to help you choose a color. If you’re unsure what colors to buy, start with a basic neutral like black.
Stain
If you’re not going to paint your flipped furniture, you will probably need to stain the wood. There are a lot of different stains, but Varathane Gel Stains are the best for furniture because they cling well to vertical surfaces, like table legs. Just like paint, choose stain colors that are popular in your area and with your target market of customers.
Sealer
After you’ve painted or stained, you’ll want to seal your furniture so that the furniture finish doesn’t get damaged easily. This will make your customers happy and give you a good reputation as someone who sells high quality flipped furniture, which will allow you to sell more furniture and make more more money over time. Varathane's Ultimate Polyurethane sealer is cost effective and regularly used in the industry.
Brushes, Rollers & Sprayers
You’ll need brushes for any paints, stains, or sealers that you use. If you’re flipping furniture for money, you’ll want to buy the least expensive brushes that you can, but make sure you don’t buy brushes so cheap that they give your furniture a low-quality finish. I recommend starting with a basic set of brushes and mini rollers (for a smoother finish than a brush on all flat surfaces) for paints, primers, and sealers, and some stains. Some people use specialty brushes for stains, but I recommend just using a rag. An old sock or t-shirt is free, and the less you spend on supplies, the more potential you have to make profit. If you’re going to repaint many pieces of furniture, a paint sprayer can give you a high quality finish and save you time and money by using less paint, which will ultimately increase your profit. This is an economical paint sprayer to start with. Keep your paint sprayer clean and it will last forever.
Hardware
You’ll often need to replace drawer knobs, handles, and pulls on flipped furniture. New drawer hardware can make an old, tired, piece of furniture look bright and new again. There are so many options for drawer hardware, but these simple and affordable gold toned handles and brass knobs are both popular and timeless.
Safety
Finally, I recommend an inexpensive pair of safety glasses and dust mask to wear while you’re working. Use your leftover disposable pandemic masks, or get a reusable ventilator style mask set that won't fog up your safety goggles. Just protect your eyes and lungs so you can stay healthy. You don’t want to spend all your new money on doctor bills!
There are a lot of other supplies you can buy, but try to limit your initial purchases to only what you need. Remember, you’re flipping furniture for money, so you don’t want to spend too much money on supplies that will reduce your profit.
6. Set Up a Workspace
You'll need a place to work on your furniture, whether it's a dedicated workshop or a corner of your garage. Make sure you have all the tools and equipment you'll need to complete your projects in that space.
If at all possible, choose an outdoor space like a garage or shed or even a balcony for your workspace. It’s best to paint and sand in a space with good ventilation. A basement, or even a spare bedroom could work, but if you’re painting indoors try to open windows and make sure you use drop cloths, like these inexpensive and reusable plastic cloths, to protect the surfaces in your home.
7. Get To Work
Start sourcing furniture, restoring and repurposing it, and selling it to your customers. Be sure to document your work and keep track of your expenses and profits to help you grow your business. Keeping a simple log of expenses and sale prices can help you choose which types of furniture makes you the most profit, and choosing to repeat those furniture types will earn you more money over time.
Flipping furniture for money is an excellent way to earn some extra cash. Starting a furniture flipping business can be a rewarding (and lucrative!) endeavor, but it does require some time and effort to get off the ground. By following these steps, you can set yourself up for success and start turning your passion for furniture flipping into a profitable venture.