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The Best Furniture Hardware

Last updated on April 13, 2022

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Furniture purchasing can be a process. You go to a local furniture store and choose a piece, then load it up on a truck and take it home. You can alternatively pay a shop to deliver your furniture items to you, but that brings an extra fee with it.

In recent years, though, that process has become easier. Thanks to retailers like IKEA and the growth of online shopping, retailers have found value in ready-to-assemble furniture. This type of furniture comes in a flat-pack box with the hardware necessary to put it together. You either pick it up at the store or have it shipped to you, then remove it from the box to assemble in your home.

But ready-to-assemble furniture isn’t without its challenges. Anyone who’s ever spent an afternoon with tough-to-decipher instructions and parts simply labeled “A,” B,” “C,” etc., knows that all too well. It can be frustrating to get midway through putting an item together, only to find a part is missing.

Replacement parts can help save the day. You can now buy hardware that goes with a variety of furniture items, even specialized pieces. But missing hardware isn’t the only reason to purchase furniture hardware. Some home assemblers find that the pieces that come with ready-to-assemble furniture aren’t quite the quality they prefer. For a long-lasting option, furniture hardware that’s built to hold up over the years can be a big help.

One consideration when choosing furniture hardware is moisture resistance. Some feature coating that will resist corrosion. If you live in an area with high humidity, or you’re assembling furniture for a bathroom, this is something to consider. The hardware that came with your furniture might not be designed for wetter climates, so you could find that your furniture becomes less stable over time.

Our Picks For The Top Furniture Hardwares

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Product Overview
Our Take
 1

Zanzio Silicone Chair Leg Caps Furniture Hardware, 24-Piece

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Zanzio

Silicone Chair Leg Caps Furniture Hardware, 24-Piece

Protect your floors and reduce noise with these furniture caps that make it easy to slide chairs and tables around. You’ll get 24 silicone caps that you place onto furniture legs. The bottoms have high-density felt pads that do the job well.

Overall Take

Super ConvenientThese furniture caps fit on the bottoms of chair and table legs to let you safely slide furniture across your floor.

 2

Hilitchi Dowels & Cam Fittings Furniture Hardware, 125-Piece

Hilitchi

Dowels & Cam Fittings Furniture Hardware, 125-Piece

Always be prepared for furniture repair with this kit, which includes 125 pieces of rust-resistant hardware for assembling wood and reattaching parts. You’ll get a great variety of nuts, bolts, dowels, wheels and more, which you can use for years.

Overall Take

Versatile OptionThis 125-piece kit full of well-crafted hardware gives you everything you need to make quick furniture repairs.

 3

Lasenersm Metal Cam Lock Fittings Furniture Hardware, 20-Piece

Lasenersm

Metal Cam Lock Fittings Furniture Hardware, 20-Piece

You’ll get 20 cam lock fittings in this set, ideal for connecting furniture pieces and replacing the fittings that come with IKEA furniture. They’re made from zinc alloy for a long-lasting alternative to the hardware that comes with ready-to-assemble furniture.

Overall Take

Sturdy and ReliableReplace the cam lock fittings in your assembly-required furniture with this set of 20 extra-durable pieces.

 4

cSeao Hex Head Bolts & Barrel Nuts Furniture Hardware, 25-Piece

cSeao

Hex Head Bolts & Barrel Nuts Furniture Hardware, 25-Piece

This package includes 25 bolts, 25 barrel nuts and a plastic storage box to keep everything together. They fit some Graco and Delta cribs, along with baby beds, tables and some workbenches. Check sizes before buying to make sure these will work!

Overall Take

For Busy FamiliesThese screws work with a variety of popular crib types, making them ideal for households with young children.

What to Look For

  • Ready-to-assemble furniture can help save you money. You’ll not only avoid delivery fees, but you’ll also be able to shop around to get the best prices. If you’re patient, you might be able to even get free shipping, especially during big holiday sales.
  • You can find easy-to-apply hardware that will protect your surfaces. Those include caps and felt for the bottoms of chairs that will safeguard your floors.
  • You can’t go wrong with a kit that has a variety of hardware types included. This will ensure you’re always prepared to make a quick repair when something breaks in your house. Also, make sure you have some basic tools, including a screwdriver and a hammer.
  • You’ll need a container to store all your furniture hardware in, especially if you work with wood frequently. Some hardware already comes in a plastic case, but you might also want to invest in a larger storage kit that will hold all your screws, nuts and bolts.
  • Don’t forget to consider visual appeal; you can find hardware that will dress up your home’s cabinetry and other furniture. That can include crystal knobs and stainless-steel handles. Consider the overall look you’re going for when purchasing hardware for your cabinets and furniture.
  • Keep in mind that if you need a specialized type of hardware, there might be a backlog. Plan ahead to avoid delays in setting up your new furniture.
  • If you’re doing a complete remodel, you’ll need to consider all the parts you need to put your cabinetry together. This can involve some careful coordination, and you’ll probably want to make sure all your hardware has a similar finish for uniformity.

More to Explore

Ready-to-assemble furniture is often associated with Ikea for a reason. Ikea was actually the first Scandinavian company to present the idea of what was known as flat-pack furniture. The idea was conceptualized in the 1950s by Swedish furniture Gillis Lundgren, who was IKEA’s fourth employee. Lundgren was having a tough time packing a wooden table from a photo shoot into his car, so he decided to take the legs off. The idea inspired him to create a way to make furniture easier to pack and ship.

The very first flat-pack furniture item from Ikea was the Lovet, which was a leaf-shaped side table. The Lovet made its first appearance in Ikea’s 1956 catalog and soon, that catalog was filled with ready-to-assemble items. The practice eventually spread to other retailers and became especially appealing when online shopping became popular.

However, ready-to-assemble furniture has a slightly longer history than what the existence of Ikea implies. In the U.S., a patent was filed in 1878 for a chair “so constructed that it may be packed and transported in parts, and put together for use by skilled or unskilled persons.” Then, designer Louise Brigham and several partners set up a World War I-era business called Home Art Masters that offered flatpack furniture kits through mail order.

Other experiments in the industry took place later on. Australian interior designer Frederick Charles Ward, who was disturbed by the lack of affordable home furniture during the Depression era, experimented with modular versions available by mail order. And in 1951, Ohio cabinetmaker Erie J. Sauder created the “knock-down” table, which was packaged flat in a box and sold for $4-$5.

More to explore