While buying second hand office furniture is becoming one of today's leading trends, many people still remain pretty reluctant towards this idea. They are mainly afraid that you deliberately invest your money into something that would not last as long as a new item by buying used office chairs and second hand desks.

From this perspective, the idea of saving money through buying second hand furniture may look pretty controversial if you think that you will have to replace it sooner. Office refurnishing can be rather costly indeed. Therefore most business owners try to push this process away as much as possible.

Of course, nothing lasts forever, but is it true that office furniture should be replaced as often as you think? And what is the actual lifespan of furnishing according to the safety standards?

When you answer these questions, you will instantly understand whether it worth buying second hand office furniture for your business or not.

 

How long do office desks last?

With various models and shapes on the modern market, nobody can tell you precisely how long an average office desk can last. Everything depends on the following factors:

  • How much time do you spend behind the desk, and what kind of work you do;
  • How often do you clean your office furniture;
  • Whether your office desk has any movable mechanisms such as lifted desks, additional drawers or wheels.

The principle here is pretty straightforward: the simpler the construction is, the longer it will last. That is why office bench desks are so popular today. Due to their minimalistic construction, you can buy this kind of used office furniture with no fear – there is simply nothing to break there. The same is true for curved ergonomic office desks.

As for more complicated constructions with additional drawers or mechanisms, make sure that you examine each item thoroughly before buying a second hand office desk and purchase from a credible seller. Nothing lasts forever, of course, but each mechanism, cog or lever can be tightened or replaced in used office furniture easily, and it will still come out much cheaper than a new item.

 

How long do office chairs last?

Used office chairs might be a bit more complicated matter than the desks. According to the labour safety standards, an average office chair should last for about ten years in case it is used for 40 hours per week.

However, it is, of course, impossible to know for sure whether the previous owner of your second hand office chair spent 8 hours per day sitting on it or only used it occasionally.

When it comes to leather and fabric office chairs, some owners prefer to replace them as soon as the upholstery starts to wear off. In most cases, it happens way before the supporting mechanisms or wheels on the chair began to fail. With a simple change of upholstery on such second hand office chair, you practically kill two birds with one stone:

  • Get a piece of furniture customized according to your taste;
  • Save a lot of money on buying a fully functioning used office chair.

In other words, the second hand office furniture market allows you to get a fully functioning refurbished Herman Miller office chair at an affordable price.

Sometimes office chairs get on the second hand market because they seem uncomfortable for their owners, but they can be a perfect match for your ergonomics, work schedule and physiology. In other cases, businesses get rid of their office chair as soon as a minor mechanism defect occurs, avoiding workplace accidents and lawsuits. But as we have already mentioned, everything is repairable. As soon as you buy from a dealer, you can trust and test the furniture before purchasing; there is technically no limit for the office furniture lifespan.

 

Where does used office furniture come from?

Those who avoid buying used office furniture often think that only broken and faulty items get to the second hand market. It is not valid. Most of the used office furniture inventory consists of fully functioning and even new-looking things.

Here are the main reasons businesses sell their furniture today:

  • They expand or update technology and therefore need more advanced pieces of office furniture with additional wiring options, storage, etc.;
  • Businesses relocate, and selling and buying different office furniture comes out cheaper than transporting it;
  • Companies rebrand, change their image and therefore need to change their workplace set up as well;
  • Many companies get out of business and sell their assets, including furniture, to pay their debts.

All those are perfectly functioning, safe and comfortable furniture pieces that will serve you for many years, saving your time and money. With a proper approach to purchase, some research on the topic, and a credible seller's assistance, you can easily find safe, reliable and durable office furnishing on the second-hand market and enjoy price, choice, and customization benefits unavailable with new furniture.