Furniture Serial Number Lookup: A Complete Guide
Ever wonder about the origin of your home furniture? Aside from helping you discover the time of production, a serial number may also come in handy when it comes to the warranty claiming process. One ... Read more The post Furniture Serial Number Lookup: A Complete Guide appeared first on Arthitectural.
Ever wonder about the origin of your home furniture? Aside from helping you discover the time of production, a serial number may also come in handy when it comes to the warranty claiming process.
One aspect that might make furniture serial number lookup somewhat challenging is that its locations and meanings usually vary. At the very least, you can rest assured that although exceptions exist, furniture is supposed to have a serial number, be it modern or antique furniture.
And to simplify things further, some common locations of serial numbers are the product tag, the furniture’s underside, and inside the drawer (if there are any).
How to Find the Serial Number on Your Furniture
The location of your furniture’s serial number may vary based on the type of furniture and its manufacturer. That said, there are a few common places that you can prioritize.
1. Tables, Chairs, and Stands
In most cases, you only need to look underneath a table, chair, or stand to find its serial number. The legs are also another possible location for the serial number. If you still find none, try to examine the furniture’s base to see if there’s a stamp, sticker, or metal plate sticking out underneath.
When conducting a furniture serial number search for a recliner chair, you should also check its footrest, arm frame, or hang tag.
2. Bookcases
You can expect to find an identifying number on the inner side of a bookcase’s frame. In case yours has drawers, inspect them as well.
3. Couches
Notice how several furnishings have serial numbers on their underside? Well, in the worst-case scenario, you may actually have to check the bottom of your couch to hunt down the information you want.
If you’re lucky enough (which we hope you are), the number’s whereabouts can be found on the arms or under the removable cushions, with the latter being the case for Ashley furniture.
4. Beds
Similar to sofa serial number lookup, you may sometimes have to flip the bed upside down to inspect its feet. Before you head straight to turning the bed over, though, at least have a look at its headboard, side frame, crossbar, inner footboard, and back first.
5. Mattresses
Finding the furniture identification numbers on mattresses can be a little confusing, given how there are many possible locations.
Many mattresses come with a warranty card, such as those from Sealy Mattress or MyDream. In case you are given one, it should be your first place to look. It’d also be helpful to scan the box that the mattress comes in as well.
Then, look for a white law tag underneath the mattress’s top, bottom, or side. You may also come across this tag when examining the zip cover’s underside or original packaging. If you don’t, there’s a high chance that you’ve bought old furniture.
6. Others
When locating furniture model number on chests, cases, pedestals, or desks, the drawer is usually your best bet. However, when worse comes to worst, you’ll have to remove all the detachable components of the furniture to pinpoint the information.
Tips for Locating Furniture Serial Number
- The warranty or user manuals usually include the serial number, so always check these out first.
- In case you know who the manufacturer is, google them and check out their website. Chances are, they’ll clarify where they put the serial number on their furniture.
What if you don’t know who made the furniture? Well, you can identify furniture manufacturer by posting several pictures of the piece online, such as on r/findfurnitureID, so that someone can do the job for you.
- The serial number may not always be printed on a sticker or a label tag, so feel around with your hand to see if it’s stamped or engraved onto the furniture instead. Alternatively, use a flashlight to improve visibility, especially if the number is in a hard-to-see spot.
- If all else fails, try contacting the manufacturer; you can find them online beforehand to learn their contact information. Most notable brands, like Hekman, Bassett, IKEA, etc., all provide you with a way to reach out to them in case things go south.
Furniture Serial Number Lookup Methods
The method to decode serial numbers can vary from one furniture brand to another, but here’s a quick rundown:
- The serial number of Lane furniture is supposed to be read from right to left—the first two digits are the days, the next two are the month, and the last two are the year.
If the number contains up to 7 digits, then the last one refers to the manufacturing plant location.
- Ethan Allen furniture, meanwhile, has identifying numbers in the following formats: PLT (N) and NN-NNNN, in which N stands for a number.
In the former case, PLT (N) is to inform where the furniture was made. So if you see PLT 1, it means the furniture was made in Plant 1.
In the latter case, the first number indicates the manufacturing plant, with the one following it the date. The first two digits after the hyphen are the month, and the latter two are the year.
- IKEA furniture features one 8-digit and one 5-digit number, one as an identifying number, and one for the supplier. The former will help you find the exact furniture model in any given IKEA st
You can also learn the manufacturing date by checking the 4-digit date stamp, which should be read backward. In this case, the first 2 digits indicate the year and the latter 2 the week of the year itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Determine the Age and Value of My Furniture Using Its Serial Number?
As shown above, the SN may contain the manufacturing date of the furniture, so you’ll need to learn how a certain brand encodes this number.
And because the SN may also indicate the model number, you can easily find the furniture online and learn how much it’s worth.
Common Challenges and Limitations of Furniture Serial Number Lookup?
When conducting a furniture lookup by serial number, here are a few challenges you may encounter:
- Brands don’t share the same method of reading serial numbers, so it can be hard to decipher the information.
- Even within the same manufacturer, the way of writing serial numbers can va Plus, the brand may sometimes even change the SN for the piece from one country to another.
- Some vintage furniture, such as Drexel, has identifying numbers that are almost impossible to decipher due to the lack of official information regarding the matter.
Tips for Identifying Furniture Without a Serial Number
Can’t find the numbers on the back or anywhere on your furniture? Below are some tips:
- Post pictures of the furniture online, so someone can identify the item and its manufacturer.
- Consult a furniture appraisal service, especially if it’s an antique piece.
- Furniture may have stamps that can be used to pinpoint the manufacturer and date of production.
- For antique pieces, the design may change over time, so it can also be a telltale sign to identify the piece.
Conclusion
We hope that we’ve cleared up all the matters regarding furniture serial number lookup. That said, those who want to appraise their antique furniture should consider finding the help of a specialist rather than just relying on this string of digits alone.
Should you have any questions left, be sure to let us know. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
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