I agree with reviewers who comment on the excellent directions, numbered and labeled pieces and small parts (right down to the tiniest of screws), and clear step-by-step instructions. I am a handy person but a novice furniture assembler, and one thing I learned is that you just cant go too fast if you are new to this, no matter how good the instructions are. The mistakes I made were entirely my own fault: I thought I can whip this thing together in an hour, easy! and zoomed along, only to discover that I put glue into the wrong hole or put a piece on backwards, or assumed that two pieces of hardware in a small bag were for the top corners of the two doors -- when in fact they were the top and bottom corners of one door. So a word to the novices out there: take it slow. Read all the directions. And dont be fooled by the folks who say its a one-hour job: not likely unless you assemble A LOT of furniture. (It took me about 2 1/2 hours, and then another hour to move all my equipment from the old stand to the new -- so figure youre in it for the afternoon). My one complaint? Not the absence of holes for the bottom shelf (mine had two) but the virtual impossibility of separating the large black dots from their backing (these are designed to cover the cam locks). Aside from that I think this is a great piece for the money. Very solid, attractive, and perfect for my 48 flat screen, DVD, apple TV, cable box, and old VCR. And the remotes work through the glass so need to open the cabinet doors. A winner.
Great Directions But BE CAREFUL
I agree with reviewers who comment on the excellent directions, numbered and labeled pieces and small parts (right down to the tiniest of screws), and clear step-by-step instructions. I am a handy person but a novice furniture assembler, and one thing I learned is that you just cant go too fast if you are new to this, no matter how good the instructions are. The mistakes I made were entirely my own fault: I thought I can whip this thing together in an hour, easy! and zoomed along, only to discover that I put glue into the wrong hole or put a piece on backwards, or assumed that two pieces of hardware in a small bag were for the top corners of the two doors -- when in fact they were the top and bottom corners of one door. So a word to the novices out there: take it slow. Read all the directions. And dont be fooled by the folks who say its a one-hour job: not likely unless you assemble A LOT of furniture. (It took me about 2 1/2 hours, and then another hour to move all my equipment from the old stand to the new -- so figure youre in it for the afternoon). My one complaint? Not the absence of holes for the bottom shelf (mine had two) but the virtual impossibility of separating the large black dots from their backing (these are designed to cover the cam locks). Aside from that I think this is a great piece for the money. Very solid, attractive, and perfect for my 48 flat screen, DVD, apple TV, cable box, and old VCR. And the remotes work through the glass so need to open the cabinet doors. A winner.