How to Start a Furniture Upcycling Business

Part of upcycling can be simple refurbishment, and part of it is re-styling it. New covers, new coats of paint, and other new changes can make something old and worn down into something chic and modern. The business also scales nicely, letting you grow from a solo operation to a team, if necessary.

You may also be interested in additional side hustle ideas.

Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? We recommend forming an LLC as it is the most affordable way to protect your personal assets. You can do this yourself or with our trusted partner for a small fee.

Northwest ($29 + State Fees)

DIY: How to Start an LLC

Start a furniture upcycling business by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Furniture Upcycling Business
  2. Form your Furniture Upcycling Business into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Furniture Upcycling Business for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Furniture Upcycling Business
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Furniture Upcycling Business
  7. Get Furniture Upcycling Business Insurance
  8. Define your Furniture Upcycling Business Brand
  9. Create your Furniture Upcycling Business Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your furniture upcycling business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Furniture Upcycling Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state’s business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability

It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

What are the costs involved in opening a furniture upcycling business?

Perhaps the most attractive thing about a furniture upcycling business is that you can open it very cheap. For instance, it is very possible to open such a business for $2,000 or less. This assumes that you are starting from home, so $500 goes towards hiring someone to create a professional website. You may spend another $500 (possibly more) on some in-town advertisement, such as newspaper or radio ads when your business first opens. The remaining $1,000 is spent buying old furniture and refurbishing it. This gives you a decent amount of items to start with that you can still reasonably work on and store at your home. Afterwards, the business is very self-sustaining—you can buy new furniture and materials as your stock sells, keeping you from over investing.

What are the ongoing expenses for a furniture upcycling business?

Functionally, there are very few ongoing expenses for your business. You will pay varying amounts of money for furniture each month, but you should price your work to reflect those costs. You may pay varying amounts of gasoline to drive around town to the aforementioned thrift shops, yard sales, auctions, and so on. Your annual website hosting costs should be less than $100. If you use eBay and Paypal to sell furniture or receive payments, you must pay the appropriate surcharge for those services.

Who is the target market?

Your best clients will typically be those in their mid-20’s to early 30’s. This is a demographic that typically needs to decorate a new space (such as a first house) but also desires the more sleek and modern aesthetic that your business provides. Additionally, being able to provide that furniture for a much lower price than brand new chic furniture will appeal to a demographic that is early in their careers.

How does a furniture upcycling business make money?

For furniture upcycling, the business model is straightforward: you buy old furniture, refurbish, and restyle it, and then sell the “new” product to clients for a fixed cost.

How much can you charge customers?

The exact amount you charge will vary based on the size of the furniture and the complexity and cost of the refurbishing process. One upcycler reported that she bought a table and chairs for $50 and the spent $75 restoring and restyling it. She then turned around and sold it for $290, which recouped her investment and netted her $165 in profit. Considering that it only took her three hours to refurbish, this meant she made $55 per hour spent, which is part of what makes this an exciting job even as a side business.

How much profit can a furniture upcycling business make?

The exact profitability of your business depends on how many pieces of furniture you sell and what the profit margin is on your items. Some successful companies make a little over $100,000 per year doing this kind of work. While it is unlikely that you will make this much in your first year (or first few years), it is very easy to start this kind of work as a side business and turn it into your main income stream after you have established a reputation and built enough experience.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Try to sell your work across multiple venues, such as Etsy, eBay, and specialty sites like Furnishly. Doing this as well as selling furniture in your own town can really help boost sales. Make sure you have ample photography to show off your work from the best angles, and write up helpful descriptions that include exact measurements (this really helps those buying furniture for their new homes). Finally, make sure you have an eye-catching and distinctive logo that will help you stand out from the competition!

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your furniture upcycling business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your furniture upcycling business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

More than 84% of our readers opt to collaborate with a professional LLC formation service to kickstart their venture. We’ve negotiated a tailored discount for our readers, bringing the total down to just $29.

