Prior to the assembly, I first unloaded the contents of the box. All pieces are inside. Everything came without any damage thanks to the foam pieces in the box.
What surprised me is that all hardware are inside one plastic bag. It can get overwhelming to see screws and bolts of different sizes in one bag. For convenience, the hardware should be sorted out before you start assembling this. I grouped the similar pieces together. Take note that the larger pieces are for the chest’s frame while the smaller ones are for the drawers. Pre-sorting the pieces would lessen confusion during the assembly and help you save time. All parts align well with the pre-drilled holes. If you are using an electric drill, be careful not to overtighten the screws or else you may break the wood.
Materials
The chest’s legs are made with real wood. The drawer has a good weight to it. It is a bit heavy, which says a lot about its quality. It is still light enough for you to carry and move to another area. As the legs do not come with floor protectors, you must never drag them across the floor.
Underneath each drawer, there are two pieces of plastic that provide support. Aside from the metal runners, the plastic ensures that the drawers do not break even when heavy objects are inside.
The drawers glide on metal runners. They run smoothly and have stoppers on them to prevent you from accidentally pulling them all the way out. Unlike drawers that only come with plastic runners, these do not run off track. They open and close without difficulty.
The bottom of each drawer has just the right amount of thickness. Even if I put something heavy, the bottom can support the weight without sagging.
The back is made with MDF. This won’t cause a problem as the chest has its back against the wall. The back doesn’t have tha same smooth finish as the front but that shouldn’t bother you.
The dresser also comes with the pieces needed to mount it to the wall. You can choose not to secure it to the wall but do so at your own risk. Mounting it would prevent the drawer from tipping forward. If you have children at home, the drawer may cause a safety hazard. Kids may try to pull open one of the top drawers. If it’s very heavy, the whole chest may fall on them. Bolting the chest to the wall is an effective way to eliminate that risk. Aside from that, you should never store the heaviest items in the top drawers. Make sure that you keep them on the bottom drawers so that the dresser would keep its balance.
You will never find an all-real-wood drawer at this price point. This is maybe the closest you can get to a durable drawer that does not break the bank. If you are after an all-wood chest then be prepared to spend way more. I understand that this is far from an heirloom piece but I do have confidence in its structural integrity. It does not make use of particleboard, which happens to be one of the weaker but commonly used materials in cabinets.
The nickel knobs go well with the drawer‘s black exterior. If you want, you can replace the knobs with something from the hardware store.
Space
The drawers are wide and spacious. It would have been better if they were deeper. On the bright side, the drawers‘ stopper allow you to pull them open and get items out from the farthest side of the drawer.
The chest does not occupy a large footprint. It would work well in large bedrooms and living rooms as it would in apartments.
The surface of the chest is smooth. As with any smooth surface, scratches are a common enemy. Especially if you get the black drawer, scratches are easily noticeable. This is why getting a furniture touch-up pen would prove useful. These pens cover up scratches and dents and make furniture appear damage-free.
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Brand: Prepac
Product: Black Sonoma 5 Drawer Chest
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