Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why new furniture doesn’t last long

washingtonpost.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

111–120 of 194 posts

Re: Why new furniture doesn’t last long

#111

Post by [deleted] »

piuantiderp wrote: post #102
stetrain wrote: post #4

My biggest issue is that, like so many markets, there is a "missing middle" created by this downward price pressure. For the most part if you want a piece of furniture (ie a nightstand), there are two categories. Either you buy the Amazon/Wayfair version made of pressboard for $100-$200, or you can find a solid wood heirloom version for $2,000+. The domestic plywood or cheaper solid wood options are no longer mass pr…

Just buy used quality stuff, find local smaller woodworkers that are getting established, etc... If you bought IKEA you are already part of the problem. Real furniture IS expensive and worth it considering you use it almost everyday.

[deleted]

Re: Why new furniture doesn’t last long

#112

Post by Gigachad »

angry_moose wrote: post #41

We actually expected our West Elm sofa to be well built - it wasn't cheap and their reputation wasn't complete garbage yet when we purchased it. After about 18 months the whole thing collapsed, just out of warranty believe it or not. When I started taking it apart to see if it was fixable I found that the entire damn thing was built out of stapled-together 1/2" OSB (oriented strand board...garbage "plywood") and all…

That's so much worse than what you'd get from IKEA where everything is held together with nuts and bolts and seems to be very carefully engineered to be as strong as possible given the cost constraints.

Re: Why new furniture doesn’t last long

#113

Post by Gigachad »

evan_ wrote: post #46
nemo44x wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn’t the issue the screws tearing through the soft wood and/or engineered wood?

Ikea furniture usually uses these funky cam lock nuts and bolts in particle board pieces, rather than screws: https://www.furnitureparts.com/products/cam-lock-nuts-ikea-p... These turn the force into compression over a larger diameter so it's less likely to cause a problem. I've actually had pretty good experiences with Ikea stuff holding up over time, even across multiple moves.

I had one of those plastic locks snap during a move. And found out Ikea will mail or provide one at the store for free. Repaired my item and it's as good as new.

Re: Why new furniture doesn’t last long

#114

Post by habitue »

stetrain wrote: post #4

My biggest issue is that, like so many markets, there is a "missing middle" created by this downward price pressure. For the most part if you want a piece of furniture (ie a nightstand), there are two categories. Either you buy the Amazon/Wayfair version made of pressboard for $100-$200, or you can find a solid wood heirloom version for $2,000+. The domestic plywood or cheaper solid wood options are no longer mass pr…

I wonder if the missing middle comes from plywood / mdf just being more predictable than wooden boards so it's easier to automate / optimize manufacturing on.

So one step up from that becomes "real wood" and suddenly you need a human spending a ton of time paying attention to the grain, and idiosyncrasies of the wood etc. Labor costs shoot through the roof for even relatively simple furniture

Re: Why new furniture doesn’t last long

#116

Post by Whatever13 »

yowzadave wrote: post #80
freitzkriesler2 wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Solution to this is to leave it in a quarantine room for up to 5 months (if you have the space). Though and I say this anecdotally, when I moved back to the States I ended up refurnishing most of my house using street finds. We're talking like 10 different furniture finds include a futon frame (we bought a new mattress). Only 1 of those was upolsteres but was in great condition. No bed bugs, I got lucky.

Where is it a cost-saving solution to pay for a quarantine room that will be unused for other purposes for up to 5 months, all so you can save a few hundred dollars by buying used furniture?

[flagged]

Re: Why new furniture doesn’t last long

#117

Post by anonuser123456 »

nunez wrote: post #104
stetrain wrote: post #4

My biggest issue is that, like so many markets, there is a "missing middle" created by this downward price pressure. For the most part if you want a piece of furniture (ie a nightstand), there are two categories. Either you buy the Amazon/Wayfair version made of pressboard for $100-$200, or you can find a solid wood heirloom version for $2,000+. The domestic plywood or cheaper solid wood options are no longer mass pr…

Also, for most people, the difference in appearance between an IKEA nightstand and, say, an Eames one (or a custom-made one) is minimal. Like, there's a difference, but not a difference worth paying $x,000's for. Moreover, if a pet or a child destroys the table, you're out much less money, which is comforting.

>Moreover, if a pet or a child destroys the table, you're out much less money, which is comforting.

This cuts deeper the gouge my 5 year old put in my room and board solid maple credenza.

Re: Why new furniture doesn’t last long

#118

Post by lubujackson »

Pro tip for the many SF Bay Area people - if you want better than Ikea, go to the Alameda Flea Market (first Sunday of the month). It is HUUUGE and there is tidy business being done there by people who buy antique furniture on the cheap and reupholster it for modern living.

I live in a Victorian and it is much nicer to have furniture that fits the place. I've bought comfy chairs, dressers, nightstands, etc, for the same price (or cheaper!) than Ikea alternatives.

Re: Why new furniture doesn’t last long

#119

Post by iancmceachern »

It's because we don't buy furniture, we buy style.

Its like paper towels. You are not buying a towell, you are buying dry. Something is now dry.

It's like clothing, we don't buy it for function anymore, it's function is style. Same with furniture in most people's lives, it's about how it looks in your home, not how well it performs or lasts. People want to be able to change the style of their rooms every so often and not have it break the bank. We're using these objects differently, they're serving a different purpose (entertainment).

Re: Why new furniture doesn’t last long

#120

Post by onecommentman »

Gigachad wrote: post #110
piuantiderp wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just buy used quality stuff, find local smaller woodworkers that are getting established, etc... If you bought IKEA you are already part of the problem. Real furniture IS expensive and worth it considering you use it almost everyday.

Solid wood is an absolute nightmare to move. And I've found that most stuff from IKEA lasts quite a long time.

Solid wood furniture designed to be dismantled and reassembled easily is not a nightmare to move. In fact it is easier than moving cheaper furniture whose integrity is compromised with each dismantle/reassemble cycle, and thus is moved whole. It’s a design problem, not a materials problem.

And the well-designed easily-movable solid wood furniture will be fought over by your great-grandkids.

Post reply on HN