If you’ve never heard of it before, Quora is an American-based question-and-answer platform that allows people to easily gain and share knowledge by asking questions in a public forum and connect with people who contribute unique insights and quality answers, which are then authenticated by upvotes or disqualified by downvotes. Thousands of people go there everyday asking questions about various topics, like IKEA furniture solutions, which is understandable considering how popular they are.
IKEA tends to draw in droves of customers with their “cheap chic” RTA (ready-to-assemble) furniture pieces, but equally repulses as many of them with their wordless pictogram instructions and strange hardware that accompanies it. Their infamous assembly process is both laughable and frustrating to even the most hardened do-it-yourselfers.
This extreme “knock-down” approach — an industry term for the disassembly of products to make them easier and cheaper to ship to customers — is a big reason why IKEA goods are so affordable, but that doesn’t mean it should take someone an entire weekend to build it.
An easy way around this frustration is to use professional technicians. Experts can put together anything from playsets to pergolas in a fraction of the time it would take an ordinary human being. Over the years master technicians, like Billy Rojas (owner of A+ Assembly Services), have seen just about everything, which is why we decided to take their collective expertise and put it to the test in response to some questions frequently found on Quora about IKEA goods.
Tools for IKEA® Furniture Assembly
IKEA deliberately designs their furniture not to require a lot of tools and even goes so far as to include the tools necessary to build that particular piece of furniture in the box, like an Allen wrench. However, some IKEA furniture assembly requires your own tools, such as a hammer or screwdriver. Of course, you could always use a power drill to speed things up a bit, but that usually isn’t required. In some rare instances the required tools are missing or defective, in which case you can visit any IKEA customer service desk for assistance in finding a replacement.
Replacement Parts for IKEA® Furniture
“How do I obtain replacement parts for IKEA furniture from the IKEA store?”
Most of the time you can find replacement hardware for IKEA furniture by going to the returns or customer service desk at any IKEA store. They even support older models and usually have bins filled with common parts for free. If you happen to need an uncommon part, then they have a number you can call or a website you can visit. You’ll need to refer to the manual that came with the piece of furniture — it will have the phone number or URL listed there. Also be sure to know the exact name of your piece of furniture (like the FLOOGI chair).
Returning Assembled IKEA® Merchandise
“Will IKEA accept returns of assembled furniture without a receipt?”
For some reason, after going through the trouble of building a piece of furniture from IKEA there are people who want to take it back. This is possible within 365 days after purchase, even if it’s completely assembled, so long as the items are unused. Proof of purchase is preferred along with the original packaging.
Moving IKEA® Furniture
“Will a moving company disassemble and reassemble IKEA furniture?”
Furniture assembly and disassembly are not services moving companies typically offer, even if the item is brand new in the box. When looking into this option It’s important to know that most professional relocation companies have limited liability for damage when it comes to moving RTA (ready-to-assemble) items, like IKEA furniture. In reality, that means that a lot of movers will not transport IKEA furniture unless it’s been properly disassembled first since IKEA furniture usually doesn’t withstand the unavoidable stresses applied during a relocation.
Pre-Assembled IKEA® Furniture
Sorry, IKEA won’t sell you anything “pre-assembled”, however, since September 2017 they have offered assembly services through their subsidiary called TaskRabbit, who has had to fight legal battles affirming that their employees are actually self-determining parties, without any solid contractual commitment with the company, thus there is no need to fulfill legal obligations that employers normally do. Alternatively, you can find local professionals who specialize in IKEA furniture assembly and can put your items together quickly and efficiently on the day and time of your choosing.
IKEA® Assembly Tips from the Experts
IKEA furniture may be pretty cheap, but its low cost doesn’t offset the price you pay in time and effort it takes to put it all together. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way around it, unless you hire a professional company to assemble your newly acquired IKEA goods for you, like A+ Assembly Services. If you’re still bold enough to try it on your own, here are some pro tips to help you take on any IKEA assembly.
- Get accurate dimensions. Make sure you measure your space and entryways accurately so you can know the parameters your IKEA furniture must fit in.
- Review the entire manual prior to assembly. Make an effort to go over the entire manual BEFORE starting your assembly to help determine if it’s a one or two person job. To avoid injury, call a friend or hire a professional if you need help.
- Prepare your work space. Prep, plan and clear your work area before you begin. This will help you avoid injury and reduce the likelihood for tools, screws and instruction manuals to get lost.
- Start with the right tools. Most IKEA boxes include the tools necessary for assembly, like an Allen wrench or screwdriver. However, some furniture assembly requires your own tools, such as a hammer or power drill. Read the manual to identify what’s needed before you get started.
- Separate and count all the parts. Taking the time to organize your materials will help the process go a lot quicker. Plus, you won’t be stuck with a half-assembled bookshelf when you realize something is missing.
- Take a break. Trying to assemble IKEA furniture takes more time than people realize, so trying to rush will only get you stressed out and increase the chances that you’ll make a costly mistake.
- Check all fittings when complete. Make sure everything is screwed in tightly and securely. You don’t want any gaps or wobbly pieces, but be careful not to tighten too much because the particle board material IKEA uses for their furniture can wear down pretty quickly when too much force is used. As a result, applying an excessive amount of force to make sure the pieces fit tight will only create the opposite effect.
- Wait to celebrate. As if it wasn’t already obvious, getting wasted while trying to assemble IKEA furniture could cause you to make mistakes or injure yourself in the process. Stay sober while you build and then enjoy the fruits of your labor once you’re done.
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