Ready-to-assemble, or RTA, furniture promises great value, but you may have heard horror stories about assembly or quality. Here are some ways to avoid frustration.
Step One
Take vital measurements with you when you shop: lengths of walls, wall height under windows, width of stairwell and so forth.
Step Two
Look at the joinery on the floor samples. The pieces should fit together tightly, without wobbles.
Step Three
Check the floor samples for damage such as chipped veneer. This type of damage is difficult to impossible to repair, and if a floor sample shows signs of serious problems, it's reasonable to expect that your furniture will experience the same fate.
Step Four
Choose pieces that are substantial and heavy. Flimsy pieces will be more easily damaged when moved and just won't hold up as well when loaded with books or electronics.
Step Five
Ask about the instructions. Some foreign-made pieces have instructions that were badly translated into English, although some U.S. retailers are rewriting for clarity.
Step Six
Ask whether there's a manufacturer's help line if you have a question while assembling your purchase.
Step Seven
Find out how long the piece typically takes to assemble. If you're not handy, you'll probably want to add to the time, but it gives you a starting point for deciding whether this is a project you want to tackle.
Step Eight
Look at the instructions if possible to find out what tools you'll need for assembly (a power screwdriver can be a godsend) and to see whether they're easy to follow.
Step Nine
Talk to the salesperson about having someone else assemble the piece if you decide the job isn't for you. Most stores can put you in touch with an independent assembly service or, for an additional cost, will assemble the piece for you.
Step Ten
Ask about the store's return policy. Be aware that it's sometimes difficult to get pieces back in the box exactly as they were originally packed, so beware if that's a condition for returning merchandise.
