Foo - How long can you expect IKEA furniture to last?

I need a dresser, bad. Been using my suitcase for socks/underwear for the last 3 years and it's getting on my nerves. But I can't really afford anything nice, nor do I really want to. So there's IKEA. I know the the quality of this thing is going to reflect its $50 price tag, but I'm just wondering what to expect from the IKEA owners out there since I've never owned an IKEA product. So, is this thing just going to explode on me or something?

I wouldn't count on handing it down to my kids. But if you don't overstuff it, it should last long enough.

Jeez. I just realised how inane this thread is. Sorry everyone. Been a long day.

And thanks for answering, anyway, jyossarian (Catch 22?).

I think its cheap because you have to build it yourself. I hear its easy though.

I think its cheap because you have to build it yourself. I hear its easy though.
I've heard stories about 1 or 2 little parts missing from the kit. But I can't imagine it being something I couldn't find at a hardware store.

I went to the one in frisco and alot of the stuff was cheap stuff from China. Careful..

jyossarian (Catch 22?).
You got it.

I haven't had any problems w/ missing stuff. There stuff is usually pretty heavy though cuz it's all particle board.

If something's missing, they'll mail it to you (no charge) if you give them a call. Actually I like a lot of their furniture because it's lighter and simpler in design compared to most 'traditional' American furniture.

You didn't ask but I'll give you an answer anyway. Take your $50 to Sally Army or St. Vincent dePaul or the Acne Society or whoever runs a thrift shop in your area and see what it will buy. A little sand paper, stain and varnish could give you something that has real class--and possibly enough left over to buy yourself a cheap meal or a drink or two. Unless you're like one of my friends who wouldn't think of buying "someone else's trash".

Auctions are even better! I've picked up bedroom sets for as little as two dollars. Just a matter of knowing what you're bidding on and not having any competition.

Salvation Army is a good idea and I don't know why I didn't think of it. Most of the time the one close by is junk, but I've seen some decent stuff in there. My problem is only being able to go during the weekend, which is why I usually forget about it. I'll try them before I order anything.

I have 3 Ikea pcs in the house. So far so good. One of those cubic 4x4 shelf units - forgot the name - has about 500 pounds of LP's on it right now, solid. Kid's bed has been moved and taken apart 3 times, still good to go, and this swanky new computer desk fit the nook perfectly and is as solid as anything else in the house. Thumbs up.

Even the meatballs weren't too bad, but might have come from China, too.

We've bought a lot of their stuff here and in Europe. Easy to assemble and hard wearing. You won't be disappointed.

How long does it last...how about from the time it leaves the store until I got it home. I have an entire office IKEA'd out. The stores are horrid. No one will help you load anything, and you can't take a cart more than 5 feet from the building.

Everything is packaged in those REALLY cheap Chinese "boxes" that are made in Chinese prisons. Combine it all together and the top of my desk got a huge scratch in it right down the middle because my poor wife couldn't hold on to the end as I slid it into the car, and across the trunck latch.

Apart from that I love the set and it looks great.

Think College type furniture, but at Graduate School level.

It will go out of style before it breaks or wears out.

Be careful if you're moving, though.

Salvation Army/Garage Sales often do have decent stuff, but you're pretty special if you can get anything to match.

There are bottom-tier and top-shelf products at IKEA. With a $50 for a dresser, you're not going to get much at IKEA. With that amount, you can barely buy enough fir from Home Depot to build your own that'll be the equivalent of $150-250 dressers from IKEA. Looking at used from thrift-shops or garage sales will get you some nice oak stuff even maybe. Add some elbow-grease, stain and varnish and you'll have a piece you can sell for $400-500 when you get sick of it.

Personally, I prefer to build all my furniture out of metal. Takes up minimal space, yields maximum internal volume, strong, light, fireproof, easily repaired, lasts thousands of years, recyclable, etc...

Personally, I prefer to build all my furniture out of metal. Takes up minimal space, yields maximum internal volume, strong, light, fireproof, easily repaired, lasts thousands of years, recyclable, etc...

