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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Flat pack furniture disaster. Aibu to try and get a refund?

40 replies

LucieMay88 · 18/04/2015 10:05

I've just had a flat pack furniture nightmare and have no idea what to do. We bought a bookcase from a well known shop. It was £85 but not solid wood. It was made of particleboard which I didn't mind.

So I began to assemble it. Was nearly finished, the bookcase was standing and seemed fine. I went to get the wood sticker things to hide the screws when the whole thing toppled over and crashed to the floor.

I am now left with a few blocks of wood that I can't do anything with as the particleboard veneer has been ripped off and the screws have ripped chunks of the board out. There aren't even any holes left for the screw to fit into.

I want to cry. £85 and this has happened. I can't help but think it wasn't that sturdy to begin with, although it may be partly my fault. Sad
Do you think I'm likely to get a refund if I phone and explain that it fell after I'd assembled it?

OP posts:
LaChatte · 18/04/2015 10:07

IKEA Billy?

ButterflyUpSoHigh · 18/04/2015 10:09

I doubt they would refund you. You must have assembled it wrong.

ScrambedEggAndToast · 18/04/2015 10:10

No way of knowing unless you try.

Original poster
LucieMay88 · 18/04/2015 10:10

It's not IKEA. I know I must have assembled it wrong. I'm gutted. Maybe I could try to rescue it Blush

OP posts:
RestingPlaces · 18/04/2015 10:12

Did it need to be secured to the wall for strength/balance?

bananayellow · 18/04/2015 10:13

It's worth a try. You will never know unless you try. The worst they can do is say no.

MokunMokun · 18/04/2015 10:13

If it was the Ikea Billy, I recently assembled one and it was a bit top heavy. I was worried it was going to topple so quickly stuck it in the corner and put something under the bottom to tip it back slightly. They supply a bracket though to attach it to the wall.

I think if you take it to the shop with the receipt , you can ask and see what they say.

NotSayingImBatman · 18/04/2015 10:13

If it was IKEA, I'd give it a shot.

DH bought the wrong colour of malm bedside cabinets and didn't realise until he assembled them and had them next to the drawers we already had. We took them back and they were happy to exchange them even though it had been entirely his fault.

MokunMokun · 18/04/2015 10:13

Sorry, cross-posted. Just try then. You don't have anything to lose really.

bigfam · 18/04/2015 10:15

Was it argos

slanleat · 18/04/2015 10:21

Seeing as how its not Ikea, I can't see you getting any joy. Our local Ikea has a great return policy.

Our local Argos - not so sure you would get any joy.

But you can try... you never know !

LaChatte · 18/04/2015 10:37

The IKEA Billy ones really need fixing to the wall with the bracket Mokun , especially if you've got DCs.

Sallyingforth · 18/04/2015 11:40

Do you really think it was designed to fall apart under its own weight, without even any books put on it?

I'm sorry, but you have made an expensive mistake.
You'd need to have a very generous shop manager to refund you.

SoupDragon · 18/04/2015 11:45

Do you really think it was designed to fall apart under its own weight, without even any books put on it?

What a ridiculous comment. Most faulty items aren’t designed to fall apart but flaws can make this happen. For example, if there was a weakness in one of the lower fixings that caused the panel to split, the whole thing would fall over.

Sallyingforth · 18/04/2015 11:53

Nonsense.
If one of the lower fixings was 'weak', it would show up as a broken joint. The whole bookcase should not collapse due to one weak joint.

mindthegap79 · 18/04/2015 12:02

I'd give it a go! The worst they can say is no. I sometimes have screws left over after assembling flatpacks, which worries me a bit.

straighttothepoint · 18/04/2015 12:02

I think you have screwed up the instructions and your fault.

Mabelface · 18/04/2015 12:05

If it's argos, take it back and explain. A fully assembled product shouldn't collapse.

SoupDragon · 18/04/2015 12:19

If one of the lower fixings was 'weak', it would show up as a broken joint. The whole bookcase should not collapse due to one weak joint.

No, it could make the whole bookcase unstable, causing it to collapse.

SoupDragon · 18/04/2015 12:20

If one fails, causing the bookcase to lean, it puts strain on the other joints. If these are weak and the particle board flimsy, the whole thing could easily go.

Sallyingforth · 18/04/2015 13:50

Soup,
That might apply if the bookcase was fully loaded, but we are talking here about it being entirely empty.
If it couldn't stand up without one of the joints in place, you would never be able to assemble it in the first place without it falling to pieces.
And no-one would ever have been able to assemble one.

Original poster
LucieMay88 · 18/04/2015 13:51

It's a big department store. Hmm I don't think I will phone the customer services as I've read the returns policy they will just say no I think. I know a local handyman who might be able to fix it. Perhaps he could re drill the holes and salvage it?

OP posts:
NeedAScarfForMyGiraffe · 18/04/2015 13:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

YouTheCat · 18/04/2015 13:57

It sounds like it wasn't screwed together properly. If it had a back to it, that sounds like it wasn't in place correctly either as the back gives a lot of stability. I've been building flatpacks since I was 10 and I've never experienced one falling apart.

I can build a full height Billy bookcase, single-handed, in 30 minutes. I am the flatpack queen! Grin

IAmAPaleontologist · 18/04/2015 13:59

You won't lose anything by trying.

I have discovered in a life full of flatpack that anything other than ikea is shit.

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