Saving Money Through Fixing Rather than Replacing

[matrix82]

I am a little proud of myself right now. About three years ago we bought four dressers from jysk, two small ones and two large ones. At the time we weren't very handy so we hired a handyman group to put the things together. At the time it seemed fine, they seemed like they knew what they were doing etc. Two long distance moves later, the stuff is falling apart.

One dresser had two drawers completely falling apart. My husband blamed it on it being cheap furniture (it may have been cheap, but it is all solid pine, no pressed board or mdf). I finally had some time to look up the instructions online and found out how the drawers come out (they are on metal gliders, which had two screws holding the glider to the drawer, we didn't know that).

In about half an hour, using existing wood glue and wood nails. I have fixed one of the dressers. I am very proud of myself. My spouse had talked about maybe getting a new dresser, if you had seen this dresser with one drawers facing falling off, and two drawers completely falling apart, they wouldn't hold clothes, you would see why.

When I get some more time, I am going to take all the drawers out and reinforce them. The handymen we had hired, used a nail gun for putting the furniture together. The nails just weren't enough to hold things securely.

I also shimmed up the two front legs so the drawers no longer stay open because of our uneven drawers.

[Natalka]

That's absolutely awesome!

[matrix82]

Thanks. I am usually not very handy, so I am very happy with this .

[secheltsaver]

Good for you!Most wood furniture can be repaired,but we live in a disposable society where even expensive stuff gets chucked out the instant anything goes wrong with it.Here's a tip you might be able to use - if you have screws or other fasteners that are no longer tight in their holes,take them out and fill the holes with toothpicks dipped liberally in wood glue.When the glue dries there'll be something solid for the fasteners to grip onto when you put them back in.

[matrix82]

That is a great tip secheltsaver

[avoncallingu]

I know what you mean about the self-destroying dressers. I bought 3 at IKEA - put them together myself and one fell apart on our last move. The others are very fragile. Good for you for being so industrious Matrix- and thanks for the tip secheltsaver!

[matrix82]

I know what you mean about the self-destroying dressers. I bought 3 at IKEA - put them together myself and one fell apart on our last move. The others are very fragile. Good for you for being so industrious Matrix- and thanks for the tip secheltsaver!

Yeah, mine weren't as high quality as Ikea, they were JYSK, which is a lower step again. But it had good bones, just not as well put together, like wooden dowels instead of tongue and grove etc.

[Sunshyne1]

Good for you!Most wood furniture can be repaired,but we live in a disposable society where even expensive stuff gets chucked out the instant anything goes wrong with it.Here's a tip you might be able to use - if you have screws or other fasteners that are no longer tight in their holes,take them out and fill the holes with toothpicks dipped liberally in wood glue.When the glue dries there'll be something solid for the fasteners to grip onto when you put them back in.

Oooohhh...I like that tip! Thanks!