+1 if you add large caster wheels

the Container Store has a great selection - i'm still using a large rolling rack to house a firewall, multiple servers, old 17" monitor, cat carrier, tools, camping equipment, emergency food and water, and two bikes (support arms are clamped to the top rack) - oh, and i can easily wheel the rack around - can't do that with most furniture!

We have had our bed for almost 20 years......the stuff last pretty long

heh ikea is junk. That's exactly why i do all my shopping at Walmart.

How long does it last...how about from the time it leaves the store until I got it home. I have an entire office IKEA'd out. The stores are horrid. No one will help you load anything, and you can't take a cart more than 5 feet from the building.

Everything is packaged in those REALLY cheap Chinese "boxes" that are made in Chinese prisons. Combine it all together and the top of my desk got a huge scratch in it right down the middle because my poor wife couldn't hold on to the end as I slid it into the car, and across the trunck latch.

Apart from that I love the set and it looks great.

Think College type furniture, but at Graduate School level.


I think the stores are clean and well lit. Wal-mart is horrid. And Ikea offers delivery.

And if you damage something, it's Ikea's fault? What's that got to do with the actual longevity of the furniture?

If something's missing, they'll mail it to you (no charge) if you give them a call. Actually I like a lot of their furniture because it's lighter and simpler in design compared to most 'traditional' American furniture.
It ain't furniture if it ain't heavy :p

I've heard stories about 1 or 2 little parts missing from the kit. But I can't imagine it being something I couldn't find at a hardware store.

I've got several things at IKEA over the years. Generally better design and instructions than 'normal'. On occasion it is possible to put something in backwards, but looking back it is in the instructions, just not emphasised enough. I've NEVER had a piece missing. Many of the peices are NOT easy to find elsewhere. They are custom fittings. Once you understand their basic construction idea stuff is easy to assemble. The Burbank IKEA has a wall near pickup where they have almost all the special parts. You can just walk up and take as many as you need. (That includes things like bookshelf pegs. I have lots of book shelfs. They always came with the right number pf pegs, but things like this do get lost during moves).

I think a dresser should last you a few years. I gave my dresser to my brother, and it's going into it's second year. No blemishes. It's not falling apart. It's not even coming undone in the drawers.

I would not trust sofas or beds to last more than a couple of years. If you have kids, even less than that.

Koffee

Course if you're one of those people who banks their clocks every morning, maybe even several times in an attempt to hit the snooze button :p

It's not even coming undone in the drawers.
Koffee

We still talking about dressers...right :o

Don't get me wrong, I love the stuff.

Very "Euro-ific". ;)

They just have a poor customer service ethic in Schaumburg (they run the other way when it comes to helping to load)

We still talking about dressers...right :o

Don't get me wrong, I love the stuff.

Very "Euro-ific". ;)

They just have a poor customer service ethic in Schaumburg (they run the other way when it comes to helping to load)
:roflmao:

About as long as it is stylish.. so about a year.

We have a good amount of stuff from them and so far pretty damn good. Actually about 80 percent of my stuff in my personal room is from them. All of it no problems I have owned that stuff for about 2 years. Parents have had stuff for longer and it has worked out great.

We still talking about dressers...right :o

Don't get me wrong, I love the stuff.

Very "Euro-ific". ;)

They just have a poor customer service ethic in Schaumburg (they run the other way when it comes to helping to load)

I don't think IKEA is meant for even that. They don't assemble furniture. They don't get stuff for you. And I don't think they'll help you load up the car either. Bring friends. ;)

Koffee

If you have a Craigslist in your area try it lots of good stuff and very inexpensive

I don't care for the whole room matching why I never buy new, if it doesn't have a patina or slightly worn look its trash to me

Secondly I won't buy anyfurniture from China , you do the math 100$ US, monthly wages 10 hr days 5-6 days a week

Hell the USA is nothing but an economic colony of China, sort of like India was for Britian for hundreds of years

Enuf of rant back to the good stuff