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How its Packed and HOW TO UNPACK - Hancock and Moore
One of the reasons that Hancock and Moore always arrives in great condition is the way they pack their furniture. Here's a typical sofa pack that came in early this week. I thought I would document the unpacking procedure so you can see for yourself. This is the correct way to unpack one of these, and I've experimented with many methods over the past several years.
Notice my tools I use. Yes, that's a cordless Sawzall to cut the crating boards!...and a cordless driver using a # 2 square drive bit. The only other thing needed is a box cutter. NOTE: The Sawzall is rarely needed, only on pieces where the stretcher is incorporated into the crating. IF YOUR PIECE HAS NO STRETCHER THEN SKIP TO POST # 4
Notice that this particular piece was handled roughly by the freight company. The box at the lower edges is shredded, but the wood crating has fully protected the sofa.
Steps to unpack:
1) Flip box upside-down so the exposed base is UP.
2) Cut the four box corners vertically to collapse the box, easing the sofa onto its back. This has to be done to take the weight of the sofa off the screws. Done right, the sofa sinks slowly and gently and comes to rest on its top.
3) Cut around the wood frame horizontally and splay the box out.
4) Remove the wood screws that hold the crate frame to the sofa. These are # 2 Square Drive screws, they are NOT a Phillips head screw.
5) Use Sawzall to cut the cross members inside the stretcher base if your sofa has that.
6) Remove the crating frame.
7) Remove the packing material from the exposed wood and inspect the wood.
8) Flip the sofa right side up, inspect. Remove all loose staples in the cardboard before making the flip to upright. DO NOT Pivot the sofa "Up" unless you have furniture pads underneath it or keep it on the cardboard, you may mark the leather.
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Re: How its Packed - Hancock and Moore
An update to this thread. I have unpacked thousands of Hancock and Moore sofas over the decades, and this is still the best way to do it. By using this method, there is no stress placed on the sofa itself and its a bit unorthodox, so should you ever take delivery of one and unpack it yourself, this is the best way to unpack without damaging your new piece.
ToolsNeeded: Box Cutter, Cordless Drill, # 2 Square Drive Bit (you can buy this for $ 1 at Home Depot)
The box may come to you on its end, like this:
Attachment 10006
Ease the box down, with the open end of the box facing the sky. Don't drop the box, if you do the packing frame will shatter. Ease it down gently. Once its on the ground, take your cutter and cut all around the box below the dotted line on all four sides. Pay attention to make sure your blade is not over-penetrating the box and contacting the leather on the sofa.
Attachment 10007
One you have it cut horizontally all the way around, make eight vertical cuts (two on each side of the corner) from top to bottom.
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Now, splay the cardboard sides and ends you just cut. As you push them out, the sofa will slowly settle onto the top of the back. It will be fine like that, even if the top is exposed wood. It will go down very softly and look like this:
Attachment 10009
Now unscrew the # 2 square drive screws from the packing frame, use of a cordless screwdriver makes it much easier. If you don't have a # 2 square drive bit, a # 2 Phillips *may* work if you are careful and go very slowly on backout, however you are likely to either strip the head or break the screw with a Phillips bit. When all the screws are out (about 14 to 20) then remove the packing frame and set aside. Lift the frame straight up and do not drag it across the legs of the sofa.
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Scroll to the next post as I can only attach five photos per post
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Re: How its Packed - Hancock and Moore
Here's what the sofa looks like when upside down. Remove the tape and slide off the protective cover. Don't let the tape contact the leather, it can pull off the pigmentation on the hide if you do.
Attachment 10093
Leave the foot protector padding on until the sofa is turned over.
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Roll or lift the sofa over to its upright position and you are all done, and ready to take inside or load into a truck, etc. It will not hurt to roll it forward, just make sure there is a pad down as you do to avoid marking the leather.
Attachment 10095
Watch out for the carton staples!! , they will cut you easily when you go to pick up the cardboard to put in the trash and can also tear the leather. Nasty things!
