For the price, this is a very nice piece. As others indicate, the assembly instructions are crap. It only took me a little over an hour to assemble by myself; aligning the doors took some fine/tuning.
Here are some tips; the only tools required are a Phillips/head screwdriver and a rubber mallet.
1) Inspect and count all pieces before starting; on the box, it states that returns must be in the same box, so make sure you want to keep it and do not destroy the box while opening it.
2) Assemble in an open area, protecting both the boards and your floors with a dropcloth or old sheet.
3) Knock or blow out any particle board debris that is lodged inside the seats for the cam locks; they will not sit properly otherwise.
4) The first step is to insert the cam bolts and dowels. The bolts need to be screwed in; doing so opens the flange (the ones on my unit are orange) to secure the bolt to the board. After inserting the dowels, tamp them down gently. OPTIONAL: add a small amount of wood glue to the end of each before inserting.
Following steps 3 and 4 should ensure that the pieces fit together as intended, with no gaps.
5) When attaching the doors, I recommend attaching the hinges to the cabinet first (use the oval/shaped holes) and then to the doors. You can firmly screw the hinges on, as they have an adjusting screw for alignment. Best to align the doors once the unit is placed where you want it.
Be patient and try to avoid knicking the boards with tools; it is particleboard after all and is easily damaged.
The one I received had a small amount of damage/knicks, but I am just going to use a cabinet pen for those.
Also, the only glossy parts are the doors, which is fine with me, as I am putting it next to Billy bookshelves, which have a matte finish. Love these.
Pretty solid for price
For the price, this is a very nice piece. As others indicate, the assembly instructions are crap. It only took me a little over an hour to assemble by myself; aligning the doors took some fine/tuning. Here are some tips; the only tools required are a Phillips/head screwdriver and a rubber mallet. 1) Inspect and count all pieces before starting; on the box, it states that returns must be in the same box, so make sure you want to keep it and do not destroy the box while opening it. 2) Assemble in an open area, protecting both the boards and your floors with a dropcloth or old sheet. 3) Knock or blow out any particle board debris that is lodged inside the seats for the cam locks; they will not sit properly otherwise. 4) The first step is to insert the cam bolts and dowels. The bolts need to be screwed in; doing so opens the flange (the ones on my unit are orange) to secure the bolt to the board. After inserting the dowels, tamp them down gently. OPTIONAL: add a small amount of wood glue to the end of each before inserting. Following steps 3 and 4 should ensure that the pieces fit together as intended, with no gaps. 5) When attaching the doors, I recommend attaching the hinges to the cabinet first (use the oval/shaped holes) and then to the doors. You can firmly screw the hinges on, as they have an adjusting screw for alignment. Best to align the doors once the unit is placed where you want it. Be patient and try to avoid knicking the boards with tools; it is particleboard after all and is easily damaged. The one I received had a small amount of damage/knicks, but I am just going to use a cabinet pen for those. Also, the only glossy parts are the doors, which is fine with me, as I am putting it next to Billy bookshelves, which have a matte finish. Love these.