Assembling flat-pack furniture without disasters

Flat-pack furniture is cheap and practical for a first flat, but a skipped step can mean taking the whole thing apart again. A little preparation turns a three-hour argument with an Allen key into a calm hour.

Before you buy

• Find out how much assembly is needed before you buy (Flourish Australia). The box or website often shows whether two people are needed.
• Measure your room, the doorway and the stairs or lift. A wardrobe that fits the room may not fit through the door once built.
• Check whether the retailer offers assembly. Flourish notes it costs extra, but it may be worth it for big wardrobes or beds.
• Keep the receipt and order number until the item is built and working, in case a part is missing or damaged.

Set up properly

• Clear more floor space than you think you need (Flourish). Lay a blanket or the flattened box down to protect the floor and the panels.
• Unpack everything and lay out the parts (Taskrabbit). Check them against the parts list before you start, so you can report missing parts straight away.
• Sort the hardware by type and size (Taskrabbit), or keep each type in its own labelled bag until you need it (Flourish).
• Read the instructions from start to finish before picking up a tool (Taskrabbit and Flourish). Notice which way round panels go: finished edges usually face outward.

Building it

• Follow the steps in the exact order. Flourish warns that skipping steps can mean taking large sections apart again.
• Tighten screws by hand first and finish with the tool, so you do not strip threads or crack the board (Taskrabbit).
• Use a rubber mallet to tap dowels in gently, not a metal hammer on the panel surface.
• Ask for help with heavy or tall pieces (Taskrabbit). Lifting a wardrobe upright alone is how panels snap and backs get hurt.
• Do not leave screwed-in bolts pointing upwards on the floor where you can step on them (Flourish).
• Split a big job across two sessions if you are tired. Mistakes happen in the last hour.

Anchor tall furniture

• Taskrabbit says tall pieces should always be securely anchored to the wall to prevent tipping, using the anchoring hardware supplied.
• The US Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that 459 children aged 17 and under died in TV, furniture and appliance tip-overs between 2000 and 2018, and that most were aged 5 and under. Younger siblings, cousins or friends' children may visit you.
• The CPSC also advises storing heavier items on lower shelves or in lower drawers, and placing TVs on a sturdy, low base pushed back as far as possible.
• Anchoring means drilling, so if you rent, ask permission first (see the shelves lesson). If you cannot anchor, keep heavy things low and never climb on drawers.

After it is built

• Put the instructions and spare fittings in a labelled bag and tape it inside the furniture. You will need them when you move out.
• Re-check screws and cam fittings after a few weeks, because chipboard settles and things loosen.
• To dismantle for a move, reverse the instructions and bag each step's hardware separately.