If you recently ordered furniture online, it may have arrived in a surprisingly flat but incredibly heavy box. And if you’ve peeked inside, you may have found what looks like a million pieces, one little Allen wrench and a sketched drawing that hardly resembles the furniture you purchased.  

Don’t worry. The task may look daunting, but we have some tips that will save you time and help you avoid common assembly mistakes. If after reading through these tips, you still feel like it’s more than you want to handle on your own, give a Couple More Guys® a call. We offer flat-packed furniture assembly and repair services throughout southeastern Wisconsin.

Flat Box Furniture Assembly Steps

With a little preparation and patience, you can successfully assemble even the most daunting flat-packed furniture.

Read the Instructions

We know it’s not the most interesting reading material, but it really is helpful to read the instructions before you start assembling your flat box furniture. Not only will it help you prepare everything you’ll need to assemble the furniture, but there might be some helpful tips like how to glue the dowels, adjust hinges or level shelves. 

Collect Tools

Ready-to-assemble furniture often comes with all the tools you’ll need to assemble it. But sometimes it doesn’t and you’ll be expected to use some basic tools of your own. Before getting started, be sure to gather all the items you may need or any of your own tools you’d rather use such as screwdrivers, power drill, mallet hammer or a level.  

Prep Your Workspace

Ideally, you’ll be able to assemble your flat pack furniture near to where you’ll place it, but life is not always that kind. Find a convenient spot where you’ll have room to work. Clear away unnecessary clutter to reduce the risk of losing small parts and make sure you have a soft surface to work on to prevent scratching your floor or your new piece of furniture. The flat box your item was shipped in works in a pinch. 

If you are assembling your item outside the destination room, make sure to measure the doorway so you know you can move the assembled piece in once completed and follow these tips for safely moving heavy furniture. 

Inventory All Pieces

Once your space is prepped it’s time to take everything out. Lay out all the pieces and the hardware, checking to make sure you have everything by comparing it against the list in the instructions. Place small pieces into containers or bowls to ensure it stays that way. 

Start Assembly

Carefully following each step in the instructions, begin to assemble your flat packed furniture. Don’t skip steps or go out of order and always double check the labels to ensure you are using the correct items as you go. Take care not to overtighten. In fact, we recommend leaving everything a bit loose and tightening everything at the end. And don’t use excessive force. If things aren’t going together, take a break and come back to it in a bit.

Check Stability & Tighten

Now that everything is together, make any final adjustments to align and level before tightening down all your screws and bolts. Check to make sure everything is secure and wobble free. If anything looks off, double check the instructions and make necessary adjustments.   

Place Item

Carefully upright your item if it was assembled on its side or top-side-down and move it to where you want it. For large pieces of furniture, it is best to do this with two people or give us a call. We handle small moves, including single item moves.  

Make Assembly Simple with Couple More Guys® 

You can skip the confusing instructions and heavy lifting all together and hire a Couple More Guys®. Our two-person insured crews are experienced with furniture assembly, basic repairs, and the tools it takes to make sure everything is put together properly and ready for use. Whether it’s assembling new furniture, repairing a wobble, or moving heavy furniture into place, a Couple More Guys® can get it done easier, faster and safer. Schedule a crew online today.