Moving big flat pack furniture?

[bugbear]

A friend has just moved into a new flat, and needs furniture, and has little money.

I am (obviously) looking at second hand furniture, in particular wardrobes.

Now, wardrobes are too big to fit in (most) vehicles, so the obviously solution
is to take 'em apart, transport and re-assemble.

But "someone said" that you can't do this to flat pack furniture,
since they'll never go back together properly, and the result
will be weak. Personally, I though that was what knock down
fasteners were for

But the "someone" is a retired cabinet maker, so my friend
is taking him very serious, and is now suffering a crisis of confidence.

But she seriously needs the low prices that only s/h can bring her.

So - has anyone (in fact) successfully transported s/h flat pack furniture
but taking it apart and building it again? Or is "someone" right?

Opinions and (particularly) experiences welcomed.

BugBear

 

[beech1948]

Bugbear,

The cabinet maker friend is both right and wrong at the same time.

I have moved 6 wardrobes in my last move including a huge edwardian mahogany triple robe. Observations:-

1) IF its well built and of strongish materials then OK.
2) Edwardian wardrobe was easy because the top and bottom could be disassembled as it was designed to be. Doors removed, Main carcase was a struggle to move but was not disassembled due to back being in three pieces with 3 muntins.
3) A 12yr old IKEA item was disassembled and re-erected successfully. You need 2 people to disassemble as it very soon becomes floppy...sorry for technical term....and when floppy damage can easily occur at the fastening points
4) A modern IKEA wardrobe was moved after disassembly and proved a struggle to get back together because of minor damage to the hinge and fastening points which required the addition of epoxy to fix. Now looks OK but is only 90% of what it was.
5) A solid construction single wardrobe moved OK. A pain to get round one doorway but suffered a couple of small scratches which were repaired and refinished.

In my view its possible but don't expect to get away without some remedial actions to repair or even strengthen newer knock down stuff.

Finally, if its been moved before then be very wary as increased wear and tear from each movement reduced the integrity of the knockdown item.

As a means of getting cheap furniture which will largely be hidden in bedrooms etc then it seems an Ok way to proceed.

YMMV. Hope this is of help.

Al

 

[Harbo]

My daughter has moved a few times over the last few years and has successfully relocated Ikea Wardrobes etc
They take apart fairly easily as long as any dowels haven't been glued?
I would not try moving them assembled?

Rod

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I've moved flat pack often enough with only minor damage to poor grade chipboard and poor quality fixings, but I wouldn't want to try to dismantle anything I'd owned because if I'd put it together everything that could have been glued would have been. (And that's with my glue, not the skimmed milk that comes with the furniture )

 

[SammyQ]

Paul, the best way to move an Ikea wardrobe - DAMHIKT - is:

A) , Handles off first, doors off, taking bottom hinge first, bottom of door propped or held as penultimate and last (top) hinges are popped off.
B) ladder, examine top of carcase to see if metal straps hold it to the wall? Undo.
C) Take out all moveable shelves AND PLASTIC BAG (LABELLED) their push-in support pins.
D) ***This is the real secret*** PUT THE WARDROBE FACE DOWN ON CARPET OR AN OLD MAT.
E) Prize off wobbly hardboard back with a tack shifter RIGHT AT THE TACKS!
F) Locate screws in carcase, remove any central ones first, leave the ones at each end 'till last.
G) Bag and label the fasteners, handles, grommits, dowels, whossits, fandangles ('specially the red ones...).
H) Move to new location with blankets, rugs, old cardboard boxes between the UPRIGHT (not vertical) sides, taking care not to let any hinge locating plates rub together DAMHIKT.....make sure upright sides/ends cannot fall sideways.
I) Curse IKEA/MFI/A.N. Other manufacturer.

I've had three children live in a variety of student houses, with a wildly varied disparity of 'furnished' fittings. The above regime has enabled me to visit them from a great distance, cope with a bare bones tool kit and move/reassemble whatever, a relocated 'asset', in good nick with the minimum of cussing and heartache.

Sam

 

[Jamesc]

+1 for Sams solution. I have done similar moves with my sonson numerous occasions. Take your time and take the item apart in the reverse order it was put together.
If it is an IKEA item the instructions can be found here ww.ikea.com/ms/en_US/customer_service/assembly_instructions.html.
The only other thing to note is if it is wobly when you get it that is how it is likely to stay....

James

 

[SammyQ]

Forgot: Two IKEA units tied together? Inspect TOP and INSIDE carcase. Fasteners can be simple tubular nuts, or devilish. Use gumption and prying tool for latter.

Bring plenty of cut up credit cards, 2" square hardbord and 2"sq. 1/4" ply for levelling.

I thoroughly advise 3" metal brackets at the top of each wardrobe, tying it to the wall. IKEA don't seem to do stability when you lift down a heavy coat from the upper rail......

Sam

 

[oakmark]

As long as the furniture wasn't glued you should be fine reassembling it. If the structure is waek you could support it with some glue.

 

[dzj]

If it's IKEA furniture , nothing can go that wrong that a few confirmat fasteners and a couple new hinges won't fix.

 

[razornut]

A friend has just moved into a new flat, and needs furniture, and has little money.

I am (obviously) looking at second hand furniture, in particular wardrobes.

Now, wardrobes are too big to fit in (most) vehicles, so the obviously solution
is to take 'em apart, transport and re-assemble.

But "someone said" that you can't do this to flat pack furniture,
since they'll never go back together properly, and the result
will be weak. Personally, I though that was what knock down
fasteners were for

But the "someone" is a retired cabinet maker, so my friend
is taking him very serious, and is now suffering a crisis of confidence.

But she seriously needs the low prices that only s/h can bring her.

So - has anyone (in fact) successfully transported s/h flat pack furniture
but taking it apart and building it again? Or is "someone" right?

Opinions and (particularly) experiences welcomed.

BugBear

Well... Take it from me iv done it 3 times with the same wardrobes ane draw set.

live life to the fullest. You only get one. at least in most cultures. :-S

 

[Silas Gull]

I have dismantled, moved and reassembled lots of FP. Dismantling should always be a last resort, as items can always be braced with battens and/or ratchet straps.
If taking to bits, always pencil marks that record orientation and location of each component. Older FP used to be supplied with tubes of dodgy PVA and if this has been used on the dowels, you may find things, er, frustrating.