Flat-pack, less stress: Tips for easier IKEA furniture assembly

Whether you’re moving house or simply want to upgrade your home’s interior, shopping for new IKEA furniture always feels exciting. But assembling the pieces, especially if you have more than you can handle, is a different story. 

Not sure how to assemble IKEA furniture? Outsourcing the job is the quickest answer. Furniture assembly ranks among the most in-demand tasks in the US, making it easy to find a professional who can handle both assembly and disassembly for you.

If you still want to tackle the challenge yourself, this guide covers some tips for assembling IKEA furniture, so you can set up your space in no time!

6 essential tips for a successful IKEA furniture assembly

Keep everything in your sight to avoid losing a part of the furniture piece. (Source: iStock)

Assembling IKEA furniture can be quite different from general flat-pack pieces because IKEA uses specialized connectors like cam locks and wooden dowels to put the lightweight particleboard pieces together. So, here are some simple hacks to assemble any type of IKEA furniture. 

1. Prepare the workspace and sort out the parts

Start by clearing out space at least twice the size of the finished furniture, so you can lay out all the panels without stacking them. Then you can follow these steps:

• Grab some flattened cardboard or an old blanket and place it on the floor to protect it from peeling or chipping.

• After preparing your workspace, unbox the components and sort them out. 

• Check them against the manual's parts list to ensure they’re complete. This helps prevent you from getting stuck halfway through the assembly and looking for any damaged or missing parts.

• Separate the look-alike components, such as the hardware and panels, to avoid using the wrong fastener or assembling the panels backward. For instance, you could group the screws by length (30mm vs. 35mm). 

2. Follow the manual

It might be tempting to skip the manual and go straight to assembly, but it’s important to check it out, as IKEA manuals contain detailed visual instructions for correct panel orientation and helpful safety tips to ensure the furniture’s stability.

All furniture pieces come with the physical copy of the manual. If you’re wondering how to search for IKEA manuals online, the official IKEA website has downloadable PDF assembly instructions available for most of its modern furniture pieces. If you can’t find it online, chances are the furniture piece is discontinued or older. 

3. Use the right tools

There are two types of tools that you will need – specialist tools supplied with the furniture (e.g., Allen keys), and your own standard tools, such as screwdrivers, hammers, and drill driver kits. 

You could invest in a cordless drill driver kit, especially if you’re a new homeowner. Specialist tools like this can help you easily assemble furniture without straining your hands, and they can prevent over-tightened screws.

With that being said, it's important to remember:

• Don't lose the specialist tools as they often can't be replaced unless you go back to the supplier

• Make sure you use proper standard tools, i.e. a bread knife is not a substitute for a screwdriver.

4. Leave enough time

How long does IKEA furniture take to assemble? Smaller furniture, like a standard BILLY bookcase, can take an hour to build, but assembling a large storage bed, like a BRIMNES Bed, can take about two to four hours. Meanwhile, massive units like PAX wardrobes require at least four to six hours for two people to assemble.

Since it takes hours to assemble a piece of furniture, it’s important to leave enough time for the pre-assembly. As a rule of thumb, allocating 20 to 30 minutes is ideal for unboxing, inventorying hardware, and clearing a workspace.

5. Tighten correctly

Most IKEA flat-pack furniture pieces are made of delicate particleboard or medium-density fiberboard (MDF), so avoid over-tightening the screws, as this can strip the pre-drilled holes in the particleboard, reducing the screw’s grip. Moreover, IKEA uses cam-lock fasteners designed to click into place. Cranking them too hard can crack the cam lock itself and damage the particleboard.

Just make sure the screws, dowels, and cam locks are snug and securely tightened (without over-tightening) to keep it stable. 

6. Work solo on small items, but get help for big ones

Can you assemble IKEA furniture by yourself? Yes, you can put together most small flat-pack items on your own. However, it's safer and faster to hire professional help for assembling large furniture pieces like wardrobes, bed frames, and bookshelves.

Go solo if:

• The item is light enough to lift and flip by yourself (ex. a bedside table, stool, or small desk). 

• You'd rather work at your own pace and follow the instructions without distractions. 

Get help if:

• The instructions require two people. 

• Panels are too heavy or tall to hold steady while you fix them in place. 

• The furniture needs to be lifted upright, anchored to a wall, or moved into another room.

