Furniture Assembly Service & More Blog!

We love Contemporary Homes - This house provides provacy without Walls

2012-02-22T14:09:00.000-05:00

From Fresh Home Interior Design Site

Brazilian Inspiration - This house provides privacy without walls!

IKEA Malm Assembly Video

2012-02-22T14:03:00.001-05:00

See how to quickly assemble an IKEA Malm bed. Just a suggestion, get a 12V Cordless drill / driver instead of a screw driver, 20 screws later you would be glad you did!

IKEA and Lego - They go Hand in hand!

2012-01-31T12:16:00.001-05:00

I recently purchased a Lego Set for my daughter and it came back to me why I am able to build IKEA and was able to follow the directions - it all goes back to Lego!

When I was a kid Lego was my "FAVORITE" toy! My dad used to get upset that I had so many and they cost so much. Had we all known then that this was actually an investment in my future he would have probably had a different outlook.

Where am I going with this? Very simply - If Lego perplexes you, so will building your RTA furniture. IKEA's instructions are very similar to those of Lego; No words, just steps and images! This is really a very elegant and simple way to assemble. As with anything, you should take the time to familiarize yourself with the steps and what materials are needed for those steps. I realize this is not so easy to do because we are all in such a hurry to get things done, I mean we wasted a whole day in IKEA picking this stuff out. The instinct is to get home and get to work assembling these products because, of course you need a bed to sleep on.

The best idea is to try and plan (See our earlier post on "PLANNING YOUR TRIP") so that you have time to shop and are not in a rush to get these items done the minute you walk into your home. Open the box, sort through the pieces and find the manual. Review the steps. Look for odd shaped pieces that look like they could be challenging to install (Not to be all "ZEN" about it, but just get feel for what you have to do). Sleep on it and start in the AM or when you are fresh.

Follow this tip and your results will be that much better!

IKEA Checklist - Did you get everything you need? How do you know?

2012-01-31T11:49:00.000-05:00

So, you just spent your day at IKEA, get home - start assembling and your just about to finish your Pax Wardrobe and you discover, "no handles for the hinged doors"? You have a package of three (3) hinges for your Pax Doors and not four (4)? Your trying to string your bed slats on your Malm bed but your missing that long object shown in the instructions? What is going on?

Well, your not the first to have this problem. Many IKEA items have the required finishing items stored separated from the item they should be with. The most common items that people miss or are not aware they need when leaving IKEA are:

Hinges - (for Pax) if you have 72 inch doors you need the (Package with a 3 x on it) or for 90 inches you need a pack of 4 x on it) Sometimes these bins get mixed with the wrong hinges too! MAKE SURE YOU LOOK AT ALL THE PACKAGES WHERE I AM POINTING - VERY EASY TO MISS!

Besta Hanging Brackets - If you are considering hanging Besta Cabinets to the wall it is best to use the aluminium brackets (they look like this out of the package)

Handles - I have mentioned this before but it is worth repeated notation - Products that users can customize (Kitchens, Besta, Pax, Effective...etc) usually do not come with handles. These can be found in the KITCHEN area of the SHOWROOM in IKEA.

Bed Center Beam - "SKORVA" - I have arrived at many jobs to assemble a bed and this very key item is missing. You need this to string your slats down the middle of the bed frame for "ALL" IKEA Beds. Without it, your not going to be able to lay your slats out.

(image from Raymond M. on Flicker)

Speaking of beds - this next item is also essential

SLATS - SULTAN (Fill in the second part with your slat of choice) Lade, Luroy, Laxbey!

Which slats should you buy and which ones should you run from?

Lade is the least expensive and best. These you should buy!

Luroy - Slightly orthopedic. They are slightly convex to give some back support.

LAXBEY - DO NOT PURCHASE THESE UNLESS YOU LIKE MEDIEVAL TORTURE or WORK FOR THE CIA!! YOU WILL LOOSE YOUR MIND BUILDING THESE - NOT WORTH THE EFFORT! Save your time and money and get a memory foam mattress from BOBS or Sleepys.

NOTE!!!! ALL IKEA BEDS NEED SLATS!!! Do not listen to what they guy in the IKEA Warehouse says! If your using a Box Spring, YOU NEED SLATS!! Period, end of Story! Why, because they distribute the weight of the mattress and box spring "Equally" over the entire frame. It is none of my business what you do in your bed, but if it is a lot of motion, the half inch side rail will not support your full weight and stay in place. With out them, your going to have a rough night!

I will continue to add to this list as I recall past situations.

Tell us what you want to know! Email us your questions!

2012-01-31T10:26:00.001-05:00

I have been following a lot of the traffic to this site and a lot of it looks like interest in IKEA Besta. What kinds of questions do you have for us? What do you want to see reviewed? What do you want to know? Send us your questions to Ask Furniture Assembly Service!

Storage Beds - Pros / Cons and are they really worth it?

2012-01-31T10:16:00.001-05:00

(IKEA Oppdal 4 Drawer Storage Bed with storage Headboard)

I am a serious proponent of trying to maximize storage space and IKEA and many other RTA manufactures offer great storage bed solutions. IKEA offerings are: Oppdal, Mandal, Brimnes, Sultan Alsarp, Odda (just to name a few) but they all have one tiny flaw - they are HUGE!! What do I mean by that? Well, simply they are a conundrum, they require a very large amount of space or a spacious room in which to reside which seems to defeat the purpose that most people want to use them for. 85% of the clients whom call me to assemble these beds do not have the adequate space to assemble the bed nor the space use all four drawers. Usually the bed has to be pushed to the side of the room and only two drawers are accessible.

A better idea is to select a bed like the IKEA Malm (or the new Higher version) and use appropriate size storage bins beneath the bed.

This does several things:
- reduces the purchase cost of the more expensive storage bed.
- makes assembly much easier.
- allows you to use the entire vacant space under the bed.

When Selecting a storage bed, please consider the following:
- When in the showroom - open the drawers on both sides of the bed fully, measure that span and then add 20 inches (at least) to that on "EACH" side. This gives you the "FULL" Area that you need for that bed to reside.

Why the added 20 inches to each side? Well, if you are standing in front of the drawer and extending it out you want a comfortable space to stand and not be against a wall or a dresser. You could also always stand to the side but that will save you about 5 inches on each side (10 inches overall).

How to make your closet more organized - (Link posted from HelloGiggles.com)

2012-01-18T11:44:00.000-05:00

We found this article on HelloGiggles.com and thought it would tie into our previous discussion of Pax Wardrobes. Take a trip over to HelloGiggles.com and see how to get more function out of smaller storage spaces.

We can also recommend the following for storage items:

The Container Store
Bed, Bath and Beyond

Get a handle on it - IKEA Handles (like batteries, not included in some)!

2012-01-18T10:14:00.001-05:00

When you purchase an item from IKEA you would suspect that handles or pulls are included in with most of your items, however that is not always the case. Any product IKEA sells that is "Customizable" (meaning you can configure yourself) usually does not include a handle. These would include, but are not limited to:

- Kitchens / Kitchen Cabinetry.
- Varde (Kitchen Furnishings) (Some include handles but are not pre-drilled all the way to accept because of customization).
- Effective (office cabinets)
- Billy (used to come with pulls, now include push to open for doors)
- Besta (you can use push to open (sold seperately) or handles)
- Pax Wardrobe Doors

IKEA Stocks and displays these handles and pulls in the Kitchen section of the Showroom! They also sell an orange clear template (called a FIXA - seen below) to aid in marking the correct hole placement to drill holes for the handles / pulls. They cost $1.99.

IKEA Shopping 101 - An unofficial guide to an easier IKEA experience!

2012-01-17T17:07:00.001-05:00

So you might have heard of IKEA before but as of yet you have not taken the big step into the big Blue and Yellow store! If you found this blog before doing so, your in luck! And for those who have entered and caught the scent of the fresh Cinnamon Rolls or strolled past the Swedish Meatballs in the cafe - you can get some tips out of this too. IKEA is unique in every way. There are over 12,000 items that they inventory at any given time. You will undoubtedly find something there that you will like and can not live without. The displays give lots of inspiration and show great solutions for tight spaces. However, not everything was built inside those spaces. If you look up to the ceiling you will see that the displays are without ceiling! The showroom offers ample space to build and is a bit misleading if you do reside in a space like the 500SQ ft display. You may run into difficulty building some of these items in smaller spaces, just food for thought!

Also, keep in Mind - IKEA is a "Discount Warehouse" store! There are staff in these stores - some are knowledgeable - some are helpful - but the money you save is because for the most part, your on your own! The more you know before you go, the more enjoyable your trip will be.

