Shopping for furniture is the fun part, but when it comes to furniture assembly, people can fall into four categories:
1. People that hate anything that comes in a flat pack.
2. Those who enjoy trying to use the instructions to successfully put furniture together.
3. People that realise it has to be done sooner or later and dig in.
4. People who choose to outsource furniture assembly.
Whether you attempt to tackle the flat pack or outsource it, here are 8 essential tips for successful furniture assembly:
Prepare
• Make sure you have enough space in the room and clear away things that can be easily knocked over.
• If you’re working on a floor that may get damaged, put a towel or old bed sheets down to protect it.
• Find something to put all the screws and bolts into.
• Lay out all of the pieces according to size and shape.
Follow the instructions
Source: Wartime Housewife
When following the steps, it’s important not to jump ahead or take shortcuts. There’s a reason that the instructions are laid out in a specific order, so try and stay in sequence.
Get the right tools
There are two types of tool that you will need – specialist tools that are supplied with the furniture (e.g. allen keys), and your own standard tools such as screwdrivers. Remember:
• Don’t lose the specialist tools to save yourself repeat visits to the supplier.
• Make sure you use proper standard tools, i.e. a bread knife is not a substitute for a screwdriver. Find a local handyman to help source tools if needed.
Source: See the woods and the trees
Leave yourself enough time
When estimating how long it will take you to build a piece of flat pack furniture, remember that it will always take you longer than you think. Even for small items, set a realistic time frame. If you’re building something large, set aside several hours to focus on it.
Proper tightening
The key to successful furniture assembly often comes down to tightening. To make sure you’ve done this correctly, make sure you:
1. Put all of the screws in place before fully tightening.
2. Do not over tighten. In fact you can often damage the boards if you over tighten too much.
Find a friend or handyman to save time
If you go solo:
1. It will take you longer
2. Less likely to make mistakes
3. Less arguments
If you get some help:
1. Bigger pieces can be put together easier
2. Less physical input demanded
3. Safer
Take it one step at a time
The first rule of furniture assembly is: never start a new piece of flat pack furniture until you’ve fully completed the first piece you started.
Why? Because more likely than not, you’ll mix up the pieces and parts if you try more than one at a time.
Revisit your handiwork
The final IKEA furniture assembly tip is to go back to the item after 3-4 days of use. Check all of the screws and fittings. Tighten any that are loose and make sure everything is working properly.
