How do you stabilize an armoire made out partical board? ?

Question

i have an armoire who's doors don't exactly line up when you close it. it's like the armoire is slanted. is there a way of stabilizing it without completely s******g it up? i dont know if i should drill screws in it or what. any suggestions?

Answer 1

Brace the armoire in a square position and make sure it doesn't move. Get some scrap pieces of wood and cut each end off at a 45 angle so that you have a trapeziod like shape. /________\ about 100mm long.

Then, using liquid nails glue these pieces firmly into place on the under side of the whole thing. The piece should connect to (bear with me) the front panel - inside face- and joins to the side panel -inside face. The way I see this is like a hangman post.

___

|/

|

Answer 2

Particle board is c**p.  This is your main problem.  It is impossible to expect anything made from particle board to last long because the connectors will eventually chew into the particle board and loosen.

About the only thing you can do is to glue cleats on the inside after you manage somehow to wrench the thing back into square. I'd lay it down and get a long clamp running diagonally to force it back into square.  You probably do not have such a clamp, but you can also do this by running a strong cord or rope diagonally over opposite corners, tying it tight, and by inserting a sort piece of wood in the middle of the rope twist it tight until the corners come back to square.

Cut cleats to glue all along the inside corners, all of them, and maybe this will give enough support after the glue dries to keep it square for a while.

The problem you are having is typical of what happens when people think they can get a piece of furniture like this at Ikea for $100.  It is wrong thinking.  To get any sort of decent furniture that will last, expect to pay at least $1000 for solid wood, blocked and screwed.

To give you a better idea of the falacy of buying Ikea, there is a piece of furniture called the "Newport Secretary" which was manufactured in the US back in the late 1700s.  These original pieces now sell at auction, after over 300 years, for as much as $20 million.  You can buy a finished reproduction of this same piece today for $12,000.  So much for your $100 Ikea.

Answer 3

Probably the best way would be to turn it around so you have access to the back. Square it up and use a piece of particle board or plywood and fasten in place with nails and glue.

Answer 4

Almost all furniture is made of some kind of particle board and then veneered....to stablize your cabinet, you need to get to the back of the unit, cut a piece of 1/4" masonite to size, (make sure it is cut square) and apply to back...bring cabinet to meet the square masonite and nail in place with small nails or screws. That should do it. Doors can be adjusted with hinges once the unit is square. No problem.