We start with what to bring:

- Tape Measure.
- Note Pad.
- Pen or Pencil (this one is not a biggie since IKEA has "golf score card pencils" though out the store.
- Camera or Camera Phone.
- iPhone users - download "Swede Shop - the Unofficial IKEA Shopping" list tool
- While your at it, download "KEY RING APP". You can scan in your "IKEA FAMILY" Card and then scan it when you make your purchases (Super cool to do, the IKEA hand scanners can scan the barcode in the app)

Getting there (For Manhattanites)

Not that New Yorkers are unique, but they do have one little benefit that is advantageous to them specifically. There are two IKEA warehouses you can visit, IKEA in Red Hook, Brooklyn and IKEA Elizabeth.

Getting to IKEA Brooklyn:

IKEA Brooklyn is situated on mouth of the Hudson and there is "Water Taxi" service to and from it. NYC Water Taxi

You can also take the MTA Bus B61 from within Brooklyn (subways can connect to the bus - click here to see the various ways to IKEA Brooklyn)

Getting to IKEA Elizabeth:

Free Shuttle Buses from Manhattan!
•On Saturdays and Sundays, the free IKEA Elizabeth(round trip only) shuttle bus, operates out of the Port Authority Terminal located in New York City, at Eighth Ave and 42nd St. Buses will depart from Gate #5 on the lower concourse near Academy Bus line.
•Departures are on the half hour with service available on Saturdays & Sundays between 10:00am - 2:30pm.
•Return trips are also on the half hour with service available from noon to 6:00pm.

Plan to make two trips!

The first time you go to IKEA is to scout. The second trip you will make your purchases. I highly recommend you sign up for IKEA Family! (there is a termial, like an ATM where you sign up). It will provide you with a list of items on sale and you will get a complimentary beverage in the cafe. Have a punch list of what you would like to find (Bed, Dresser, Nightstands, Living-Room furniture etc.. etc..). Take measurements of everything you like. Measure the Height, Depth, Width. Take Photos! Note Colors. Take your time and enjoy. Spend the first half of the day upstairs in the showroom. If you downloaded "Swede Shop" for your iPhone, you can take pictures with it, log the item number(s) for the items you like and indicate the aisle and bin numbers in the app. At this time your probably hungry so take a break and recoup in the cafeteria. Once your ready take the stairs (or elevator) to the Home Goods section IKEA calls the "Markeptplace" and make notes of kitchen items you like, rugs, drapes, light fixtures, shelving and decor (mirrors, picture frames and plants).

Stroll into the Warehouse area and get a feel for how the self service area is organized and get an idea of how your going to attack your purchases when you return.

"REMEMBER THIS NOTE*"!!! - Handles for Wardrobes, Bookcases (Billy), Besta and Kitchen items are not included with doors or drawers. You need to select these on your own and be sure to purchase them when returning. They are located in the "KITCHEN AREA" of the Showroom! (Usually upstairs in the absolute middle of the winding path).

Note* - Some very large items are in the "Full Service Area"! Before you return for your purchase trip, I highly recommend you use the Shopping List Tools on IKEA.Com before you go to create your shopping list and get updated info on inventory levels which can save you a trip. (BIG NOTE!!! - Usually if the website says "1" in stock, don't risk the trip unless you absolutely have to have the item). Also it will say if it is a "Full Service Item" or not. If it is a full service item you will need an IKEA Employee to generate a stock ticket for you. When you check out you will scan the bar code at the bottom of the form so you can pay for the item. - (more about "Full Service" below)

NOTE* - again, before you return to IKEA, go to IKEA.com and check to see if the item is in stock or if the aisle and bin have changed. It is possible for these situations to change overnight.

The best days and times to go!

The middle of the week is the absolute best time to go. If you can get there on a Tuesday morning you pretty much have the whole store to yourself. Navigating the winding path through the warehouse is a breeze and you can take your time and not bump into others who are checking out the same items as you.

Best Days - Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in the AM.
Best Evenings - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Returns are also best on these days.

If you must, and I mean if you do not have any other day to go there - the weekends are the absolute last day you want to go. The store is packed - the lines are long at check out - the cafe is mobbed and it is just an unpleasant experience.

The Second Trip

Before you go, plan ahead:

- Visit IKEA.com and create a shopping list. You can choose your local IKEA from the website and it will give you item stock updates and locations in the warehouse for your furnishings. It will not indicate areas in the Marketplace (home goods section) so you will have to remember where your curtain rods, dishes and plates, pillows, and other home finishings are in the store.

