If you've surfed the Internet looking for Oak, Santa Fe, or Mexican Corona furniture, perhaps you've seen items listed as flat pack. Do you know what that means? Do you know why flat pack pieces are considerably less expensive? Read on to learn all you need to know.
In simple terms, flat pack is a means of packing and shipping in a way that reduces size. Flat pack furniture kits are unassembled; they are the set of panels used to create the furniture piece, plus all the hardware necessary; thus, the name.
Shipping furniture in this manner means a much less bulky package for the shipping company to deal with. That translates to a lower shipping cost and considerably less risk of damage. That's good for the bottom line. But on the other end of the shipment, someone still has to put the furniture together.
If you're a handy person with the right tools, and you don't mind assembling that new oak dining table, flat pack might be just the right option for you. All you'll need are a couple of wrenches and a screwdriver or two. Full instructions are included in the packaging to help you get your table up in no time. Just don't attempt in on Christmas Eve. We all know what happens to assembly projects on that one night of the year.
Fortunately, for people who are not mechanically inclined, there are companies in the U.K. who provide assembly services. And even if you are mechanically inclined, but recently bought an entire home's worth of Corona furniture, you can still hire an assembly specialist to give you a hand.
Furniture assembly is such big business that an entire industry as sprung up in Europe. You simply order your furniture online, have it shipped to your home or office, and schedule an assembly company to take care of the rest. They will come to your location, assemble your products, and make sure they are fully functional before leaving.
Some of the better assembly services will test your furniture to make sure it's solid and sturdy, and even do their best to correct poor workmanship or mistakes that may have occurred at the factory. If they are really good, the assembly company will even provide customers with a limited guarantee of their services.
The only down side to hiring an assembly company is the cost. You purchased that new Corona bedroom set in part because of the low price. You accepted a flat pack delivery, again, partly due to the lower shipping charges. But if you don't get a decent quote from your assembly service, all those savings could be wiped out. I suppose that's still better than making a mess of things yourself.