What should you ask a furniture maker before you buy?

Restraint furniture is bought rarely, and the piece you're considering may be the first you've ever bought. There's no friend to ask, no showroom down the road and no familiar brand to fall back on. Your protection is a good set of questions, and a maker willing to answer them plainly.

These are the questions to ask before you buy BDSM furniture from anyone, including us. Each comes with what a good answer looks like, and with our own answer where we have one. Where the honest answer depends on the piece, we say 'ask us'.

About the materials

What is it made of?

A good answer names the material and, for metal, the grade. 'Steel' tells you less than a named grade; 'hardwood' tells you less than a named timber. Our answer: S235 steel, in 80 × 80 mm square tube, with 3 mm laser-cut steel headboard panels on our patterned beds. Our guide to what S235, 80 × 80 mm and 3 mm mean explains each term.

What is the finish, and how do I clean it?

A restraint piece is handled a great deal, so the finish matters. A good answer explains what the finish is and what to clean it with, and what to avoid. Ours: powder coat in Obsidian, Oxblood, Gilt, Chalk or any RAL colour, and Forge Clear, a clear coat over the steel. It wipes clean with warm water and mild soap; our care guide lists what to avoid.

About the restraint points

How are the restraint points attached?

Points built into a frame are a different thing from fittings added afterwards, so ask how they're attached. Ours are D-rings welded to the frame.

Are they rings or hooks, and why?

Makers use both, for their own reasons, and a good maker explains theirs. Our guide to the difference between a hook and a welded D-ring covers ours.

Where do they sit on this piece?

Placement decides what suits you, so ask for the specific piece you're considering. For ours, ask us and we'll tell you for that piece.

About what it's for

What is it not designed for?

Ask this one of every maker. A maker who tells you clearly what a piece isn't for is taking your wellbeing seriously. Ours: no piece we make is designed to hold a person's weight off the ground.

Do you publish load or weight figures?

We don't. If a maker does, ask what the figure covers, and follow that maker's guidance on use.

About ordering and delivery

Is it made to order, and how long will it take?

A clear lead time, confirmed with your order, is a good sign. Ours: made to order, with a current lead time of 8–14 weeks. Our guide to what made to order means explains why.

How is it delivered, and will it fit through my door?

Ask how it arrives and whether the maker will check your route. Ours: flat-packed, with printed assembly instructions. Send us your narrowest door, stair and turn and we'll check before you order. We deliver to the UK, US and EU.

How discreet is delivery?

Ask about packaging and what appears on your card statement. Ours: discreet packaging, and your statement shows SanDom.

Can I ask questions while it's being made?

A maker who answers questions during production makes the wait easier. We do, throughout.

About changes and problems

Can I cancel?

Ask how cancellation works for standard and custom pieces before you order. Our returns and cancellation page sets out ours.

What if something is wrong when it arrives?

Ask who to contact and what they'll need. Ours: contact us with your order number and a photo. If you're in the UK, your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 apply to every piece.

What should I check before each use?

A maker who explains the checks for their furniture is a maker who expects it to be used well. Ours: check the frame, its fixings and the rings before each use, and if anything has moved, loosened or chipped through to the steel, stop and contact us. Our guide to checking your furniture before each scene sets out the routine.

About bespoke

Can you make something to my specification?

If a maker offers custom work, ask how the process runs and when you're committed. Ours starts from your brief and measurements, moves to scaled drawings for you to review, and makes nothing until you've approved the drawings and quote in writing. Our guide to how a bespoke commission works covers each stage.

About the conversation before use

Do you give guidance on using the piece well?

A maker who sells restraint furniture should be comfortable talking about the agreements around it. Look for guidance that covers consent, which is freely given, informed, specific, ongoing and withdrawable at any moment; a safeword paired with a non-verbal signal, either of which ends the scene immediately and is never discussed or overridden in the moment; agreeing everything sober and keeping the scene sober; and never leaving a restrained person alone. Ours is in our guide to what to agree before using restraint furniture.

Questions to ask yourselves

The maker's answers are half of the decision. The other half is yours.

• Which piece suits how you'd like to use it: lying down, standing, or enclosure?
• Where will it live, and who else sees that room?
• Will it get into the room, and is there clear space around it once it's there?
• Which finish will you be happy to see every day?
• Have you talked together, sober, about how it will be used, and agreed that any scene stays sober too?

Our comparison of a bed and a cross as a first piece and our Readiness quiz can help with the first of these.

How to judge the answers

Good answers share a few qualities. They're specific: a named material, a named finish, a clear lead time. They're consistent: the same answer on the product page and in an email. And they're honest about limits: what a piece isn't for, and what the maker won't claim. A maker who answers every question with enthusiasm and none with detail deserves a second look, whoever they are.

If you'd like to ask us any of these about a particular piece, contact us at info@sanctumdomina.com. You can browse our BDSM beds, St Andrew's crosses and BDSM cages first.