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Do-it-yourself cabinets are commonly known among manufacturers as knock-down or flat-pack cabinets because they come in multiple pieces rather than individual units.
An increase in labor costs will make more people choose do-it-yourself cabinets. Assembling certain cabinets requires skill at putting pieces together – if you don’t fix it well, it will fall apart. Many are still reluctant to assemble more complicated cabinets for fear of damaging the cabinets.
A similar pattern is found among Ikea’s customers — people can assemble small cabinets, but they would request and pay for Ikea’s assembly services for more complicated products like kitchen cabinets.
Do-it-yourself closets come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and prices. Most people associate such flat pack cabinets with cheaper prices as there is some cost saving associated with it. Flat-packed cabinets generate less waste, which translates into lower costs. The containers in which these flat packs are transported are filled to the maximum capacity, which reduces logistics costs such as overseas transport and valet parking.
Assembled cabinets are shipped in individual units and can be bulky, making shipping difficult. Also, it’s at risk of being damaged, unlike its flat-packed counterparts, which are securely packaged. Consumers save on service and delivery costs when buying do-it-yourself cabinets.
Cost savings can also be achieved by using inferior wood species found in cheaper ranges of do it yourself cabinets found in hypermarkets or supermarkets. The cabinet is not made of hardwood and is therefore of inferior quality. The case is usually made of fiberboard with wood skin finishes. This allows them to be half the price of solid wood furniture.
Given the lower cost, do-it-yourself cabinets are generally not expected to last very long. For example, fiberboard cabinets (store bought) can’t really support much weight and are practical for a short period of time – maybe a year or so. When the cabinets are exposed to water, the wood will swell and warp or bonded parts will come loose.
While some do-it-yourself cabinets can last quite a long time, problems arise when the cabinets are repeatedly assembled and disassembled as the joints become loose. Many of today’s cabinets use medium density fiberboard, which is not meant to be screwed on and off repeatedly. The most important maintenance of such cabinets is to keep them stationary, as moving them can cause the hinges to loosen.
When buying flat-packed cabinets, one should pay attention to the type of wood used. You also have to accept that there may be quality control issues. Stores such as Ikea and some hypermarkets offer a return policy, giving customers the peace of mind that they can exchange goods they have purchased. If something is wrong, they can go back and have it changed.
The target market for flat-pack closets is young adults just starting out in their careers or newlyweds looking to furnish their first home with basic closets. It’s only when they’re settled in life and want to move to another home that their tastes change to acquire more complicated cabinets that usually come in single pieces.
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