Production of cabinet furniture: the most detailed manual

Features of the business: target audience, assortment, raw materials and production methods

Each niche has its own characteristics. Knowing them, you can avoid possible risks. And first you need to understand who the target audience is.

Who buys cabinet furniture

There are four categories of target audience on the market.

• Young families with children under 5 years old: trying to quickly and inexpensively equip a new apartment.
• Families with school-aged children (6 to 15 years): value practicality and affordability.
• Retired: Looking for something inexpensive and simple.
• New companies and organizations: are constantly in need of office furniture.

It is these four types of target audience that future business should be targeted at.

What do people buy most often?

Having understood who your target audience is, you need to find out what they prefer. Practice shows that emphasis should be placed on furniture:

• kitchen
• office
• dacha
• nursery
• for bedrooms

By offering such a range, it is possible to cover the main part of the market. Of course, large investments will be needed at the beginning. But this will lead to quick payback and high profits in the future, subject to a competent marketing strategy and high quality products.

What can cabinet furniture be made from?

The choice of raw materials from which cabinet furniture is made is not as large as it might seem. There are four main materials that can be used in your work.

“The more expensive the material, the higher the price of the final product. A product made from chipboard and laminated chipboard will cost less than one made from MDF and, even more so, from solid wood. Therefore, the assortment must be determined taking into account the solvency of the target audience.”

How to produce: types of technological processes

There are three production methods.

• Full cycle - from the production of materials to the receipt of finished products. This method includes all technological processes necessary to create furniture. This also includes delivery and assembly. This option is suitable for large enterprises or medium-sized companies. A small business, such as a sole proprietor, should consider the following two options.
• The middle cycle involves cutting finished sheets of chipboard, laminated chipboard or MDF and subsequent assembly. A less expensive method that requires less time and equipment than the full cycle.
• Short cycle is the most economical of all technological processes. The furniture is assembled from materials already pre-cut by the supplier. All work consists of installing fittings and subsequent assembly. This cycle is suitable for a small company or individual entrepreneur.

Manufacturing stages

At first, it is not always clear to a beginner what to tackle first.

You can find a simple master class in open sources, but in many videos and instructions they rarely pay attention to dividing the work into stages

But a detailed description is very important, as it helps to do everything consistently, quickly, and at the same time with high quality

Drawing

A prerequisite for starting work is to find or complete a furniture drawing. It is compiled manually or using special programs on a computer. You can also find ready-made drawings in forums for craftsmen. You need to have at least the slightest skills in reading diagrams if they are taken from a third-party source. Drawings are not always correct; they need to be checked. If you don’t have such a skill, then you should consult with a knowledgeable person.

Detailing

This is called drawing up a diagram of individual parts of a product. This approach will allow you to divide the assembly process into stages. Also, from a solid drawing it is not always possible to determine the exact dimensions of the constituent elements. Having initially spent more time at this stage, it will then be much easier to assemble the furniture and make individual parts for it.

Cutting, processing of slices

When you have an idea in your head of what needs to be done, and how to get it is reflected on paper, cutting the material into sheets of the required size begins. It’s worth making as many of them as you need at once, and cutting out individual elements from each piece. It will work faster and easier this way.

Drilling holes for fasteners

Already on the finished parts, using a drill and a drill or a screwdriver, all the holes are made. This stage should not be taken lightly. Chipboards are very sensitive to such procedures, so you need to be careful. It is necessary to know the exact diameter of the holes in advance. You will not be able to change them in the future.

Assembly

Only after all the stages comes the furniture assembly itself. There is nothing complicated here anymore if the master thought through the drawings in advance and chose the right fasteners. The only thing you need to be careful with is the sensitivity of the material to drilling, screwing and any deformation. Too much force may strip the threads. It will not be possible to re-screw the screw into this hole; you will have to make a new one.

Finishing

The final stage is finishing and decoration. The varnish coating is responsible for how long the furniture will last. A good product will protect against deformation and moisture. You can also use a special film instead. If you plan to paint furniture, then it is done before applying a protective layer and with preliminary treatment - sanding, cleaning, leveling the surface. There is no need to think about how veneer cladding is done at home. This is a complex procedure that can only be performed in a factory.

