Self-assembly furniture has been around for several decades. It became a way to transport large furniture items more easily and lessened the risk of furniture becoming damaged during the shipping process. IKEA and Structube are two large retailers that focus on self-assembled furniture, and we’re going to compare these two retailers to determine who makes the better furniture.
The best way to determine whether Structube or IKEA makes better furniture is by comparing their products! We’ll take a look at some popular products they offer, the materials used, and their durability to determine who makes the better furniture.
Are you looking to buy a new desk, sofa, or mattress, and you’re debating whether to buy from Structube or IKEA? You’re in the right place! We’ll cover both retailers’ products, prices, materials, and more so you can choose the perfect retailer to furnish your home.
What’s the Difference Between Structube and IKEA?
IKEA and Structube are very similar companies. They both have physical locations where customers can browse their products, and they also sell their products online. Both retailers offer an enormous variety of furniture and related products.
However, there is a huge difference between these two retailers. While IKEA is based in the US, they have multiple headquarters in other countries and ship almost anywhere in the world. Structube is a Canadian-based company and currently only ships to customers located in Canada.
Another key difference between these two retailers is the styles of their products. IKEA has a huge range of styles for their products. You can find modern, old-fashioned, and futuristic styles with most of their furniture.
Structube does have a range of styles, but most of their furniture has a minimalist vibe. They often don’t come with a lot of extra bells and whistles, and are much more simplistic looking than furniture from IKEA.
About Structube
Structube began as a family-owned business in 1974. They began with a single facility in Quebec, but have expanded to several other provinces as of 2022. This company is devoted to bringing customers a large selection of home furnishings and accessories for the lowest price point possible. They currently only ship products to those located in Canada.
About IKEA
IKEA is an international giant in the home furniture retail world. They have roughly 9,500 products available at any given time, and their furniture is designed to be assembled by their customers. This company began in 1943 in Sweden, but has since become one of the largest international furniture brands in the world. They sell everything from decorative pillows to ceiling lights to tables and chairs. They opened their first location in the US in 1965, and have physical locations in several other countries.
Who Makes the Better Furniture?
Determining who makes the better furniture requires some diligent digging. We’re going to compare a few similar products from each company. We’ll also compare the materials used to make those products, price points, and ease of assembly to determine who makes the better furniture. Let’s get into it!
Computer Desk
Whether you work from home, enjoy gaming on the weekends, or simply want a sturdy desk where you can have a dedicated space to pay bills and fulfill other adult responsibilities, you’re going to need a solid desk.
IKEA and Structube both have a large variety of desks to choose from, so we’re going to compare the different materials they use, the price range, and any other features you should know!
Structube Computer Desks
Structube has 49 desks available on their website. Most of their desks embody the classic minimalist aesthetic as many of their other products do. They have plenty of sizes available, ranging from 120-200cm.
You can also choose from several colors, including white, black, tan, gold, gray, beige, and brown. Some of their desks are very simplistic and are essentially just a flat board attached to a set of legs. Others have some storage drawers or cubbies.
Some of the materials Structube uses for their desks include: acacia wood, walnut veneer, medium density fiberboard, solid ash wood, tempered glass and iron, fir wood, and laminated particle board.
Overall, the materials these desks are made of are high-quality and extremely durable. If you’re looking for a desk that can withstand everyday wear and tear, then Structube is a great place to look!
Price Range: $75-$699
IKEA Computer Desks
IKEA is known for having a large range of products available, and their computer desks are no exception. They have an astonishing 484 computer desks available on their website.
Unlike Structube, which mostly follows a minimalist and simple aesthetic, IKEA has a wide range of styles available. You can find very simplistic desks through IKEA, but they also have desks with a bunch of extra storage and other features.
Some of the special features IKEA’s computer desks have are: height adjustable, cable management, with storage, with footrest, extendable, with screen, foldable, upholstered, and more!
You can also filter the results on IKEA’s website based on your color preference. You can find a computer desk in white, black, brown, gray, beige, yellow, green, blue, turquoise, pink, and red.
As for the materials, IKEA has plenty of variety there as well. Their computer desks can be made of wood, metal, wood veneer, solid wood, bamboo, fabric, plastic, glass, and rattan.
Price Range: $29-1,000+
Sofa
Everyone needs a good sofa in their own! Let’s compare the types of sofas you’ll find with Structube vs IKEA.
Structube Sofas
Structube has far more variety with their sofas than their computer desks. With 160 items to sort through, there’s definitely something for everyone. They have a huge range of colors available for their sofas, as well as shapes and sizes.
As for materials, you can find sofas made of 100% leather, velvet, assorted fabrics, and so more, including an extra soft couch made with a combination of feathers and polyester fibers.
The legs of their sofas are often made of a strong wood, so you know they’re extra durable.
Price Range: $599-$2,000+
IKEA Sofas
IKEA also has an impressive range of sofas. Their website actually helps you break down your search by the material you’re looking for. IKEA has two categories based on materials, and those are: leather & faux leather and fabric.