- Research your delivery options (specifically in NYC)! - There are various independent service providers (like us, Furniture Assembly Service that provide delivery options. We will delver several small items (dresser, night stand, small bed) within Manhattan and NJ (email us)

- Rent a vehicle or use your own.

Shopping:

Take your list (either your updated list on your Swede Shop on the iPhone or the printed out shopping list) and hit the aisles. You can enter through the Warehouse section of the store and go straight for the carts unless you have items you wanted to purchase in the Marketplace. Gather your items - (again if you have items that need an IKEA Employee to reserve for you, go to the kiosk in the center of the Warehouse floor and have them do that for you).

When selecting your boxes, be sure "NOT" to take a box that is compromised in anyway unless it is the only item left! This is the best way to save yourself from a third trip returning an item(s) that are damaged and or possibly missing hardware.

Check out:

Take all your items to the checkout stations! SCAN Your IKEA FAMILY Card! (You can also use "KEY RING APP" for iPhone and the scanner will scan that bar code).

If you are with two people and taking the items with you in your vehicle, have one person go to the "Full Service Pick-up Area" (usually at the opposite end of the store where Home delivery and returns are located) with your receipt. They take some time to get your item out of the stock location so rejoin your partner and assist them loading the items into the car and relocate your vehicle to the end of the store where the Full Service Pick-up is located.

Home Delivery:

If you are using IKEA's authorized Home delivery service you will wheel all your items to that area (usually across or next to Returns and Full Service Pick-up).

That completes your IKEA Adventure!

Don't forget - once you have all those items in your New Home, Apartment or Office Space - We offer very reasonable and competitive rates on Furniture Assembly! Call us at 646-926-1356, (Email Us) and visit us at Furniture Assembly Service & More.com

IKEA Pax Wardrobes and Wardrobe Systems - Pros and Cons

2012-01-17T14:00:00.005-05:00

The IKEA Pax Wardrobe is one of the most popular products IKEA offers and definitely a staple of my business. These systems when configured properly offer a huge amount of storage for your home or office. However, if not planned correctly they can be a massive waste of money and time. When we launch our "Unofficial Guide to Shopping at IKEA classes" we will devote a bit of time to this subject. We will also spend a considerable bit of time discussing "Planning"!

Pros:

- Configured correctly, the Pax offers a "massive" amount of storage.
- Offers a wide variety of organizational accessories to maximize storage.
- Relatively small footprint allows you to maximize floor space.
- Mirror doors offer full length view for dressing.
- Can be assembled vertically if needed.

Cons:

- If not configured properly instead of being a massive storage solution they can be a massive headache.
- 92 inch cabinets need 96 inches of ceiling height to be built on the floor and lifted.
- Sliding doors need substantial floor space to assemble (we suggest a minimum of 90 inches x 60 inches).
- Directions for sliding doors can be very difficult and require a complete read and walk through before full assembly and install onto door tracks. The steps seem out of order and most will definitely get into trouble with these doors.
- Can not be easily moved once assembled and we highly advise against dis-assembly / re-assembly! Cabinets are really one to two time use.
- Full Double hang is only possible in a 92 inch cabinet and the space has to be divided equally (this is for average height individuals. People 6 feet or taller may need to divide the units into drawers and one rod for hanging. Standard hanging length of most garments request 40 inches (including hanger) between the two spaces. The actual cabinet storage space is 88 inches, not really leaving much space to play with (about 4 to 6 inches).

Handles and Knobs:

Handles and Knobs for hinged doors and for the Kompliment 3 Drawer units are not included!! Be sure to purchase these before leaving the store. They are stocked and located in the KITCHEN Section of the Showroom! You can also purchase a template to assist you in placing the proper hole position on the doors.

See the image below to get an idea of a divided up and tricked out Pax Solution:

Things to consider:

- Double Hang - requires the use of one (1) 92" inch frame evenly divided spaces of 40 to 42 inches.
- Long hang - requires the use of one (1) 92" inch frame with a hanging space of 60" inches to the bottom.
- Hinged doors rob you of Space. The hinge takes 3 inches on the bottom of the frame and blocks you from mounting a sliding drawer justified to the absolute bottom of the frame. Also the second hinge from the bottom blocks you from stacking more than 4 drawers tightly together. To avoid this, the hinge can be omitted from light weight doors. Mirror doors require all 4 hinges on a 92" inch frame.
Sliding doors allows you to max out the space.
- Gliding shoe tree drawers are an absolute nightmare to assemble. They have 100 parts and are time consuming to put together. They only accommodate ladies flats and some mens shoes. Heels need to be on shoe shelves.
- Narrow Cabinets (half depth) are really worthless. You can not store side to side but must store front to back. This limits the amount of items you can store and your ability to view your garments. They are fine for wire baskets and shelving but that is pretty much it. To hang front to back you need to use a "valet" type hook.
- These cabinets generally require anchoring to the wall for safety. Consider the type of wall you have and select the proper hardware for installation. You can see examples of anchoring materials at this site:

