The substance of old furniture is a carrier of information concerning cultural significance, and becomes an object of scientific research and analysis. The results of the latter, apart from their cognitive merits, are of fundamental importance for the shaping of the conservation process. The proposed methods of estimating the state of preservation and identification of the components of furniture take into account its documentary nature and recognise as foremost all non-destructive solutions or those which restrict the size of the samples. It follow from a review of pertinent publications that in the practical field of conservation, the exact sciences can influence the selection of means and methods by verifying the traditional and contemporary techniques and by conducting comparative studies dealing with the usefulness of material available on the market.