There are many DIY failures on the internet, so DIY may not be the best choice for you. Let me tell you, DIY saved us over $2000 in our living room. That’s just for the living room. I won’t even get started on the rest. DIY gives you freedom. You love the bench, but you wish it had legs. It’s okay! Don’t you like the color of that dresser? That’s okay! DIY gives you the ability to create the look you want.
DIY FURNITURE WILL NOT LAST
Some people think “DIY” means “poorly built.” This leads them to believe that only professionals should build furniture. Karen, most furniture in your home was assembled by machines and not by professionals.
This is a DIY project anyone can tell you about, even if they have never done it before. DIY allows you to add additional supports and brackets. DIY furniture can be more secure and supportive than what you will find in stores.
You can also DIY furniture from real wood. Real wood can withstand the test of time. Laminate? Laminate? Not so much. How long your DIY furniture will last will depend on the materials you choose. It will last a lifetime if you take good care of it.
Making your furniture yourself has the added advantage of being able to make changes and fix it during its life. Our dresser is now sagging, and we need to add support beams, but this was not something we did.
We didn’t make it, so we don’t know what to do. So we have been putting off adding support. It was meant to be a quality piece of furniture. But, less than a year later, it is already showing signs that it will not last.
DIY FURNITURE WILL NOT LOOK GOOD
We have all seen videos or photos of DIY failures. I am not here to say that DIY is perfect. These DIY failures are not uncommon, but many could have been prevented.
Almost all of them had not implemented the #1 strategy for maximizing DIY success. This simple strategy can increase your chances of creating a project with great results.
We’ve made a few pieces of furniture over the years. They range from simple to elaborate, and we have never been disappointed with how they turned out. While there were moments when we were a bit nervous about the outcome, it was a great piece of furniture.
DIY IS AS EXPENSIVE AS IT GETS
DIY can end up costing as much as buying furniture. Sometimes I agree with that, but there is a big but. Your laminate furniture may end up costing you twice as much. However, you will have to get rid of the cheap furniture and replace it.
Your furniture will last longer if it is made from real wood. When you have to replace the bookcase you bought in one year, remember that it is more expensive to replace than what you would have paid to DIY it.
I don’t know how many IKEA bookshelves I used in college. I had to buy a new one every time I moved. Even though I did have the bookcase, it was not sturdy.
I paid about $100 for each of these bookcases. The wood would have been about $50, and the stain, screws, and other materials would have probably cost me around $40 if I had DIYed it. One DIY bookcase would have cost me approximately the same as the laminate, but that bookcase would still be mine!
If you compare DIY furniture with furniture that has been built to last, DIY furniture will almost always be cheaper. Making your furniture can save you as much as 70%, 80, and 90% over buying it in a store. DIY is almost always a better option than buying furniture at a store, whether cheap or high quality.
