"saving" cheap furniture (PICS) (floor, cabinet, stairs, photos)

[karen_in_nh_2012]

Maybe 6-7 years ago I bought this entertainment center from Sauder ...




It's for old-style tube TVs, and I had it in the master bedroom. I basically never moved it after I assembled it, so it was very functional AND I liked how it looked.

So a year ago I moved to a new house. I planned to put this unit in the project room (basically an extra bedroom that I am turning into a sewing/craft/all-purpose room), BUT the movers could not put it there since the project room is on the 2nd floor and the way the stairs are, it could not be carried up (alas, it is NOT in 2 pieces, although it looks like it could be!).

Once I realized that I was going to have to take it apart so I could get it upstairs, I had the movers stick it in the garage, since I just did not have time to deal with it. I finally got around to moving it into the living room, where there was plenty of floor space to start dis-assembling it. Einstein thought it was a great place to lie down ...



At first I THOUGHT I could maybe get it into 2 pieces and move THOSE up the stairs ... but of course once the back (which is in 1 piece), the top, and the 2 front doors came off, the whole thing was VERY unstable, and the bottom part (which had 3 vertical pieces attached) fell over. I was able to "catch" 2 of the vertical pieces before they broke off, but not the one furthest away -- its "Sauder patented twist-lock connectors" broke right off from the rest of the particleboard.

Here's a fuzzy picture that shows the damage ...



I quickly realized that I was REALLY going to have to take it apart about 90% of the way (gee, I was able to keep the legs on!!) to get it (mostly) safely up the stairs, so I did. Then I started the re-assembly process (yes, I had actually KEPT the assembly instructions -- one of the few times I was glad I'm a pack rat! ). Here it is on the floor of the project room ...



As you can see, I have not finished the right side yet -- one of those Sauder fasteners in the bottom right piece is simply no longer working correctly, so I am going to have to pull it out. AND one of the kitties knocked over the top right molding piece, which slides on ...



... so I am going to have to unscrew the top right vertical piece so I can pull it out enough to slide the molding back on.

OK, NORMALLY with crappy particleboard furniture, I would give up and just throw it out. (That's what I have done with bookcases that did not survive moves.) But I am determined to SAVE this piece since (a) it really is very functional since I still have a lot of tube TVs including one that fits great in the main space and another small TV/VCR which fits perfectly in the lower-left hidden space (bottom door) -- I do a LOT of recording for my classes and this is one of my recording sites. I had even bought several extra shelves for it so I could fit a few extra components! Also, (b) I like the cottage-y style -- it matches a Sauder craft cabinet that goes in this same room. And finally, (c) they don't make these any more since no one buys tube-style TVs any more!!

So here is what I am doing to save it ...

(1) I am going to use glue in that top right molding piece so hopefully it will actually stay put this time.

(2) I bought some right-angle and corner braces (see photos below), which I was originally going to use simply to replace the Sauder fasteners that broke -- but then I thought, why not use a bunch of these at ALL the inner corners (the corner brace) and a bunch of other inner places that can't be seen once there's stuff on the unit (the right-angle brace)?



(3) After I get the unit re-assembled and squared up (and hopefully all the right-angle braces will help with that), I will re-nail the backing (which is just cardboard, as is usually the case with RTA furniture), but then I will nail 1/4" horizontal plywood pieces on top of the backing.

(4) I will also add nail-in slides to the bottom legs (except the plastic 5th one -- I think I'll have to glue a regular slide to that) so the unit can move over carpet a bit easier.

Anything else I should do to make this more sturdy? I doubt that I will be moving it much once it's in place, but still ...

I'd also like to hear what others have done to make RTA furniture more solid/sturdy? Thanks in advance!

[Hedgehog_Mom]

It looks like it will be very sturdy.

You're a lot more resourceful than me. Since I wouldn't be using it in the sewing room for anything other than storage, I would have sold it on craigslist before the move and bought two tall bookcases (about $60 at Target for the pair) that I could assemble in the room.

[silibran]

Yes, you are moving heaven and earth to get that thing up in a room, and sometime you will have to move heaven and earth to get it down the stairs.

Are you sure this is wise?

[Rogarven]

I admire your determination!! Good luck!

[timneh5]

You must really like that piece of furniture! What determination!!! I'm exhausted...

[karen_in_nh_2012]

lol, gee thanks all. As I wrote, this particular piece of furniture works PERFECTLY for what I need it for (the 27" TV, the smaller TV/VCR, and storage for a bunch of other things) in addition to matching the craft cabinet. For all those reasons, I was not willing to just throw it out, as I had other RTA furniture.

Hedgehog_Mom, two bookcases simply wouldn't work for what I need (i.e. for the particular purposes I am using this for). And Silibran, I plan to be in this house 'til retirement ~20 years from now ... I should have mentioned that since maybe it would make more sense why I want to keep this item.

Honestly, it probably took almost as long for me to write the OP (and take/upload all those photos) as it will for me to "save" this piece. So it's a few hours of my time and maybe $20 worth of fasteners and plywood ... seems like a bargain to me for something that fits my needs so well, but then, I may just be trying to justify it in my mind!