How to assemble an IKEA sofa and storage unit

Follow the instruction manual for a seamless assembly. (Source: iStock)

Sofas and storage units are among the popular IKEA product categories that most customers purchase, so here are some DIY furniture assembly tips you can follow if you ever buy the same furniture pieces for your home.

Assembling an IKEA LYCKSELE

How easy is it to assemble IKEA sofas and loveseats alone? Popular options like a LYCKSELE sofa are quite easy to assemble. It has a compact 2-seater design with a simplified frame, so it's lighter. This IKEA sofa assembly only requires you to take three steps:

• Clear some space and sort  the metal and wooden frame rails and fasteners.

• Assemble the frame lying flat on the floor, and then loosely connect each screw and bolt to give yourself wiggle room to align the adjacent bracket holes before tightening.

• Install the slat base and slip on the fabric cover or cushions after fully tightening the core frame.

Assembling an IKEA BILLY Bookcase

If you're still wondering, "Can you build IKEA furniture alone?", the answer is yes, especially for minimalist flat-pack furniture like the IKEA BILLY Bookcase. Unlike complex dressers and wardrobes that require intricate installation, this bookcase can be assembled in just one sitting.

The process is much like assembling the LYCKSELE sofa: clear some space, take inventory of the parts and hardware, then build the frame while it's lying flat on the floor. From there:

• Square the frame by making sure all corners sit at 90-degree angles, then attach the thin back panel.

• Stand the unit upright and anchor it directly into a wall stud. For tall shelving, this is an essential safety step you shouldn't skip.

How to disassemble and move IKEA furniture?

If you’re moving houses or doing house renovations, you have to decide what to do with your IKEA furniture: take it apart, move it as is, or leave it behind.

Option 1: Disassemble IKEA furniture for an easier move

When moving large furniture pieces like wardrobes, bed frames, and bookcases, take them apart first if possible. This makes it easier to fit their flat-packed parts into a truck and reduces the risk of scratching walls during the move. It takes more time and effort, but these tips show you how to disassemble IKEA furniture without damaging it:

• Work in reverse order. Start with the last parts, like doors, drawers, and shelves, then move on to the back panel and main frame.

• Label each piece and bag the hardware. Keep screws, dowels, and cam locks in labeled zip-lock bags for the parts they belong to.

• Take photos of each step. A quick photo gives you a clear visual reference for putting it back together.

Option 2: Move your IKEA furniture fully assembled

Moving fully assembled furniture works best for smaller items like side tables and dressers, since they can fit easily through doorways and hallways. The trade-off is a higher risk of damage during transport, so empty them first and tape the doors and drawers shut. It also helps to keep an Allen key on hand to tighten any joints that loosen in transit.

 Option 3: Leave your IKEA furniture behind

For older or low-cost pieces, you can opt to leave them behind. It frees up truck space, saves packing time, and can lower your moving costs. If this isn’t an option, you can either donate them or sell them online, or hire a junk removal service to haul them away.

What should I consider when choosing an IKEA furniture assembly service?

Now that you know how hard it is to assemble IKEA furniture, especially bulky pieces, you may be considering hiring a professional. These are things to help you find the right fit for the job:​

• Cost and pricing structure: Compare flat per-item rates against hourly fees. Independent handymen offer more affordable rates than official retailer services, but they may have minimum service charges or additional parking fees.

• Safety expertise: Tall and heavy pieces like dressers, bookshelves, and wardrobes should be anchored to the wall to prevent tip-overs. Make sure your assembler is familiar with this and knows how to choose the right hardware for your walls.

• Tools and equipment: Look for someone who brings professional tools, like a cordless drill with a low-torque clutch. Having the right tools can help avoid over-tightened cam locks, stripped particleboard, or backward panels. The installation should also be fast with the right equipment.

• Service inclusions: Ask what the quote covers. Some offer additional services such as floor protection, furniture repair, and cleanup, but this might not be the case for others.

Let a Tasker handle your IKEA assembly

Are you still thinking about how hard it is to assemble IKEA furniture by yourself? While it's fulfilling to do things on your own, sometimes the task really calls for help. Whether it's a single bedside table or a full room of flat-packs, no job is too small. 

You can post a task on Airtasker to find a Tasker for your IKEA furniture assembly needs. Just describe what you need, wait for Taskers to send their offers, and choose someone who best fits your schedule and budget.