Common Mistakes in Self-Assembly Furniture

Carcass Assembly Mistakes

• Tightening confirmat screws fully before the back panel is in — the carcass racks. Rule: assemble loosely, fit the back panel, check the diagonals, then tighten
• Not inserting dowels before joining panels — parts shift, then you have to disassemble
• Fitting a side panel face-in instead of face-out — both sides look identical but the fixing holes are only on one side
• Hitting a confirmat with a hammer — strips the head. Use a drill-driver with a Torx or hex bit only
• Assembling the carcass while it is standing upright — it will not be square. Work on the floor or a bench

Fixing Mistakes

• Confirmat screw driven through both panels — the joint is destroyed. Screw length must match board thickness: 50 mm for 16 mm board
• Screw driven in at an angle — panels pull apart. Start perfectly perpendicular to the edge
• Over-tightened eccentric cam — threads strip in the board. Tighten only until the cam clicks into position, no further
• Wrong fixing type — a wood screw used where a confirmat is needed, or vice versa
• Dry-fitting dowels without glue — unloaded dowels are fine, but they fall out when the piece is moved

Back Panel Mistakes

• Not checking diagonals before nailing the back panel — the rack is locked in permanently
• Back panel slid into the groove but not nailed — it slides out under load
• Nailed only at the perimeter, missing intermediate points — the panel bows in the middle
• Wrong grain direction on the back panel — some models specify vertical grain

Door Hanging Mistakes

• Hinge cup drilled in the wrong hole — the door won't close or fouls the adjacent one. Cup position is always as stated in the instruction: typically 3–5 mm from the edge
• Skipping hinge adjustment after hanging — doors sit crooked. Every hinge adjusts on three axes: in/out, left/right, up/down
• Over-tightening the hinge plate to the carcass — the melamine board begins to crumble. Tighten to firm resistance, not until something cracks
• Hanging a tall or heavy door on two hinges instead of three — it will sag within months. Doors taller than 1200 mm or heavier than 8 kg need at least three hinges
• Leaving the protective film on the hinge before hanging — it prevents a flush fit

Drawer Installation Mistakes

• Runners not installed parallel — drawer sticks or skews
• Runners at different heights on each side — drawer tilts when open
• Rear runner clip not engaged — drawer pulls away from the back when opened
• Drawer front screwed on without alignment first — gaps are uneven. Fit loosely, align by eye, then tighten

Wall Mounting Mistakes

• No level line marked — cabinets hang at different heights, bottom edges don't line up
• Wrong wall plug for the wall type — holds less or not at all
• Drilling without a cable detector — hitting a live wire or pipe
• Hole not blown out before inserting plug — dust stops the plug expanding
• Cabinet hung on two screws instead of four — each screw carries twice the designed load

Worktop Mistakes

• Cut edges left unsealed — moisture enters the chipboard core and the edge swells. Apply silicone or edge sealant immediately after cutting
• Sink cut-out left unsealed — the same problem, but in the highest-moisture zone in the kitchen
• Worktop joint assembled without metal draw-bolts — it will open over time. Minimum two bolts per joint
• No silicone bead under the sink before fitting — water runs into the gap between sink and worktop

Mistakes That Are Hard to Fix Later

• Carcass screwed to wall and floor without checking level — impossible to correct without a full strip-out
• Confirmat screw driven until threads strip in the board — hole is ruined; needs an insert or a new panel
• Back panel nailed into a racked carcass — cannot be squared without disassembly
• Worktop sealed down with silicone with no way to lift it — if there's a leak under the sink, the pipes are inaccessible