GOSTs you need to know

Before registering with the Federal Tax Service and starting a business, you need to study the rules governing the production of cabinet furniture. These include GOSTs:

• 16371-93 - general technical conditions.
• 19882-91 - Test methods for deformation, strength and stability.
• 28105-89 - test methods for drawers.
• 1-85 - dimensions of storage compartments.
• 28136-89 - test methods for wall cabinets, shelves, etc.
• 4-86 - dimensions of office furniture cabinet compartments.

“You can get acquainted with the GOSTs of the Russian Federation on the website of the Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology “Rosstandart” gost.ru.”

Solid wood

• A natural material that can also release beneficial ester compounds. Remember how wood heats up in a bathhouse or sauna and gives the room a special aroma.
• Strength and durability. Solid wood is not a solid wood, but a processed one: the wood fibers are sawn and glued together, so that the material inside does not delaminate.
• Possibility of multiple assembly, like MDF.
• Plastic. Any design solutions can be applied to this material, including volumetric carving.
• Nice touches. Of all the materials we examined, the array has the lowest thermal conductivity. This means that when you touch such furniture, you will feel the “warmth of wood”.
• Unique design. Each cut is unique due to the texture of the wood. True, this can become a disadvantage when you need to purchase other furniture or wall panels. After all, the color may differ significantly.

Flaws

• The need to maintain a constant microclimate. Sudden changes in temperature and humidity should be avoided as wood has the ability to absorb moisture. Then it dries, but as a result of this it may gradually lose its original appearance: crack, deform, delaminate.
• Long production time. The production process is highly technological and requires constant quality control. This affects the price of the material, as well as the production time for custom-made furniture.

Registration: management forms, OKVED and documents

For the production of cabinet furniture, you can register an LLC or individual entrepreneur. The form of business management depends on the scale of the enterprise. If mass production is planned, then LLC will be optimal. If the products will be made to order and in small batches, then individual entrepreneur is better.

To register with the Federal Tax Service you will need to provide:

• Charter and constituent documents (for LLC).
• Receipt for payment of state duty: 800 rubles. for individual entrepreneurs, 4000 for LLC.
• Bank details: bank accounts.
• Application form P21001 for opening an individual entrepreneur or P11001 for an LLC.

When registering, you also need to indicate OKVED codes.

For production.

• 36.12 - furniture for offices and retail establishments.
• 36.12 - for the manufacture of kitchen furniture.
• 36.14 - production of other furniture.

For sale.

• 52.44.1 - retail sales.
• 51.47.11 - wholesale sales.
• 52.61.2 - retail sale through teleshopping, radio, online stores or by telephone.

In addition to the Federal Tax Service, you must register with the pension fund. Do not forget about the mandatory authorized capital for an LLC - from 10,000 rubles.

“If registering a business seems like a complicated and time-consuming process, then it can be delegated to a law firm. The lawyers will carry out all the necessary procedures themselves and hand over the completed documents to you.”

Types of kitchen facades

The front (front) part of the set is called the facade; they can be solid or framed (that is, made of a frame and panel). Frame facades can be made of different materials.

Wooden facades

Wood is the most expensive and high-quality material; it is treated with an antiseptic for reliable protection from moisture and temperature. Kitchen facades are often made from solid wood; they are original and environmentally friendly.

The noble, prestigious appearance requires careful care; in places of damage, the tree may swell. Their main disadvantage is the fire hazard and the ability to rot.

To protect against external negative influences, a wooden façade must be coated with a specialized varnish to protect the surface (stain or other).

Most often used in country or private homes. The noble appearance of wood is perfect for provincial motifs, where elegant simplicity and closeness to nature are valued. This is ideal for country or Provence styles.

MDF facades

MDF is more modern, the features of its technology provide strength and practicality, ease of maintenance. The slabs consist of shavings and wood dust, glued together with resins (urea), this protects the products from deformation. The low cost of furniture made from this material also attracts buyers.