I actually have a contractor colleague who's going to be fixing the stair problem (changing about 1' of 2nd-floor closet floors from flat to a 45-degree angle so there's more head room) ... maybe I should have waited for him to do that first, in which case I could have just had him help me carry the original, sturdy unit up the stairs. He's not sure when he'll get to my stair project, though ...

Thanks anyway to all who took the time to reply!

[K'ledgeBldr]

Originally Posted by karen_in_nh_2012

Anything else I should do to make this more sturdy?

Construction adhesive.

[silibran]

Originally Posted by karen_in_nh_2012

lol, gee thanks all. As I wrote, this particular piece of furniture works PERFECTLY for what I need it for (the 27" TV, the smaller TV/VCR, and storage for a bunch of other things) in addition to matching the craft cabinet. For all those reasons, I was not willing to just throw it out, as I had other RTA furniture.

Hedgehog_Mom, two bookcases simply wouldn't work for what I need (i.e. for the particular purposes I am using this for). And Silibran, I plan to be in this house 'til retirement ~20 years from now ... I should have mentioned that since maybe it would make more sense why I want to keep this item.

Honestly, it probably took almost as long for me to write the OP (and take/upload all those photos) as it will for me to "save" this piece. So it's a few hours of my time and maybe $20 worth of fasteners and plywood ... seems like a bargain to me for something that fits my needs so well, but then, I may just be trying to justify it in my mind!

I actually have a contractor colleague who's going to be fixing the stair problem (changing about 1' of 2nd-floor closet floors from flat to a 45-degree angle so there's more head room) ... maybe I should have waited for him to do that first, in which case I could have just had him help me carry the original, sturdy unit up the stairs. He's not sure when he'll get to my stair project, though ...

Thanks anyway to all who took the time to reply!

Well, you know what you want, that's for sure. May it all work out.

[CFoulke]

Sounds like you have a plan, BUT I have had the worst luck with Sauder products. My last one was a huge computer armoire that I bought and put together (years ago) and that pressed wood stuff is terrible to work with. I just hope it doesn't collapse like a cheap tent when you start nailing the braces into it. Did I understand you correctly that you hauled all the stuff upstairs and will be doing your project up there in the bedroom where you intend to use it? That stuff is heavy!!! If you are going to glue anything back together and you need it to stay glued forever - get yourself some Liquid Nails and maybe a couple of clamps or braces to keep it in place until it dries. I vowed to never again buy any Sauder stuff - but I really do like the picture of the piece you have - and I like that cottage style stuff as well. Einstein makes a very handsome "Vanna White" stretched out up there like he's demonstrating the versatility and beauty of the piece. What a little ham!!!
PS: I am attaching a link I found about Particle board which may (or not!) be helpful. Good luck with your project - if I was there I'd help ya - I like projects!!! Particle Board - Should You Use Particle Board in Your Fine Woodworking Projects?

[karen_in_nh_2012]

Originally Posted by CFoulke

Sounds like you have a plan, BUT I have had the worst luck with Sauder products. My last one was a huge computer armoire that I bought and put together (years ago) and that pressed wood stuff is terrible to work with. I just hope it doesn't collapse like a cheap tent when you start nailing the braces into it. Did I understand you correctly that you hauled all the stuff upstairs and will be doing your project up there in the bedroom where you intend to use it? That stuff is heavy!!! If you are going to glue anything back together and you need it to stay glued forever - get yourself some Liquid Nails and maybe a couple of clamps or braces to keep it in place until it dries. I vowed to never again buy any Sauder stuff - but I really do like the picture of the piece you have - and I like that cottage style stuff as well. Einstein makes a very handsome "Vanna White" stretched out up there like he's demonstrating the versatility and beauty of the piece. What a little ham!!!
PS: I am attaching a link I found about Particle board which may (or not!) be helpful. Good luck with your project - if I was there I'd help ya - I like projects!!! Particle Board - Should You Use Particle Board in Your Fine Woodworking Projects?

Yeah, my experience with RTA furniture typically has been that I buy it, assemble it where it is going to be used, and then just leave it there for years. That's what I had done with this entertainment center, and it worked fine at my old house. When it was fully assembled, it was actually VERY sturdy, and when I moved it over carpet (i.e. when I was moving to my current house a year ago), I used slides and it was fine, it really did just slide to where I needed it and then the movers picked it up.

Honestly, if I had completely disassembled it in my living room it would have been better ... silly me was trying to save a little bit of time by moving it in 2 large pieces and I should have known that wouldn't work. That's when one of the bottom vertical pieces keeled over and the particleboard around those connectors broke. I then DID almost completely disassemble it (I left the legs on, lol!) and bring the pieces up the stairs and to the back bedroom. (THAT was fun ... you are right, those pieces are heavy!!)

I bought a bunch of braces at Wal-Mart but need to go to Home Depot on Saturday morning to get a few more of different types AND to buy the 1/4" plywood and have it cut into the strips I need. The braces screw on, not nail, so hopefully they will go on without a problem (if I had to nail them, I think it would be much harder as with every pound of the hammer the unit would be shaking!!).

I will post more photos of my progress ... assuming I don't give up!