Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction “The joinery for knock-down furniture has been developed and used for almost half century”(Šimek et al., 2008). This chapter will tell the reader the different types of knockdown furniture and the client’s perception on knockdown furniture. “A lack of furniture undermines the comfort and residential experience of tenants; has adverse psychological impacts; and can reduce the likelihood that a property will become a ‘home’ for tenants”(Batty & Hickman, n.d.). Hence this will help us find out the impact of knockdown furniture in the high density areas of Zimbabwe. 2.2 Types of Knockdown Furniture Knock-down fittings can be put together quickly and typically just require a screwdriver, a drill, a mallet or hammer, and other simple tools. Although many are used to permanently put together objects like cabinets and other furniture that is purchased in a flat pack, they are temporary connections. Knockdown furniture, as the name implies, is simply furniture that has been flattened out and is sold in kits(STURESON & SINCLAIR, 1991). Everything is prepared for you to construct at home or virtually anywhere else. It is defined as furniture that "arrives as flat pack and is bolted together on site" by the Collins dictionary. The most typical materials used to create flat pack furniture are medium density fiberboard or particleboard, sometimes known as chipboard. Wood chips, wood shavings, sawdust, and other particles are linked together to create chipboard, which is a solid board. The leftovers of both soft and hard woods are combined with wax to create MDF, a board that is more durable than chipboard. In today's homes, modular furniture is often made with detachable fittings. Knock-down fittings are ones that make it simple and quick to assemble furniture or other products without the need of clamps or glue. Simply use a screwdriver, a drill, a hammer, and other simple equipment to assemble the product. These joints can be taken apart and reassembled as needed because they are merely a temporary solution. Some people are accustomed to flat-pack objects with permanent seams, such as cabinets.(Mapetere & Thelma, 2018) a) Fixit Blocks A corner block made of plastic is placed up against two pieces of material (normally wood based). The block is secured in place with screws. Modern cabinets, like those found in a kitchen, can be fitted with the help of this kind of joint. It is a very sturdy joint, but it does have the benefit of being easily disassembled with a screwdriver. b) Lock-joints Two plastic block fittings are used. A bolt inserts into the thread of the second fitting through the first fitting. The two fittings are drawn together as the bolt is tightened. The pins maintain the fitting's alignment. This creates a highly sturdy junction and can be taken apart with a screwdriver. c) Rigid Joint These are often made of plastic and are therefore quite sturdy. The four holes that connect the four corners of the sides together are used for screws. d) Linking Blocks These are often available in dark brown or white and made of polyethylene. They are used, for instance, to combine sheet materials and secure kitchen units to the underside of worktops. They are also known as "Modesty Blocks" because they were frequently used to add a panel between desk pedestals in open-plan offices in the 1960s. Two-part blocks can be disassembled because they bolt together. e) Bolts and connector nuts for furniture Tables, seats, desks, and cabinets are examples of common applications. Furniture connector bolts are intended to be used with cross dowels or joint connector nuts. They may be quickly installed with an Allen key and are intended for use with self-assembling furniture. f) Linking Blocks These are often available in dark brown or white and made of polyethylene. They are used, for instance, to combine sheet materials and secure kitchen units to the underside of worktops. They are also known as "Modesty Blocks" because they were frequently used to add a panel between desk pedestals in open-plan offices in the 1960s. Two-part blocks can be disassembled because they bolt together. g) Bolts and connector nuts for furniture Tables, seats, desks, and cabinets are examples of common applications. Furniture connector bolts are intended to be used with cross dowels or joint connector nuts. They may be quickly installed with an Allen key and are intended for use with self-assembling furniture. h) Linking Blocks These are often available in dark brown or white and made of polyethylene. They are used, for instance, to combine sheet materials and secure kitchen units to the underside of worktops. They are also known as "Modesty Blocks" because they were frequently used to add a panel between desk pedestals in open-plan offices in the 1960s. Two-part blocks can be disassembled because they bolt together. ModestyBlocks.png i) Bolts and connector nuts for furniture Tables, seats, desks, and cabinets are examples of common applications. Furniture connector bolts are intended to be used with cross dowels or joint connector nuts. They may be quickly installed with an Allen key and are intended for use with self-assembling furniture. 2.3 Clients Perception of Knockdown Furniture I. MARKET OR CLIENTBASED VIEW “It has been demonstrated that people have differing perceptions of different wood species”(Bowe & Bumgardner, 2003). Therefore it is a necessity to look into the perception of other scholars on the issue of client perception on knockdown furniture. “We need to be more practical in our living practices. The generation of the Baby Boomers wants to downsize, and young eco-minded adults just want cool stuff, not necessarily the square footage.”(Fleming, n.d.) This quote highlights that generation change can influence clients perception of knockdown furniture and in this case point out “…The generation of Baby Boomers…” were young people need downsize furniture. “In order that it can satisfy every individual’s needs, furniture should easily be adaptive to specific use and room.”