Read The Instructions

Not sure about you, but there have been times when we've made the mistake of building furniture without reading the instructions first. Needless to say, it hasn't gone too well. So, this is your sign to NOT do this!

Always read the instructions before you begin to familiarise yourself with the order of assembly and the tools you need. By taking the time to read the instructions, you'll be able to properly prepare yourself for each step of the assembly process.

Prep Your Work Space 

Creating a dedicated workspace is crucial. The last thing you want once you’ve built your furniture is to be moving it about. That’s why we recommend building your flat packed furniture in the room you plan to put it. If it’s a large item, you could damage it taking it up a flight of stairs or through a doorway.

Additionally, building the furniture on a dustsheet will protect carpets from sawdust. Plus, it'll help protect the furniture and hard flooring from any damage.

Open The Box With Care 

It’s easy to get carried away when you buy something new and rip the box open to peak inside it. Unfortunately, there’s a high risk you could accidentally damage the contents. So, always take the utmost care when opening the box your furniture comes in.

If you’re using a knife or scissors, be careful. Flat packed furniture is often packed tightly to protect it from damage, so it’s best to avoid being too gung-ho. As well as damaging the furniture, there’s a possibility you could hurt yourself.

Check You Have All The Required Parts

Most of us will skip this step because we don’t want to waste time going through hundreds of pieces. However, there’s nothing worse than getting halfway through building your furniture, only to find you’re missing a crucial part. If you've bought your furniture from Christow, everything you need should be in the box. However, if you're missing any parts, contact us and we'll send out some replacements.

Know Which Parts Are Which

Flat packed furniture comes with screws, bolts, and fixings of all shapes and sizes. Using the wrong sized screw could damage the furniture, so make sure you know which ones are which before you begin construction. Fixings are also easy to lose and muddle up, so always separate them into groups. At Christow, we find putting each group of fixings into a cup or saucer is a good way to keep everything safely together.

Don't Tighten Screws Too Early

Now for the most important tip. When assembling flat pack furniture, always tighten the screws and bolts partially until you’re one hundred perfect sure they're in the right place.

This will help to protect the furniture from stress and minimise the risk of damage. Once you've finished assembling the furniture, you can then go back and tighten everything up.

Patience Is Key

Its important to give yourself more than enough time to build your furniture. After all, if you're rushing to get everything finished, there's more chance you'll make a mistake.

Also, taking extra time and greater care will save you having to backtrack later. Trust us, there's nothing more frustrating than having to start the whole process again from scratch.

Ask A Friend To Help

Although it’s possible to build flat packed furniture on your own, it’s a lot easier to build it with someone else. More often than not, flat packed furniture is heavy and awkward to construct. An extra pair of hands makes the process a million times easier.

Keep The Manual Handy

We would advise you to keep the instruction manual nearby, even after you have become familiar with the process. It can serve as a reference if you encounter any difficulties or if you need to disassemble and reassemble the furniture later.

Check For Stability

Once assembled, check for stability and make sure all the parts are securely in place. Shake or test the furniture to ensure that it’s safe and wont collapse or tip over. If it feels stable and secure, give yourself a pat on the back and consider it a job well done.