To give you an idea, a double wardrobe, without doors, drawers or any extras, weighs about 63kg or 10 stones. A chest of drawers might easily weigh the same, depending on how many boxes it comes in, but today I’ll concentrate on wardrobes.

Your first issue, then, could be moving the boxes into the room where you want to assemble the furniture.

Of course, you must keep children away from the boxes and at a safe distance while you’re working and you should dispose of polythene carefully.

Assuming you’ve got the boxes where you want them, or the nice delivery people did it for you, the next issue is unpacking the boxes while leaving yourself enough room to work. A double wardrobe is about 2 metres high by one metre wide and about 60cm deep and you will need to assemble it on its back or side, so you need at least that much unimpeded and carpeted floor space, plus enough room to get around it and usually to turn it at least once.

Give yourself enough room to work or there is a real danger of hurting yourself or damaging the furniture or decor. An area roughly three metres by two metres (or10 feet by 6 feet) is the minimum. If the back is fitted by sliding it in before the bottom panel is added, as with some Ikea units, you may need a longer working space, up to four metres long. You can sometimes take advantage of a doorway for this step.

Otherwise, you will probably have to turn the wardrobe from its side to its front so you can pin or screw the back on. This turning process is best done by two people, or one person with enough room and strength to turn the piece without damaging it, the decor or other items of furniture. Some wardrobes are quite flimsy and easily damaged until their backs are fitted.

Once the back is fitted the wardrobe will need to be stood up and moved into position. There’s a good chance some other boxes will be in the way, so you might need to move those first. Be very careful when you stand the wardrobe up. If the bottom end is near a wall you will need to pull it towards you as you lift, to avoid scraping the wall.

Remember how heavy the wardrobe is: get properly set and bend your knees while keeping your back straight, make sure you have a firm grip with both hands so you can control the furniture and lift it without it twisting, and don’t let go when it’s ‘nearly there’. Try to lift it in one smooth movement and such that it ends up as near as possible to where it will finally stand.

Once it’s upright the wardrobe will need to be moved into its final position and levelled. Usually, levelling is done by means of screw-in feet adjusted by an Allen key through a hole in the base panel. Once level you can fit the doors, although a ‘run’ of several units might need to be levelled and bolted or screwed to each other first.

Hinges are usually pre-drilled and rebated (one half fixes to the door, one to the carcass) so will just need screwing in place then screwing or clipping together. You may need to drill for handles, especially if several handle options are available. Take care with the drill and protect the door, the floor and your fingers. Watch your fingers when you attach the doors as well, and note that doors are quite heavy too.

If everything is level you might not need to adjust the doors but be careful they don’t foul on each other or any drawers you might have fitted. You should be able to get an even gap all round.

Above all, take your time, take care and always read the instructions! They, and the advice here, should keep you safe.

Watch or just listen!

Radio link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00qgxt1 – available to listen to for 4 more days.

Here’s Luke interviewing me (click on any image to enlarge):

All sheds are better on a firm base, and this base should be level. Concrete is ideal for long life, slabs are perfectly fine as long as they’re levelled and settled properly, and bricks are also okay for several years if they’re laid down properly.

If you’re not planning to stay forever, or you might want to re-plan your garden at some point, use slabs or bricks.

The shed needs to be fully supported, including the floor, as well as the sides (which may rest on the floor anyway). The joists used in most shed floors are flimsy and not intended to take much unsupported weight, unlike the ones in your house which are probably about eight times as strong. This means they need support with pads at intervals along their length.

Exactly how many ‘pads’ will be needed will depend on the size of the shed and the sturdiness of its construction. As a rough guide, you’ll need pads every two feet for a budget priced shed, while a more substantial one will be okay with pads every three or four feet.

Each pad should be roughly 20 to 30cm (9 to 12 inches) square, in order to spread the load, with a firm base underneath the concrete, stone or bricks. (Note that three bricks on edge are roughly 9 inches square, as is a small paving slab.) If possible, dig down about the same depth as the size of the slab and fill the hole with crushed stone, brick or rubble to give a firm foundation.

Use a spirit level to make sure all the pads are level with each other. A bit of time spent now will repay you many times over in the years to come. Note that concrete needs a few days to harden before you put any real weight on it.

So, first decide what type and size of shed you’re going to have, then get the exact measurements for the base and the distances between the joists so you can position the pads accurately. These dimensions should be in the instructions or specifications, although you’ll have a few inches’ leeway with the size of your pads.

Do this properly to begin with and you’ll get many more years of use from your shed.

• Appearance
• Price
• Durability
• Size
• Ease of construction or assembly

Self assembly sheds come in three main materials, timber, metal or plastic, and each of these has its advantages and drawbacks.

Timber sheds are more natural-looking and blend more easily into a garden environment. Good quality timber sheds can be expensive, while some cheaper ones can be flimsy. They need regular treatment with wood preservative. However, given this care they can last for decades.

Metal sheds are usually more durable, can be made more secure and generally bolt together more easily. They don’t need preservative treatment. They can look a bit ‘industrial’ in a rural garden, though. Cheaper models might not be as sturdy as you expect but they usually stay weatherproof if they’re put together properly.

Plastic sheds are often lighter, simple to assemble and usually cheapest to buy. They can be a good solution, especially for a small tool shed or shelter but they’re inevitably less secure. Plastics can become brittle and discoloured with exposure to sun and frost, but they’re usually made in neutral or attractive colours to blend in with your garden.

All ‘self build’ sheds can be dismantled and relocated when you move house or change the layout of your garden, at least in theory. Plastic is the most portable, steel the most durable.

All types of sheds will last longer and be easier to rebuild if they’re built properly in the first place, without damaging any of the joints or panels. For best results you will need a firm and level base for your shed and we’ll look at that next time.