Aside from that, you can expect to find a large range of shapes and sizes through IKEA. You can also choose from a variety of colors, including gray, beige, green, black, red, blue, white, brown, turquoise, multicolored, and yellow.
The legs of their sofas are generally made of either wood or metal. Both are sturdy materials that can handle plenty of wear and tear.
Price Range: $150-$4,000
Mattress
Finding a mattress that’s made of strong, long-lasting material is essential. You want your mattress to be comfortable enough for you to get a good night’s sleep, but durable enough to withstand constant use and movement. Let’s check out the options available at Structube vs IKEA.
Structube Mattresses
Structube doesn’t offer a ton of variety with their mattresses. They have 18 mattresses available on their website, and they all come in the same shade of white. However, they do have the full range of sizes available, including twin, double, queen, and king.
They only have two options for materials. You can get a mattress made of Dacron foam, or a hybrid made with Dacron foam and packet springs. This type of foam is high quality and offers comfort and support. Pocket springs help to distribute your weight more evenly.
Price Range: $389-$1,000+
IKEA Mattresses
IKEA once again wins out with their variety. They have 68 different mattresses available. They come in a full range of sizes, shapes, and firmness levels. You can find plush, medium, and firm mattresses with IKEA.
Their mattresses are separated into two categories, based on materials. There are spring mattresses and foam & memory foam mattresses. These materials are very similar to the materials offered by Structube, and will provide the same level of quality, durability, and comfort.
Price Range: $160-$999+
Comparison Questions (Structube vs IKEA):
Does Structube or IKEA Offer a Wider Variety of Products?
Structube has a limited inventory because they’re only supplying products for a single country. IKEA has a much wider variety of products, as well as product features, colors, and shapes, because they sell to a much larger client base.
As an international company, IKEA needs a much larger inventory than Structube. IKEA has a wider variety of products across all categories, and many different styles as well.
Does Structube or IKEA Use Better Materials?
Structube and IKEA use similar materials for many of their products, such as mattresses, and sofas. However, when you compare the materials used to make computer desks, you can really see a difference.
IKEA uses some nice materials, such as solid wood, rattan, and metal, but they also use less durable materials like plastic and wood veneer.
Structube uses similar materials, but they have a few that set them apart from IKEA. They use medium density fiberboard, laminated particle board, and tempered iron.
Despite this company having a limited inventory, more of Structube’s products are made with long-lasting materials than IKEA. They seem to have a more devoted interest in supplying their customers with high-quality and durable furniture, so we’re going to say that Structube definitively has furniture made from better materials.
Is Structube or IKEA Furniture Easier To Assemble?
Structube and IKEA both claim their furniture should only take a couple of hours to assemble. However, when you read customer reviews, you can see this isn’t always the case.
IKEA customers have frequently left reviews expressing their difficulties with the assembly process. They have a 1.5/5 stars on TrustPilot, showing the challenges customers have faced with this company.
Structube has the exact same rating on TrustPilot, though complaints there are often more about the difficulties in receiving a refund rather than trouble assembling the furniture.
It appears that each company provides furniture that’s ready-to-assemble, but customers find the actual assembly process difficult regardless of where they bought from.
Is Structube or IKEA More Affordable?
Structube and IKEA have similar prices for most items. Their price ranges don’t appear to differ too widely from one another, but we’re going to consolidate the price points we previously discussed here.
| Category | Structube Price Range | IKEA Price Range |
| Computer Desk | $75-$699+ | $29-$1,000+ |
| Sofa | $599-$2,000+ | $150-$4,000 |
| Mattress | $389-$1,000+ | $160-999+ |
As you can see, IKEA has consistently lower starting price points, and consistently higher top prices. It seems that if you’re looking for affordability, you’ll be better off going with Structube.
Related Questions:
Does Structube Deliver Internationally?
Structube doesn’t deliver internationally. There was a period of time where they shipped to the United States, but they abandoned the US market in 2015. Ever since then, Structube has restricted their sales to Canada only.
Does Structube Offer Warranties?
All of Structube’s products come with a 1-year warranty, unless otherwise specified. This warranty only covers manufacturer deficiencies, and doesn’t cover damage resulting from normal wear and tear.
Does IKEA Offer Warranties?
IKEA offers guarantees and warranties depending on the product. Some warranties may only be for 1 year, but they have some 10-year warranties as well. Like Structube, their warranties don’t cover normal wear and tear, and are meant to cover manufacturer deficiencies only.
The Verdict – Which Is Better?
If we were to decide which company makes the better furniture based on materials used alone, then the obvious winner would be Structube. They use super durable, long-lasting materials such as laminated particle board, medium density fiberboard, and tempered glass and iron. Products made from these materials will outlast IKEA’s plastic products by several years!
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Jamie is the Founder of My Home Dwelling. He is a homeowner and enjoys sharing his homeowner tips with others. He has real estate experience working as a new home construction Realtor. Jamie has worked on numerous residential construction sites helping with interior and exterior renovations. He loves refinishing furniture, DIY home projects, and sharing his knowledge online.