The facades of furniture products can be made of MDF panels, and the top is covered with other materials: enamel, as well as plywood or PVC film.

Facades made of various metals

Metal facades made of stainless steel or aluminum (alloys) are unusual. This design solution is ideal for stylish modern designs, for example, high-tech.

For greater originality, the surface is covered with multi-colored films, glass inserts, and milling patterns.

The greatest effect is achieved by a metal kitchen facade with a mirror surface. It will not only visually expand the space of the room, but all objects will be reflected in it, and the play of light and switched on lamps will play with all colors.

Plastic facades

Plastic can have different textures and colors; it is often used in modern designs. Fashionable designs in original colors add individuality to the products.

Plastic facades for the kitchen, where the frame is made of plastic and the design is made of glass. Such designs are not only beautiful, but also practical.

Laminated facades

Another budget option is laminated facades, but the look is simpler. Laminated chipboards are used here, so the colors of the kitchen facades are chosen to suit every taste: from pastel tones to “acid”.

To add aesthetics, they are decorated with an aluminum profile, which protects the edges of the product from moisture. Facades with imitation wood, stone, etc. are fashionable. The surface can be chosen matte or glossy.

Chipboard facades

Chipboard is a budget option for the frame. The market offers a new material, moisture-resistant chipboard, which is not afraid of moisture. If you want to save money, you can find high-quality and inexpensive kitchen furniture.

Furniture to order

For non-standard layouts, custom-made kitchen facades are the best solution.

A variety of designs in different styles, color palettes and different materials are presented in the photo of the kitchen facade.

Equipment and tools

To competently organize a small workshop for the production of cabinet furniture, you need to purchase all the necessary tools and equipment. This is what will constitute the main expense item.

The following equipment will be required:

• Format cutting - 300,000 ₽.
• Edge banding - 700,000 ₽.
• Drilling and filler - 50,000 ₽.
• Drying - 300,000 ₽.
• For working with glass: sandblasting, cutting, drilling - 26,000 ₽.

Tools you will need:

• Grinder - 5,000 ₽.
• Screwdriver - 5,000 ₽.
• Perforator - 6,000 ₽.
• Milling cutters - 3,000 ₽.
• Knives - 2,000 ₽.
• Drills - 20,000 ₽.

Total: 1,417,000 ₽.

As a result, in order to purchase the necessary equipment and tools, you need to have 1,500,000 rubles. But this is not the entire cost item.

“Please note that the factory will need a special computer program to create the furniture design. Such software can be easily found on the Internet: paid and free versions.”

Premises for office, workshop and warehouse

The optimal room area is 500 m2.

An office and a showroom will be located on 50 m2. On 100 m2 there will be a warehouse for storing raw materials and finished products. The remaining 350 m2 will be used for the workshop.

The cost of renting such a premises will be about 200,000 rubles per month. But the final price will directly depend on the region, location and area.

The following requirements apply to the premises of furniture factories.

• Availability of water supply, sewerage, air conditioning systems.
• Connection to a three-phase electrical network 380 W.
• All rooms are located on the ground floor.
• Availability of loading ramps and convenient access roads.
• Normal humidity, corresponding to the rules for storing wood and finished products.
• The temperature in the warehouse and workshop premises must be constantly maintained within 18-20 °C.
• It is mandatory to have fire extinguishers, working fire extinguishing and alarm systems.

Before the opening of the enterprise, you need to contact the State Fire Inspectorate, which will inspect the premises and issue the appropriate certificate. It is also worth remembering about the SES and Rospotrebnadzor - these authorities must also conduct inspections and issue work permits.

Grinder

In individual furniture production, a belt sander (sander) will be required when performing operations together with a jigsaw. For example, when cutting out curved parts with an electric jigsaw, the cut of the particle board and MDF board must be additionally sanded before gluing the furniture edge.

