A neighbouring business is moving out and offers you its desks and chairs if you can collect them by Friday. Or an online listing shows a full set of matching task chairs at a tempting price. Second-hand office furniture can be a smart buy, but only if you know what to check before anything is loaded onto the trailer.
This guide covers what to inspect on used chairs, desks, workstations, storage and lounges, what buying new adds, and how to mix the two. For new seating, start with our ergonomic task chairs.
Used office chairs: gas lift, mechanism, upholstery and castors
Chairs take the most daily wear, so inspect them closely. Sit in every chair you plan to buy, not just one from the batch.
- Gas lift: raise the seat to full height, sit for a minute and see whether it sinks.
- Mechanism: work every lever. The back should lock in each position, and the tilt tension should change when you adjust it.
- Upholstery: look for tears, stains, flattened seat foam and mesh that sags or has pulled away from the frame.
- Base and castors: check for cracks in the base, missing castors and wheels that drag or have flat spots.
- Arms: check armpads for splits and arm brackets for wobble.
A new chair adds stated specs you can rely on. The Graphite Ergonomic Mesh Chair (from $384) has an adaptive synchro mechanism with a four-position lock and adjustable tilt tension. It adds adjustable lumbar support, pneumatic seat height and seat depth adjustment, a 140kg recommended weight capacity and a 10 year warranty. Our guide to commercial grade furniture explains what the term means and why it matters.
Desks and workstations: frames, tops and missing parts
A used desk can look fine from the front and still wobble. Check these points before you pay:
- Frames: look for bent legs, cracked welds, stripped screw holes and missing levelling feet.
- Tops: check for chipped edges, swollen board near the joins and tops that no longer match each other.
- Missing parts: count connecting rails, brackets, cable trays and screen clamps against what the workstation needs.
- Screens: look for stains, sagging fabric and missing fixings, because odd screens are hard to match later.
Buying new lets you choose the size and finish. The Summit Straight Desk (from $300) comes in 1500W or 1800W x 750D at 725mm high, with nine top and frame colour combinations. Its page lists each desk as one top, two legs and one modesty panel. It also coordinates with workstations, flip tables, meeting tables and pedestals in the same series.
Workstations are where missing parts hurt most. The Deluxe Infinity Double Sided Workstations With Screens - Loop Leg (from $921) comes in runs of 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 people with matching privacy screens. Each position has a 750mm deep scalloped E1 Enviroboard top in Natural Oak or White, on 60mm x 45mm loop legs. It carries a 5 Year Australian warranty.
Storage: locks, keys and drawer runners
- Locks and keys: make sure every lock comes with a working key, and ask whether the lock can be changed if not.
- Runners: pull each drawer fully open with some weight inside. It should glide, not drop or grind.
- Anti-tilt: on filing cabinets, test the anti-tilt mechanism before you load any files.
- Body: look for rust, dents that stop drawers closing, and missing handles or label holders.
A new cabinet states what it holds. The Steelco 3 Drawer Vertical Filing Cabinet ($380) has a barrel exchange lock, heavy-duty double extension ball bearing runners and a 35kg drawer capacity, spread evenly across the drawer. An anti-tilt mechanism is installed, it measures 1015H x 470W x 620D and it carries a 10-Year product warranty. It comes in five powder coated colours and arrives pre-assembled.
Lounges and soft seating: foam and fabric
Used lounges hide their wear inside. Press each seat cushion and feel for soft spots, or a base you can feel through the foam. Check the fabric for pilling, stains, odours and split seams, and lift each end to listen for a loose frame.
A new lounge tells you what is inside. The Jaden Double Lounge ($872) has high density foam over a solid timber inner frame, on a stainless steel frame. It is upholstered in easy-to-clean black polyurethane, has a 260kg weight limit and carries a 5 year structural warranty.
What buying new adds
New furniture comes with stated warranties and weight ratings, finishes that match, and the sizes and colours you choose. It also comes in matching quantities, which is hard to find second-hand.
The Set of 10 Rapidline Steel Frame Desks (from $2,286) is priced per set of 10 desks in one size and colour. Choose 1200 x 600, 1500 x 750, 1800 x 750 or 1800 x 900, with a Beech, Cherry, Oak or White top on a black powder coated steel frame. Each desk has a 25mm E1 rated melamine top and 40mm steel legs with adjustable feet. The set is shipped flat-packed and carries a 3 Year Australian warranty.
Second-hand office furniture checklist
Take this table with you when you inspect.
| Item | Check on a second-hand piece | What a new product page states |
|---|---|---|
| Task chair | Gas lift holds; every lever works; foam, mesh and castors intact | Mechanism, weight capacity and warranty (Graphite: 140kg) |
| Desk | No wobble; legs straight; feet present; tops match | Sizes, height and parts (Summit: 725mm high) |
| Workstation | Rails, brackets, cable trays and screens all present | Run size and matching screens (Deluxe Infinity) |
| Filing cabinet | A key for every lock; runners glide; anti-tilt works | Lock type, drawer load and warranty (Steelco: 35kg per drawer) |
| Lounge | Foam springs back; fabric clean; frame solid | Foam, frame, weight limit and warranty (Jaden: 260kg) |
| Matching sets | Same model, finish and condition across the lot | One size and colour per set (Set of 10 desks) |
A mixed approach for an Australian office
A mix often works well. Buy new where daily wear and adjustment matter most, such as task chairs, and consider second-hand for sturdy pieces you can test on the spot, such as steel storage. Keep matching sets new where the look matters, such as workstations in an open-plan area.
Australian summers are hard on stored furniture. Pieces kept in a hot shed or humid garage can come out with swollen board edges, rusty runners or brittle plastic, so ask where used items have been stored.
New products arrive differently. Deliveries go to the ground-floor entrance, and goods arrive flat-packed unless the product page says otherwise. Five of the six products here list metro Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide on their Delivery line, while the Jaden lists metro Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth and is not available in SA.
The Steelco cabinet is AFRDI approved. AFRDI, the Australasian Furnishing Research and Development Institute, is an independent body that tests and certifies furniture for Australia and New Zealand.
Second-hand office furniture — frequently asked questions
Is it worth buying second-hand office chairs?
It can be, if every chair passes a hands-on check of the gas lift, mechanism, upholstery and castors. Chairs carry the most daily wear, so new task chairs with a stated weight capacity and warranty are often the better place to spend.
How can you tell if an office chair gas lift is worn?
A worn gas lift lets the seat sink slowly while you sit, or will not hold the height you set. Raise the seat fully, sit for a minute or two and check whether it has dropped.
What should you check on a used filing cabinet?
Check that every lock has a working key, that each drawer runs smoothly to full extension and that the anti-tilt mechanism works. Also look for rust and for dents that stop the drawers closing.
Shop the range
Every product in this guide is listed below in the order it appears. Our office desks and office storage ranges hold more sizes and finishes.
- Graphite Ergonomic Mesh Chair (from $384): a synchro mesh task chair with a stated 140kg capacity and 10 year warranty
- Summit Straight Desk (from $300): a straight desk in two sizes and nine top and frame combinations
- Deluxe Infinity Double Sided Workstations With Screens - Loop Leg (from $921): face-to-face workstations in runs of up to ten, with matching screens
- Steelco 3 Drawer Vertical Filing Cabinet ($380): a lockable filing cabinet with 35kg drawers and an anti-tilt mechanism
- Jaden Double Lounge ($872): an easy-to-clean two-seat lounge for reception or waiting areas
- Set of 10 Rapidline Steel Frame Desks (from $2,286): ten matching desks in one size and colour, priced per set
Metro delivery is a flat $75 per order, and prices include GST.
