1. What is it made from?
Basically you want a wood that is solid and can stand the test of time. Some popular solid wood types include oak, walnut, maple, douglas fir and ash (to name a few). Sometimes the solid woods can prove too costly for a project. So plywood is also a very practical option. Plywood is made from layers of wood veneers, which are glued together under pressure at high temperature to form a thicker, stronger and more flexible flat sheet.
2. Finish
A beautiful finish on wood furniture requires two main things, and when one of these steps isn’t done properly, the quality of your furniture may be affected. The first step is sanding. When selecting furniture, have a feel of the surface to check for roughness. Quality furniture should feel smooth to touch. The second thing to check, depending on the type of finish - paint, clear coat or stain, is consistency. Check of for bubbles, rough spots or roller marks. The finish on the overall piece of furniture should be consistent.
3. Construction Technique
When looking for quality craftsmanship, make sure that the joins of the furniture are linked in such a way that is long-lasting and durable. There are many ways of making joins ranging from simple butt joins to intricate dovetail joins. There is a time and a place for all types of joins, but the more complex they are the more expensive a piece becomes, due to the time and skill required. The main thing is that the joins are tight. There shouln't be gaps and they should be appropriate for the application.
4. Internals
If the piece of furniture has moving parts, make sure it is well constructed. With drawers, make sure you open them and check what material the internals of the drawer are made from. Most drawers have runners, but there is a difference between the quality of runners. Some are visible on the side, whereas undermount ones are concealed for asethetics. Traditionally drawers are made without runners, but this requires a high level of craftsmanship to operate smoothly.