When choosing a specific belt sander, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

• the power of this type of power tool must be at least 500.0...650.0 watts;
• the machine must allow the use of sanding tape up to 100.0...125.0 millimeters wide;
• preference should be given to products equipped with a dust collector;
• It is advisable to purchase a sanding machine that has a smooth or stepped (multi-speed model) adjustment of the speed of the sanding belt;
• your choice should be on sanders with the function of centering the sanding belt;
• this type of power tool, just like a jigsaw, should be light in weight and equipped with a comfortable ergonomic handle.

On a note! The most versatile and easy to use are various samples of belt sanding machines from the MAKITA brand. Despite their high cost, their versatility, functionality and ease of use are significantly superior not only to their Russian counterparts, but also to products from BOSH.

Search for wood suppliers

To obtain sufficient quantities of raw materials, you should pay attention to local woodworking enterprises and sawmills. They can provide the factory with wood without delaying delivery deadlines.

It may happen that there are no sawmills or wood processing plants in the region. Then you will have to look for suppliers in other cities. To do this, you need to get acquainted with the offers on the Internet, read reviews, talk by phone with managers and make the final choice.

“We recommend reading: How to choose a reliable supplier for your business.”

It is difficult to name the price that the supplier will have to pay at the initial stage. Because everything depends on the supplier itself, the chosen region and a number of other factors.

Recruitment

A small furniture factory will need:

• Director, whose role can be the individual entrepreneur himself or one of the founders of the LLC.
• Accountant or outsourcing specialist.
• Account Manager.
• Designer and designer.
• Production foreman.
• Support workers.
• Machine operators.
• Workshop workers who will be involved in direct production and assembly.

It will cost about 300,000 rubles monthly to pay a staff of 12 people. If it is a small company, then 4-5 people are enough.

DIY loft style furniture

Table

To make the structure you will need to prepare the following:

• boards;
• legs;
• screws;
• sander;
• drill;
• stain;
• varnish

Sander

Prices for popular models of eccentric sanders

Random orbital sander

Step-by-step instruction

Step one: you must first make a design drawing indicating the location of the parts.

Approximate table layout

Step two: use screws or nails to connect the frame parts, as shown in the photo below.

Connecting the parts

Step three: next you need to install the corners for the legs and secure them.

Installation of corners

Attaching the legs

Step four: after which you will need to carefully sand all parts of the structure using coarse and fine-grained sandpaper.

Sanding parts

Step five: the last step will be to treat the table with stain and varnish.

Coating with stain or varnish

Ready table

Wooden pallet chair

An armchair made of wooden pallets will harmoniously fit into a loft style interior. In addition, such a design will have a low cost.

During the work you will need the following:

• wooden pallets;
• sandpaper;
• screws;
• saw;
• stain, varnish;
• upholstery fabric.

Prices for various types of wood varnishes

Wood varnish

Step-by-step instruction

Step one: you will need to carefully sand the pallets with sandpaper, and then cover them with a layer of stain and varnish.

There should be no burrs on the outer surface, otherwise you can get a splinter

Step two: place several pallets on top of each other, forming a seat and backrest from them.

We fix the back to the base with metal corners

Step three: cut out parts from additional pallets.

The armrests are fixed to the structure with the same furniture corners

Step four: we cover the back and seat with soft material of the desired color.

Finished seat

Marketing plan

Getting started without a clear marketing plan means putting yourself at risk of going out of business within the first year. Therefore, it must be taken care of long before the opening.

Here are some marketing strategy tips.

• It is worth selling finished furniture in all available ways: through an online store, retail, supplying products to furniture stores for subsequent sale.
• It is imperative to participate in all tenders from local government organizations. Everyone needs high-quality furniture: educational institutions, healthcare institutions, kindergartens and homes.
• On the territory of the enterprise, in the administrative premises, a separate room should be equipped for presenting your products to potential wholesale buyers.
• It is effective to attract attention to the company by sending commercial offers to business centers, banks and other organizations in need of office furniture.
• The factory must have an official website and groups on social networks. For better effect, you can run contextual and targeted advertising. This will help you receive more applications from the Internet.
• When promoting a company, it is advisable to use traditional advertising tools: billboards, banners, banners, leaflets, advertising in newspapers, radio and TV.

