Shop for vintage furniture
Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 2:10 pm
Antique furniture is technically anything made 100 years before the point when you buy it. Most people simply consider it to be furniture made around the turn of the 20th century and before. Either way, if it’s old, it’s not racking up any additional energy, water or other costs related to manufacturing. And it’s already offgassed as much as it’s going to.
If you go the vintage/antique route, keep the following in mind:
* Cribs should meet current safety standards.
* Vintage painted furniture produced before 1978 might contain lead. Older antiques — from the 19th century and earlier —most likely do not. Lead paint is an issue if it’s chipping off; you can seal it, but doing so can affect the appearance and the value of the piece. If you have small children around, you might want to think twice about these pieces or save their purchase for when your children are older.
* Refinishing or restoring antiques is also usually best left to the experts. If you’re thinking about refinishing or repainting 20th-century pieces yourself, the safest approach is to assume that any paint you encounter contains lead and take the appropriate cautions when working with them.
If you go the vintage/antique route, keep the following in mind:
* Cribs should meet current safety standards.
* Vintage painted furniture produced before 1978 might contain lead. Older antiques — from the 19th century and earlier —most likely do not. Lead paint is an issue if it’s chipping off; you can seal it, but doing so can affect the appearance and the value of the piece. If you have small children around, you might want to think twice about these pieces or save their purchase for when your children are older.
* Refinishing or restoring antiques is also usually best left to the experts. If you’re thinking about refinishing or repainting 20th-century pieces yourself, the safest approach is to assume that any paint you encounter contains lead and take the appropriate cautions when working with them.