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0 pointslotsofpulp2y ago0 comments

>and you will be lucky if it lasts 10 years.

I have at least 20 various pieces of furniture from IKEA that have lasted more than 10 years, some even closing on 20, even after multiple moves to various college dorms. Dresser drawers, dining table, sofa, bed platform, sit stand desk, etc.

I do not think I have ever thrown something out for breaking. Maybe gets scuffed or scratched up or chipped, but you can mostly use one of those latex paint touch up markers and make the damage nearly invisible.

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salad-tycoon2y ago

I agree with the comments below but would like to add that the IKEA of 10-20 years ago is not the IKEA of today. Many of their product lines have been made “more eco friendly” per their argument but in reality are cost saving measures. E.g wood countertops are veneer now and other things that you could buy as solid wood are veneer.

You got in when the going was good. I think you can still buy decent enough stuff but having moved a few times myself and then friends and family a lot of the newer stuff is one time use, don’t pick it up, don’t look at it cross eyed, kinda stuff and it shows.

thesaintlives2y ago

More agreement! Ikea 20 years was twice the material you get today. Products could be taken apart and put back together multiple times. Not so today. Put together once, modify it if you want it to stay like that and if you really have to move it cross your fingers!

acomjean2y ago

I have some 25 year old ikea that’s lasted well. Some was even solid wood and surprising nice( good quality hinges and laminates) But I haven’t gotten anything recent.

But I will say isn’t the last step in the assembly process the 10% probability that you’ll have to do some disassembly to reverse a piece that’s not quite put together correctly?

cdchn2y ago

IKEA products seem to vary wildly between "partical board disposable" to "made from actual wood and somewhat decent."

Doxin2y ago

IKEA sells many products in a couple tiers. E.g. if you get the cheapest billy bookcase it'll just about barely hold up if it's full of books and you don't nudge it. If you get one of the more expensive models it'll be surprisingly sturdy instead.

Same sort of thing applies to nearly all their products. Yes they sell cheap crap -- that still serves its purpose mind you -- but they also sell slightly more upscale furniture that'll actually survive a couple decades.

And it's not like going for a "normal" furniture store is any guarantee either. My previous couch was from a regular furniture store and it broke right in half at around the 5 year mark. Upon inspection one of the cross members was significantly tapered, still had bark on it and everything. On one end it was a solid 2x4, on the other it was barely a 0.2x0.4.

darkwater2y ago

> IKEA sells many products in a couple tiers. E.g. if you get the cheapest billy bookcase it'll just about barely hold up if it's full of books and you don't nudge it.

Agree, but still I just replaced a Billy bookcase that was over 15 years old and moved in 5 different places with me. It was really ugly looking in the end, and due a replacement. But even Ikea in more recent Billy they replaced metal parts for plastic ones and the "wood" seems even worse.

Hamuko2y ago

And even the cheapest crap you can get from IKEA doesn't seem that bad to me. I've had one of those 5-euro LACK coffee tables for around six years and it really only has some minor surface damage on the top. Far away from throwing out.

Although at the same time, I think I'm on my third MARKUS chair because of the gas spring leaking. Thankfully they do have long warranties, so you can exchange them if it doesn't last for 10 years.

planede2y ago

FYI you don't necessarily have to throw away an otherwise good office chair if the gas spring is leaking. You can replace just the gas spring.

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Symbiote2y ago

It depends how well you treat it. Someone fidgety putting their feet on a €5 Lack table is enough to ruin it, as the connection between the legs and the tabletop is just double-ended screws.

MikeDelta2y ago

You could even hang some servers underneath your LACK, aka the LackRack [0]

[0] https://wiki.eth0.nl/index.php/LackRack

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maayank2y ago

Oh man… need to check my chair :(

How did you discover this?

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mangodrunk2y ago

BILLY bookcases are very sturdy, have you seen problems with them? I do recommend the thinner ones over the wider ones because the wider ones tend to sag in the middle if you have a lot of weight on them.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

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salad-tycoon2y ago

thesaintlives2y ago

acomjean2y ago

I have some 25 year old ikea that’s lasted well. Some was even solid wood and surprising nice( good quality hinges and laminates) But I haven’t gotten anything recent.

But I will say isn’t the last step in the assembly process the 10% probability that you’ll have to do some disassembly to reverse a piece that’s not quite put together correctly?

cdchn2y ago

IKEA products seem to vary wildly between "partical board disposable" to "made from actual wood and somewhat decent."

Doxin2y ago

darkwater2y ago

> IKEA sells many products in a couple tiers. E.g. if you get the cheapest billy bookcase it'll just about barely hold up if it's full of books and you don't nudge it.

Hamuko2y ago

Although at the same time, I think I'm on my third MARKUS chair because of the gas spring leaking. Thankfully they do have long warranties, so you can exchange them if it doesn't last for 10 years.

planede2y ago

FYI you don't necessarily have to throw away an otherwise good office chair if the gas spring is leaking. You can replace just the gas spring.

1 more reply

Symbiote2y ago

It depends how well you treat it. Someone fidgety putting their feet on a €5 Lack table is enough to ruin it, as the connection between the legs and the tabletop is just double-ended screws.

MikeDelta2y ago

You could even hang some servers underneath your LACK, aka the LackRack [0]

[0] https://wiki.eth0.nl/index.php/LackRack

1 more reply

maayank2y ago

Oh man… need to check my chair :(

How did you discover this?

1 more reply

mangodrunk2y ago

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse