We have recently built the Holsted Sliding Door Wardrobe from Argos (886/8983).

We have built this wardrobe several times before, it is currently reduced from £394.99 to £315.99 on their website.

This is a large wardrobe with plenty of storage space. The high gloss with doors look good finishing off the wardrobe well, although these are made from three panels each and require assembly.

ASSEMBLY TIP: The frame is connected together using the expanding torsion pins. Unlike traditional mini fix (pin and cam) fittings, the pins do not screw in, they simply slot in. When the cam is turned they expand and grip the frame. It is VERY IMPORTANT when building furniture using this type of pin that you ensure each pair of panels being connected using them are pressed firmly and flush against each other before twisting the cam. If you do not, you can damage the edge the pre-drilled hole and weaken the fastening.

Generally, this is a decent spacious wardrobe at a good price.

I wonder if you could please help me. I have been given a set of Argos Canvas furniture. One three shelved wardrobe and one three shelved set of shelves there are no instruction as to how to put it together.

I would be very grateful if you could help in any way at all.

Hi Anne,

Have a look for the item on the Argos website, many of the items have the instructions available for download as a PDF. Failing that find the product number (this is required) off the website or box and phone the Argos helpline and they will be able to send you a copy.

Edwin.

How do you entirely remove/pull out a Homebase drawer after it has been assembled/inserted in the chest?

Hi John,

There are two screws on the inside of each drawer. These need to be unscrewed before you can remove the drawer form the runners. There is another type which has clips underneath but the first suggestion is mostly likely what you have.

Edwin.

My son is in a furnished flat. He has “lost” the back of three wardrobe drawers. This is the type of drawer that you describe elsewhere as: “back and sides come as one piece with each side hinged using the plastic laminate finish.” Do you know if it is possible to buy replacements?  We do not know where the wardrope came from. BTW there is a groove cut into the three sides for the drawer base to slide into.

Hi Paul,
They are from Argos/Homemade (it’s the same company).  Go on the Argos website and find their spares hotline. They should be able to help you.

NB: there will be a cheap chest of drawers they do with the same  drawers in the same size. If Argos can’t help you, buying a new of these might get you the right drawer backs?

Edwin Cooke

Thank you very much for this suggestion. Unfortunately, neither Argos or Homebase wanted to know without the furniture part number. I ended up getting some board cut to size for the drawer end. I could not manage the groove in this but resorted to corner fixings and glue. So far so good.

Thanks again,.

Paul

Hi - can you advise on the best method of removing the back panel from a wardrobe (flat pack from Argos, now assembled) without damaging it so that the wardrobe can be semi-disassembled to move house and then re-assembled?  The wardrobes are pine and the back panels are pinned in place using small nails (that came with the wardrobe).  Thank you.

Hi Neil,

You can do it but it requires a bit of care and patience.

You will need:-

- Largish flat headed screw driver (at least 7-8mm across)
- A pair of bottle nosed pliers

The way I do it is as follows:

- pull the wardrobe away from the wall so you can get access the inside and the back. Remove the doors and any other loose shelves rails, drawers etc. try to leave enough room so you can tilt it forward to lie on its front later (see BOLD type below).
- estimate where the pin/nail is in the back (say measure 20cm from the top on one side, then measure ~18.5cm on the inside to allow for the thickness of the top panel).
- gently (but firmly) push the back panel with your fingers close to where you have measured the pin to be. It will either: not move; shift a little or move freely.
- If it doesn’t move, find and try another one.
- If it comes out freely then great!
- If it moves a little, use your pliers to remove the pin from the back.

- Once you have removed one pin, there should be some give in the panel when you press it from the inside and it should be easier to locate the next pin. This time you can either repeat the above method or slide in the screw driver along the loose groove to the next pin. Once you are as close as you can be, then use the screw driver as a lever to gently loosen the next pin.

This is quite time consuming, some will come out easily others will be difficult but if you take your time you can usually get them out. Even if you only move a pin by 2-3mm, this is usually enough to get your pliers in to finish off the job.

Don’t get carried away once you have removed a couple, thinking this is easy, take your time.

Don’t worry if you damage the back panel a little when doing this as sometimes the pins can pop through the back panel. This is inevitable, but when you come to reassemble, they should be hidden from view, and hammer a new pin in near to the hole.

As I say it takes a bit of time but can be done with most items of furniture.

BE CAREFULL TO ENSURE THE WARDROBE IS PROPERLY SUPPORTED WHEN YOU REMOVE THE LAST FEW PINS ON THE LAST RIGHT ANGLE. If you don’t the wardrobe might collapse under its own weight (flatten like a cardboard box). Get someone else to hold it or lie it on its front. Also note when moving it, without the back on, it can still collapse like a cardboard box if you move it laterally, so get its front onto the floor so you can undo the remaining panels.

I hope this helps,

Edwin Cooke