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The furniture business never runs out of fashion. People buy new furniture all the time either as first time buyers or because they can afford bigger and better designs/models.
Everyday people buy furniture. New offices open across our cities and both small and big hotels are always looking for interesting and beautiful furniture.
Especially in a fast-emerging economic region like Africa, the demand for furniture will continue to grow in leaps and bounds
Furniture business is yet to develop in Nigeria as it is in other developed countries. Apart from the Alaba traders and some other few furniture dealers here and there in Nigeria, you can hardly see any serious furniture showrooms within the cities. This means great business opportunity exists in this sector.
The furniture business continues to boom as the demand for home and office accommodation grows across Nigeria.
When people move into a new home, they need a bed to sleep on, wardrobes for their clothes, chairs, dining tables, sofas, kitchen cabinets and all kinds of furniture. Like households, offices also buy a lot of furniture too.
Nigeria’s growing economy and its large and rapidly growing urban population are some of the reasons why the furniture business is experiencing good times on our continent.
Take a walk into Bedmate’s showroom anywhere in Nigeria, you’d think the furniture there are custom made for them. You’d think that those furniture you see there are hard to find? Never! There are very easy to source for. Those furniture you see there are imported from China, Taiwan, Turkey, Indonesia, and other Asian countries. Majority is from China.
Requirements
Once you have the requirements, starting is not difficult at all. It’s a straight forward business that you may never need any help or special knowledge to get started. Below are some of the things needed to get started.
Big Showroom
Furniture is space consuming, you will need a very big showroom if you want start something substantial and attractive. Visit places like the Bedmate in Ikeja City Malls to see example of good furniture.
Space is everything in this business and once you have it, you have everything. Make sure you get your showroom in a decent neighborhood, don’t go for a slum.
Experience furniture technician
I don’t know another name to use for this. The furniture technicians do the setup. All the imported furniture comes in packages. Unpacking and setting it up the way it should be is not a small task. It takes someone who is experienced in this to do very well.
A carpenter who tried to setup my imported wardrobe ended up leaving it in shamble and almost damaged completely. Send some guys to Alaba to learn how to setup the furniture and make sure they mastered it very well before putting them in use, else, they will help you incurs damages.
Logistic
This means transporting it to your customers. You need to get a big truck for this purpose. But if you can’t, then you make use of hired truck which will be more expensive in the long run.
To setup the furniture business of the magnitude I’m trying to explain, you will need good amount of money. Your start up capital must be reasonably high, not less than N50 million. Anything less than N50 million may not be able to do standard furniture business for a start.
Tools needed to make furniture
There are basically five tools needed to make fine furniture. These includes;
Sandpaper (and Sander)
It is essential to sand your furniture to get down to the original wood and to also create a rough surface to that your primer and paint will stick to the wood. Sanding down your item also helps get rid of minor scratches and dings.
For hard-to-remove varnish, lacquer, or multiple layers of paint, you will need a low-grit sandpaper. Sand the item until you get down to the natural wood.
You will also need a higher-grit sandpaper. The higher grit sandpaper is used to remove any thin layers of varnish and paint and to use after applying wood putty/filler. It is also helpful to sand with high-grit sandpaper after the first layer of primer and paints to remove any deep brush strokes or drips.
After each round of sanding, be sure to wipe the entire surface with a slightly damp rag.
To get the sanding job done, you can either hand sand your item or use an electric sander. If you are refurbishing a large piece of furniture, such as a bookcase, table, or cabinets, I would recommend using an electric sander.
Attempting to sand a large piece of furniture by hand can become tiresome quickly!
Wood putty and putty knife
Applying wood putty and/or filler helps cover up any dents, dings, and cracks.Wood filler is also helpful if your furniture has any small chunks missing from the legs or top corners.
Depending on the size of your item and whether it has a lot of dents, dings, or cracks, you may need a large amount of wood putty and/or filler. You will also need a putty knife to apply the putty to the surface of your furniture.
Primer
Before you paint your furniture, you must apply a primer (or use an all-in-one paint with primer) with a paintbrush. Primer helps the paint stick better to the item and ensures that your true paint color will shine through.
•If you’re using a dark-colored paint, purchase a gray primer.
•If you’re using a light paint color, purchase a white primer.
Depending on the condition and the original color of your furniture piece, you may need to apply two to three thin coats of primer. Make sure to purchase enough primer to paint your item two or three times and a small amount to make any touch-ups later on.
Paint and brushes
Depending on the type of wood your furniture is made of, select a type of paint in your desired color.
Make sure you purchase enough paint for the size of your item. You will want to apply two or three thin coats. Check with store staff to be sure you’re buying the proper brushes for the project you have ahead of you.
Varnish
Applying a varnish to your item can help seal your paint and protect your item from outside elements. Varnishing your furniture piece also gives it a glossier and more vibrant look. You will want to purchase and apply varnish if your item will be in a high traffic area, such as a living room or hallway, and if it will be heavily used, such as a coffee table or bed frame.