Grainger

We offer planning services to help you maximize your living and storage space and avoid possible obstacles in your assembly process. Call us at 646-926-1356 or email us at Furniture Assembly Service for more info!

IKEA Besta Systems - To be the Besta or not to Besta! Is that really the question?

2012-01-10T15:13:00.005-05:00

IKEA Besta Systems are the one of the most daunting products for the consumer to assemble and install. They consist of either single or multiple cabinets and combine with FRAMSTA which is a "Wall" of either paneling of Black, Brown, or White and glass panels in Black or White. Additionally there are individual benches that can be purchased and combined with the cabinetry to create an unlimited variety of combinations. Below you can see a vast array of combinations we have been asked to assemble in the past.

To get a sense of how involved one of these projects can be, "House Point.0.com" painstakingly documented the process they took to conceive, assemble and install their dream Besta System. It is a great example of how to install an IKEA Besta system and provides a great insight as to what can be involved!

See "House Point0.com and their detailed Besta Project

Usually people find my business website or this blog after the fact. They have taken a trip to IKEA where they discover one of the Besta systems installed in a "vignette" (floor display) and order the exact same design. The problems occur when you have to decide where to place your electronic devices and then how to route the wires to service them, including the tv coax cable and access to electrical outlets.

The best advice is to make two trips to IKEA. The fist you will take the tour as to what IKEA has to offer. Take measurements of the items you like, take pictures, note how they are mounted (if bolted to the wall or floor standing). Think about the electronic components you have or would like to have installed there and where your utility outlets are placed. These cabinets do not come with wire routing from the factory, they will have to be made in your home or office during the assembly / install process. Think of how long the cables may need to be to service these devices.

Some great alternatives to wiring these devices are to select new wireless options. There are several companies now producing wireless solutions that allow you to connect one box to the back of the tv and have your electronics stored elsewhere without hard wires direct to them. Examples are:

Peerless Wireless Multimedia Center

Connects your devices using 802.11N Broadband producing up to 1080P High Definition Resolution to your television.

Nyrius Electronics
Works the same as the Peerless device above freeing you of running wires through out your cabinetry and home.

You can search online and find prices on these units ranging from $200 to $400. Trust me, it is money well spent and will save you a headache in connecting your devices.

Lastly, the main item to consider when mounting your Television to a Framsta or wall is to consider how to power the device. In most cases it is best to have a plug mounted on the wall just behind the TV itself. In most instances (particularly renters) this is definitely not possible and can be cost prohibitive to as well, however if you are going all out on your home theater / entertainment center you may want to reconsider.

Below are some examples of Besta units that we at "Furniture Assembly Service & More" have assembled and installed in the past.

IKEA Besta bench and cabinets. Assembled and installed Midtown East, Manhattan, NY.

IKEA Besta w/ Framsta - backlight - Floating. Assembled and installed Financial District (Wall Street), Manhattan, NY.

IKEA Besta bench with bridge and side towers. Assembled and installed on Upper East Side, Manhattan, NY.

IKEA Besta Wall. Assembled / Re-Assembled and Installed on Upper West Side, Manhattan, NY.

IKEA Besta Wall w/Framsta and Glass shelves floor standing. Installed on Upper West Side, Manhattan, NY.

IKEA Besta Wall w/ Framsta "Floating". Installed in Weehawken, NJ.

If you are looking to have an IKEA Besta System Installed, feel free to call us at 646-926-1356 or email us at Furniture Assembly Service & More

Welcome to Furniture Assembly Service & More

2012-01-05T17:52:00.002-05:00

We Have Moved! This page will now act as a daily account of our business in NYC and will be filled with tips, tricks, coupons and lots of other info!

If your looking to have some furniture assembled, click on over to FurnitureAssemblyService.com Check out the site and send your info over for a quote!

Thank you all for visiting and stay tuned for lots of new info for 2012!