If you are ordering your bedroom set online, you’re almost certain to need some assembly before the furniture will be usable. Although putting furniture together might seem troublesome, having your furniture shipped directly to you can be worth the time and effort it takes to assemble the furniture yourself.
Of course, if you’re not ordering from Ikea, the assembly necessary for your bed set isn’t going to consist of much. It is anticipated that the average handy person can put together the furniture without compromising its strength, durability, or safety. The pieces you have to assemble will be few, but they still require some know-how. Here’s what to expect so you can be prepared when your bedroom set finally arrives.
Legs and/or feet
If you purchased a bedroom bench, ottoman, accent chair, or side tables, you may need to screw on the legs or feet. The hardware is usually built-in and just screws on without any tools required. If you are going to get a furniture set that relies on this type of assembly, make sure they use a high-quality metal for the hardware to prevent bending.
Shelves or drawers may need assembly.
Depending on the bedroom set you get, you might need to install the shelves or drawers yourself. Shelves are usually installed utilizing metal or plastic pegs, often with adjustable options. No tools are required for this type of assembly.
On the other hand, drawers can require a bit more. Most drawers are either tongue in groove, nailed, or glued. How the drawers are assembled depends on several factors, so make sure you read the instructions carefully – and follow them. You may need a few tools, such as a small hammer.
Check for other tools you’ll need to have handy.
Don’t assume that you won’t need tools at all to assemble your bed set. On the contrary, putting together the frame and attaching the head- and footboards usually requires an Allen wrench, pliers, Philips screwdriver, flathead screwdriver, and a small hammer (such as the type for hanging pictures.)
If you want to make sure that you have all the tools you need before you start, go ahead and open the boxes to pull out the instructions. Make sure any loose pieces or hardware remain or are replaced into the box so that nothing gets lost. Reading the instructions carefully and more than once will prepare you for the issues that might arise and ensure you have the tools handy to cope with them.
Be prepared for the weight and bulk of the furniture.
Although the assembly that high-quality furniture sets require is fairly simple, it may not be easy for you to assemble and place the furniture on your own. Some pieces, particularly headboards and bed frames, can be extremely heavy, as well as being bulky enough to make maneuverability difficult. Check the weight specifications on the bedroom furniture description to make sure you have the opportunity to get help if you need it.
Use the provided hardware to attach heavy furniture to the wall.
A lot of people skip the part of the installation in which you anchor the furniture to the wall. But this is a very important safety feature that should not be missed. Fastening the dresser, chest of drawers or heavy mirror to the wall keeps it from toppling over and causing injury if too many heavy drawers are pulled out or a child tries to climb on it. You should need minimal tools for this as well, usually just a screwdriver.
Other tips to consider before buying bedroom furniture for assembly
Assembling your own furniture doesn’t have to be difficult, and done correctly this furniture is just as sturdy and durable as its preassembled counterparts at your local furniture store. But it is important to follow some general tips for success.
- Read all of the instructions before unpacking the rest of the box. Keep any small pieces or pouches of hardware inside the box so they don’t get lost.
- Layout all of the pieces, hardware, and tools in the order in which you will need them for assembly.
- If you are missing any small hardware you may be able to get a suitable replacement at your local hardware store. However, if your new bedroom furniture is missing major pieces of hardware that can’t be easily replaced, you will need to contact the online furniture store for parts and hardware.
If you are looking for more details about bedroom sets that require minor assembly, browse bedroom sets on 1StopBedrooms.