(Wardono & Susanto, 2012) Some customers are limited by their purchasing ability and even though they want to use knockdown furniture fail because of this reason. “Moreover, the Furniture industry also tends to be shrinking due to the high level of household debt, resulting in a lack of purchasing power among consumers. This makes them spend money more carefully.”(Yongkiatkarn et al., 2017) “Mass-furniture became a viable manufacturing strategy with the advent of flat-pack or ready to-assemble designed furniture. This product innovation paved the way for firms to design manufacture and ship products in large quantities. Firms that mass-produce flat-pack furniture tend to supply products for the low- to medium-price markets.” Knockdown furniture products are proving to be affordable for clients. “A major barrier to RTA furniture sales is consumer perceptions that these products look less attractive than their more expensive manufacturerassembled counterparts.”(Kusnic, 2021)The Pikasso DIY knockdown furniture has a tendency of making it an important thing to listen to what their customers always have to say in their feedback on how they experienced their products. They love constructive criticism as it helps them on their path to excellence. “…there always has been a perception in the market that all mass production items are of lower quality.”(Pikkasso, 2021).Customers have their own thinking towards something even if they have no enough knowledge ,hence sometime its not perception but attitude towards a situation. 2.4 Impact of Knockdown Furniture High end, medium, and low end are the three groups into which the furniture market segmentation can be divided. Imported furniture with a focus on style and quality makes up the high end furniture industry. Local furniture brands employing domestic or foreign materials dominate the midsize furniture market. The low-end furniture market concentrates on provincial areas and sells through furniture wholesalers. It consists of imported furniture without any identifiable labels (Anonymous, 2009).designers faces a problem as a new rival to expand a market or take market share away from those current competitors because the three local companies dominate the Zimbabwean furniture market. The agreement of 10 consumers was information was acquired. The anticipated growth of flat-pack has undoubtedly much to do with its rising effectiveness. Since the assembly of ready-to-assemble furniture has long been the biggest source of discontent always requiring an Allen key and frequently resulting in long hours of maddening confusion and one or two domestic fights many brands are now producing styles that require no tools and hardly any effort at all. Because it is so simple and practical, flat-pack furniture is growing in popularity at such a quick rate. Customers love the fact that it can be ordered online and shipped via standard postage to your door. Those who do prefer in-person shopping can transport it to their home in a compact car without paying additional delivery expenses. However, furniture was traditionally fashioned from sturdy materials including ash, pine, gum, fir, oak, and wrought iron. Modern flat-pack furniture is made of medium-density fiberboard (MDF), which is created by compressing wood particles, or chipboard, which is of lower quality but is more inexpensive. Some producers will bind these components together using wood glue made of formaldehyde. Consumers in our high density areas are naturally attracted to strong and quality products hence embracing knockdown furniture can be a challenge since it has been reduced to cheap materials. Last but not least, assembly of ready to assemble furniture can be a pain despite its straightforward look.(Kaplinsky et al., n.d.) The fact that the user have to be in charge of several minute parts that, if you're lucky, will all be present and undamaged, and budget plenty of time to spend reading notoriously unclear instructions can make the customer to respond less to the production and sale of knockdown furniture. 2.5 Conclusion Market overview reveals an increased demand for Knockdown furniture, an increased demand for folding furniture is prominent among people residing in urban areas and metropolitan cities, too. Globally, the decreasing size of apartments is increasing the demand for space-saving furniture. There is also a high fragmentation of the market, as the global folding furniture market has a fragmented structure with the presence of regional and international vendors, which is one of the major factors that are expected to restrict the growth of the market (Gutierrez, 2019)(Tachmatzidou, 2019).Consumer’s choice of furniture is determined on how ergonomic the product is and the prices that can suit the situation of people living in the ghettoes. Modern computer-aided manufacturing techniques and CNC mills are used in the design of furniture. This eliminates the high labor expenses associated with experienced craftsmen. Although initial setup costs may be high, they are eventually recovered. In a cutthroat market, savings are then passed on to the client. Some would claim that flat packs are less expensive because they are less robust, but with appropriate care, they can endure for many years. Most of the time, buying solid wood flat packs will still be less expensive than buying preassembled, custom-made solid wood furniture. Questionnaire questions • Do you own knockdown pieces of furniture? • Would you purchase knockdown furniture instead of static furniture? • Do you need to adopt space-saving strategies in your house or office? • Do you consider furniture portability as an important factor for selecting a furniture piece? • What is the approximate area of your house or apartment?