All ways to promote a business are good. The main thing is to prove to the consumer that the product being produced is truly of high quality. To do this, you can significantly reduce prices for the first batch of products in order to get feedback from customers.

Professional exhibition "Furniture-2016"

The professional exhibition “Furniture 2016” is scheduled for November this year. The exposition will be the 28th international event dedicated to the industry in question. The venue for the event was the Expocentre Fairgrounds, located in the center of the capital of the Russian Federation. Representatives of the best enterprises from the CIS and Eastern Europe will arrive in Moscow to participate in the exhibition.

Among other products, high-quality cabinet furniture will be placed at the demonstration sites of the complex. The exhibition organizers set themselves several important tasks:

• presenting the product to a wide audience;
• searching for new clients, concluding profitable contracts;
• analysis of market conditions, assessment of the work of competing companies;
• increase in contract amounts;
• increasing profits by increasing sales volumes.

Becoming a guest of the exhibition is quite simple - you need to fill out an electronic application to receive an invitation card. This can be done using the official website of the organization. Contact information is also located here: all those who call can receive advice from the company’s administration staff on all issues that interest them.

How much does it cost to start producing cabinet furniture?

So, it has already been calculated above that about 1,500,000 rubles will be spent on equipment and tools. Renting a 500 m2 premises will cost 200,000 rubles. Employees need to allocate 300,000 rubles for salaries.

In total, opening an average furniture factory will cost 2,000,000 rubles. And this does not take into account the cost of raw materials, which depends on the supplier himself.

If you plan to open a small production, where an individual entrepreneur will do it himself, then the above amount can be divided in half or three.

Business profitability is 40%. Payback - 8-10 months. The net monthly profit of an enterprise can start from 500,000 rubles.

«

Using an iron and hair dryer to glue the edge

Do not confuse a household and an industrial hair dryer. For self-made furniture, the presence of this industrial device is, if not necessary, then desirable. It will be required when gluing melamine edges to the cut of chipboard parts. Many home craftsmen use an iron to perform this operation. But when lining sections of parts with complex shapes, using an iron does not always allow you to glue the edge lining beautifully and efficiently.

When using an iron, you can choose any household electrical appliance whose working surface you don’t mind making unusable for further ironing. It is advisable to choose a model that is not afraid of overheating and is capable of maintaining the desired temperature for a long time. Any cheap, no-frills, Chinese-made iron that has a thermostat meets these conditions.

An industrial hair dryer is used for gluing melamine edges onto parts of complex, shaped shapes. Of course, there is no point in purchasing it to make one table or wall of furniture. In this case, you can rent a hair dryer or borrow it for temporary use from friends. However, it is advisable for an individual entrepreneur specializing in the production of small batches of furniture to have this device on hand.

When purchasing it, preference can be given to inexpensive Russian samples and you should listen to the following advice:

• the device must have a heat power regulator (you can take a device with a two-position heating switch);
• the electrical power of the device can be in the range of 1.5…2.2 kilowatts;
• for small-scale wholesale furniture production in garage conditions or unsuitable premises, you can abandon models with ceramic inserts and purchase a conventional device, which will have to be periodically disconnected from the network to avoid overheating.

Subtleties of choice

During operation, the nozzle of cheap industrial hair dryers quickly heats up to high temperatures, so it is advisable to equip the device with a separate stand in advance to prevent contact with other objects. When deciding on a specific sample, you should not chase prestigious, branded devices. Today, inexpensive Chinese devices perform their functions quite reliably, and are much cheaper than their German and Japanese counterparts.

Main business advantages and possible risks

In conclusion, let us pay attention to the advantages and possible risks of the described business.

Advantages

• High and stable demand.
• Small investments at the start - you can start small production even in your garage.
• A business can work for a wide target audience, while simultaneously carrying out retail and wholesale sales.
• Relatively fast payback - you can return the money invested in the business in less than 1 year.