FORM YOUR LLC

Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

Federal Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a furniture upcycling business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a furniture upcycling business business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

Labor safety requirements

It is important to comply with all Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements.

Relevant requirements include:

  • Employee injury report
  • Safety signage
  • Etc.

Certificate of Occupancy

Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO).  A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.

  • If you plan to lease a location:
    • It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
    • Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a furniture upcycling business
    • After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.
  • If you plan to purchase or build a location:
    • You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
    • Review all building codes and zoning requirements for your business’ location to ensure your furniture upcycling will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.

Find out what types of insurance your Furniture Upcycling Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Furniture Upcycling Business.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a furniture upcycling business

As mentioned earlier, some traditional marketing via newspapers and radio may be suitable for your area when you first open your business. However, this business focuses very much on appearance and style, so most of your marketing will be online. You can use your website as well as social media presence on sites such as Instagram to feature your work (throwing in “before” and “after” shots of furniture is a great way to showcase your talent). Also, many upcyclers now sell online, through their own website, sites such as Etsy, or sites such as eBay.

How to keep customers coming back

In addition to the methods above, try to find ways to publicly show off and sell your work. This might include booths at city fairs or gallery nights, or maybe even selling some of your work as part of local charity fundraising. Such events build goodwill while establishing your reputation for quality and style. For retention, try to get your customers on an email mailing list so you can let them know about new stock and new styles that you’re now selling. This way, they are eager to come in and see what is new rather than assuming they know what you are selling.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPressWIXWeeblySquarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

This business is great for veterans of yard sales and thrift shops—basically, anyone with a good eye for finding surprising items at low prices. It’s also good for those with an eye for style and design, so you are able to see not just what the worn down furniture is but what it could be after some modifications. Finally, it’s good for those with sales experience, as the job may involve a lot of individual interaction with a variety of customers.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a furniture upcycling business?

There are many day-to-day activities of such a business. Part of your days will be spent going to thrift shops, yard sales, and online auction sites in order to acquire old furniture at low prices. Afterward, you will spend time refurbishing and re-styling the furniture you have acquired. When you are not doing these primary activities, you may be communicating with current clients and prospective clients, updating your website and/or social media presence, and actually selling the furniture you have upcycled.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful furniture upcycling business?

Any previous experience refurbishing furniture yourself can be a big help. Similarly, work experience in something like a furniture store can give you valuable insight into how furniture is sold and how custom psychology works. Also, as alluded to earlier, your previous experience navigating thrift shops, yard sales, and auctions within your town will be a big help.

What is the growth potential for a furniture upcycling business?

The growth potential for this business is modest. As an industry, luxury furniture is expected to grow by four percent between 2015 and 2019, and upcycled furniture benefits from appealing to different markets: some turn to it as a kind of luxury unique item (which goes hand-in-hand with the modern mania for antiques), while others see upcycled furniture as a more affordable alternative to modern designer furniture. Through this appeal to multiple demographics, your business has great room to grow.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a furniture upcycling business?

One great tip is to do ample research before starting your business. Figuring out just how regularly different thrift shops and auctions and yard sales in your town (or neighboring towns) sell old furniture will give you an idea of how much business you can actually conduct if and when things get busy. Also, start small: try refurbishing a few things for fun before diving into a full-on business. The nature of this business is that it is very easy to do it as a part-time gig while getting the hang of it before you devote your full time and resources to it.

How and when to build a team

Unlike many businesses, this one has a visual cue for when you need to build a team. If you are selling stock faster than you can store it, then it’s time to rev your game up. That means acquiring and refurbishing on a larger scale, so it’s time to recruit a team. The best part is that you can do this and still keep overhead low: you may want to invest in monthly storage for your furniture rather than everyone keeping it at their homes, but this is a good intermediary step before opening a small store.

Useful Links

Industry Opportunities

Real World Examples

Further Reading