TV units: quality issues and what to check before you order and before packing
A solid wood TV unit has to carry weight across a long top and stay stable: tops that sag, legs or plinths that rock, drawers and flaps that stick, and cable openings in the wrong place. Specify the screen weight and size it must carry, the cable openings and the materials, then load and cycle sampled units before shipment.
How it is usually made: A long, low carcass of solid wood with an open shelf, drawers or drop-down flaps, often a plywood or MDF back with cable openings, on legs or a plinth.
Put these in the purchase order
An inspector can only hold the factory to what is written down. Add your AQL, moisture limit and golden sample to every order as well.
| Specify | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Weight and size of screen | The load the top must carry over its length, so the top thickness and support suit it. |
| Cable openings and ventilation | Number, size and position of cable holes and any vents in the back. |
| Flap stays, runners and hinges | Type of stay for drop-down flaps and of runners for drawers. |
| Wall fixing | Whether a wall fixing is supplied for taller units. |
| Panel materials | Solid, plywood or MDF for back and shelves; composites bring formaldehyde rules into scope. |
Defects to look for on a solid wood TV unit
Usual class by our default definitions: critical is unsafe or unshippable, major affects function, saleability or durability, minor is cosmetic. Your own defect list always overrides it.
| Defect | Usual class | Usual cause | How it is checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit tips with flaps or drawers open | Critical | Heavy fronts on a shallow unit. | Open everything on a flat floor and watch the unit. |
| Top sagging under load | Major | Top too thin for the span; no centre support. | Load the top and sight along it. |
| Flaps dropping hard or not staying open | Major | Wrong or missing flap stays. | Cycle every flap on sampled units. |
| Cable openings missing or misplaced | Major | Drilling not done to the drawing. | Compare openings with the specification. |
| Unit rocks on a flat floor | Major | Plinth or legs uneven. | Rock test on a flat surface. |
| Finish marks on the top | Minor | Handling before the finish cured. | Raking light across the top. |
TV units we have inspected
Photos from our inspections and our anonymised sample inspection reports. Brand names, item numbers, labels and people are blurred.
What to check during production, at inspection and before packing
During production
- Top thickness and centre support on first units.
- Cable openings against the drawing on first backs.
- Moisture of top and panel stock.
At pre-shipment inspection
- Load the top and check for sag along its length.
- Cycle flaps, doors and drawers; check stays and stops.
- Rock test on a flat floor; open everything and check stability.
- Check cable openings and vents against the specification.
- Count hardware, wall fixings and instructions against the BOM.
Before packing
- Flaps and drawers secured shut; glass parts packed separately.
- Long top supported so it cannot flex in the carton.
- Corners and legs protected.
- Wall fixing kit and instructions packed with the unit.
Moisture, finish and sampling
- Moisture: put a limit for your destination in the PO and have it read with a pin meter on sampled pieces. Wood shipped wet cracks after delivery. Targets by market are in the wood guide.
- Finish: approve a golden sample and hold every batch to it; finishes cured in humid weather can bloom in transit.
- Sampling: AQL 2.5 for major and 4.0 for minor defects at General Level II by default. The AQL calculator gives the sample size for your order.
- Hardware: count kits against the bill of materials; wrong or missing hardware turns a sound product into a return.
Rules that may apply to a TV unit
| Rule | When it applies |
|---|---|
| Formaldehyde (TSCA Title VI, REACH) | If the back, shelves or drawer bottoms are plywood or MDF. |
| US tip-over rule | Not usually: entertainment furniture is excluded from the US clothing storage unit rule. |
TV units: questions
How do I stop a solid wood TV unit top from sagging?
State the screen weight in the PO so the top thickness and support suit it, then load the top at inspection and sight along it.
Does a TV unit need a tip-over restraint?
Entertainment furniture is excluded from the US clothing storage unit rule, but a tall unit with heavy flaps can still tip. Decide on a wall fixing in the PO.
What should I check on drop-down flaps?
That the stays hold the flap open and let it down gently, on every sampled unit, and that the stays are the type you specified.
Related guides
- Sideboards: Door gaps and hinge sag, drawer runners, shelf support, back panel, top cracking.
- Coffee tables: Top cracking and cupping, lift-top and drawer mechanisms, glass, edges, wobble.
- Bookcases and shelving: Shelf sag and pins, tipping and wall fixing, back panel and racking.
- All furniture inspection guides
- Free furniture inspection checklist (PDF)
Have your TV unit order checked before you pay
Tell us the factory, the product and the date. We reply with scope and a fixed quote within 24 hours. A pre-shipment inspection starts at $249.
Talk to an inspector Pre-shipment inspection