When it comes to well-engineered furniture, Ikea stands as an industry leader. But despite its efficiency and feasibility, assembling IKEA furniture can get pretty tricky. Things get even more challenging if you are trying this for the first time. With so many things to consider, you often get muddled up with your choices.
So, in order to make things easier for you, I have come up with this article that lists every important tool you will need for assembling your IKEA furniture. Keep reading to figure out what you’ll actually need.
Tools Needed To Assemble IKEA Furniture
Electric Screwdriver
This is one of the most important tools that, works for almost every kind of furniture. You can get an electric driver that comes with replaceable bits. Try avoiding the added apparatuses that come with your IKEA furniture. These tiny devices will take more time, greater effort and they also end up straining your fingers.
These electric screwdrivers, on the other hand, work on low power that effortlessly gets your job done without harming your particleboard. This also turns out to be a great tool when you are looking to get your furniture mounted to the divider.
Having a regular screwdriver set is also handy to have on hand for smaller jobs or where space is a bit tight for an electric screwdiver or cordless drill.
Hammer
This is yet another important tool that helps you assemble your furniture faster. While you won’t have to hammer in the nails, you might still need it for pounding pegs or the smaller pieces that have to be pushed together properly. Use your hammer carefully to avoid any inadvertent dents in your furniture.
Rubber Mallets
There are several kinds of IKEA furniture that require you to utilize the wood dowels for connecting two small bits of wood together. Using a metal hammer for assembling these kinds of furniture can damage them. When you do this, it usually ends up harming the pre-designed openings in the particleboard which eventually make your wood dowels less secure.
In order to avoid this, you can use a big, elastic rubber mallet that will help you spread the force in a more equitable manner. This will also tighten your wood joints. While buying rubber mallets, try to get the white ones so that you don’t end up leaving any slip marks.
Drill
In many cases, IKEA furniture comes pre-drilled with small holes. However, there are also many instances when you are required to manually drill the holes on your specific furniture piece. Drilling is important for customizing the pieces according to your personal requirements. Of course, a cordless drill can also be used to fasten screws just be careful to not over torque.
Allen Wrench
Also known as a hex key, this is a relatively simple tool that is shaped like a bent metal piece. But despite the apparent simplicity, this is the only tool which is required for assembling your flat pack furniture. This is because the wrench is lightweight, easy to operate and incredibly effective. While the tool is available in different shapes, the most typical shape is an L-shaped one. This is widely used by most people as it lets you take the advantage of the hex key’s reach. In this way, you can use the long arm of your L-shape while using its torque capabilities at the same time.
Carpenter’s Glue
Good quality carpenter’s glue will make your wooden furniture rock solid. You’ll find many leading brands of carpenter’s glue online. However, while you use the glue, avoid using it in complex pieces, because once its set, it will be extremely difficult to get it removed.
Other tips to consider
- Always gather your tools ahead of time.
- Independently tally your furniture pieces before you gather them.
- Keep the small furniture parts in a plastic bag and don’t open it till you need it.
- Keep similar furniture pieces in a single pile.
- Isolate the screws and wooden dowels to ensure faster assembly. As the directions from IKEA are extremely visual, isolating your pieces will also make things simpler for you.
- Since you don’t have an idea about the direction your furniture will grow, make sure you have ample space for spreading out. This will save you from being compelled to work in a difficult position while assembling the pieces.
- Follow the instructions carefully always double-check to avoid any unexpected glitch.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know what tools you will need, gather them and start assembling your furniture pieces right away! Follow the instructions carefully to avoid any unexpected glitch.