Risks

• High competition in the niche - new businesses are constantly opening, so there is always a chance of losing market share.
• Suppliers of raw materials may increase the price, which will increase the cost of production.
• Production is completely dependent on electricity supply. Therefore, in case of any problems in the electrical network or at substations, work will be stopped, which may disrupt the delivery time of products to customers.

The production of cabinet furniture is an excellent option for business. If you don’t have the money to open a full-fledged enterprise, then it’s enough to start small - do everything to order in your garage or in a country house. As soon as the first sales begin, money and prospects for further development will appear.

«

Kinds

Most interior designers insist that maximum comfort for the kitchen can be ensured if the furniture is positioned correctly. This point is especially important for kitchen spaces, the size of which is small. In them, every centimeter of free space counts. Therefore, the main recommendation for owners of such kitchens is to select a corner furniture set that is distinguished by a high level of functionality, practicality, spaciousness and aesthetic appeal. Consider the most successful options for planning a corner kitchen below.

L-shaped

Do-it-yourself kitchen design will be very attractive and practical if you plan the free space correctly. One of the very popular options is the L-shaped configuration of kitchen furniture. It is actively used both for tiny kitchenettes in Khrushchev houses and for spacious kitchen spaces in country cottages.

This shape has a certain feature: the cabinets in the corner are located perpendicular to one another. As a result, the furniture looks compact, takes up minimal space, but does not lose high functionality. However, some people note a certain discomfort when using such lockers in the corner. But in the kitchen there is room to install a standard sink, gas stove, refrigerator, and a full-fledged dining table with chairs.

Sets of this type can be selected ready-made for the kitchen, and in addition to them, stores offer upholstered furniture (a sofa and a pair of armchairs) that are ideal for a kitchen space. If you choose a sofa or chair with a folding function, you can provide an additional sleeping place for a guest. The main thing is to take care of choosing practical upholstery that will be resistant to the aggressive kitchen environment. Otherwise, the soft sofa will quickly lose its aesthetic appeal.

The standard kit for a corner kitchen set includes the following pieces of furniture:

• wall cabinets of standard configuration and corner type;
• cupboard with dish dryer. The dryer can be included with the furniture, or can be selected separately;
• an end cabinet with a niche (often a microwave oven is placed in it);
• cabinet tables;
• corner sink cabinet;
• end table cabinet.

U-shaped

An excellent layout option for corner kitchen furniture is the U-shaped arrangement of the piece of furniture. However, we note that it is not suitable for all rooms, but only those whose dimensions are quite large. To arrange pieces of furniture in this way, you will need enough free space, since three sides will be involved. That is, in a 5 m m kitchen, it will not be possible to use a U-shaped space layout. But with this arrangement in a spacious kitchen, the work area will be quite large, and using the set will be much more convenient.

But it requires the fulfillment of a certain rule; such an interior design will look harmonious and filled with comfort if the distance between the opposite objects of the set is greater than 2 meters. Then a person will not experience any embarrassment or discomfort while using the furniture. If there is such a desire in a U-shaped kitchen, you can choose a soft pouf as an additional place to relax.

The configuration of furniture pieces in a set with a U-shaped layout is almost the same as in the case of an L-shaped configuration. The only difference is that in this case there may be more wall cabinets, and if you want to install a washing machine in the kitchen, you can also select a shelf for it.

Circular

The circular arrangement of kitchen interior items takes up a lot of space, so it is only relevant if the size of the kitchen and its shape allow it. It is optimal for kitchens with a size of 8 sq. m or with a bay window. The workspace here is located in the same way as when planning in one line, but along an arc. But it is simply impossible to arrange kitchen cabinets in this way in a Khrushchev-era kitchen due to limited space.

This interior looks incredibly interesting, modern, and unconventional. Circular kitchens have been in great demand in recent years, so many factories produce furniture sets with convex and concave doors and a round tabletop. Interesting shapes of kitchen cabinets do not affect the level of their spaciousness and functionality, but they make a standard-shaped room very cozy, practical, and attractive from an aesthetic point of view. The complete set of circular configuration headsets may vary depending on the customer’s wishes.