If you see grey "paint" on your leather, that is gray washable grease pen, used when marking out the hides for cutting. Occasionally some gets missed during clean-up, just get a damp rag and it will come right off.
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Re: How its Packed and HOW TO UNPACK - Hancock and Moore
This is NOT how you want your Hancock and Moore Sofa to be unpacked. It's standing on end, and then drops when the last screws are released and gets dragged along the carton staples, which can then result in scratches or being otherwise marked. If you see your delivery team doing this, please stop them and instruct them to use the directions starting at Post # 4. Don't be shy!
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And this is what can happen (customer-supplied photos of a recent delivery)
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No one wants damages, especially since it made it all the way to your driveway unmarked. Don't expect delivery crews to know the right procedures, they handle all types of product and cannot know every method from the thousands of suppliers they deliver. My method works for no-damages unpacking and is easier to do as well.
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Re: How its Packed and HOW TO UNPACK - Hancock and Moore
Staple marks from improper un-packing. This sofa was dragged over the staples on the inside of the carton.
Remember folks, you have a say in how your furniture is handled and unpacked. Speak up if you don't like the way things are going. The men on the delivery truck may not be as "professional" as you are wanting them to be.
Attachment 15551
Re: How its Packed and HOW TO UNPACK - Hancock and Moore
That sucks for the people receiving those recently, I just feel bad for them.
Re: How its Packed and HOW TO UNPACK - Hancock and Moore
What do you do when there is a scratch from unboxing brand new furniture? Do you note damages on the bill that they ask you to sign? It's a big deal to send it back.
Re: How its Packed and HOW TO UNPACK - Hancock and Moore
Options are to:
1) Refuse Delivery
2) Sign the BOL and note the damages, take LOTS of photos, and then get ready to find the repairman in your area. They will not know of anyone and you have to be proactive on it.
3) Live with it. Aniline hides can have Conditioner rubbed into the area, that can mitigate a lot of it. Finished hides can be re-painted. Sometimes a small touch up is all that is needed.
All are really avoidable for the most part. If comes from inexperienced help for the majority of it. Delivering furniture is grunt work, dirty, hot, heavy, sweaty work. It's a job no on aspires to, but it puts food on the table. As such, the level of expertise in handling is not very good in most cases. That's why I have this unpacking tutorial - so YOU know to get it out of the packing damage-free. 99% of any other store would never, ever tell you this because they would fear a loss of business from disclosing it. But I'm different, I want you to know, because Knowledge is Power. With that knowledge, you can avoid this kind of minor damage. I share what I know, and have learned in doing this since 1986, the good, the bad and the ugly. I always tell it like it is.
Damage control is in everyone's interest. Yours, Mine and the Delivery Companies. It cost them hundreds of dollars to fix shipping damages, they don't want them, either. Turnover is so high for them on truck crews, they cannot possibly train everyone to be proficient in every kind of situation and packing product they see. And of course, mistakes happen, even with the best of us. I for example, nicked the leather on a new Sherrilll sofa last week when using a blade to open the wrappings (which are totally different than Hancock and Moore). Now I have to either ship or drive that sofa back to the factory to get re-leathered in that area, it's not repairable. Even with 37 years experience, and countless number of pieces I have unpacked (many thousands) even the old Pro catches a corner with a cutter now and then.
Re: How its Packed and HOW TO UNPACK - Hancock and Moore
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Miles77
What do you do when there is a scratch from unboxing brand new furniture? Do you note damages on the bill that they ask you to sign? It's a big deal to send it back.
You as the client have to decide at time of delivery if you can live with the marks OR can accept an in-home repair. If neither is acceptable, the piece should be refused. Ultimately its your call, and that should come with an understanding that perfection is difficult to achieve, this is not an iPhone coming in a box, it's a big, heavy 250 lb sofa going cross country. Its very common for a sofa leg to have small nicks in it for example, those can usually be touched up with a marker.
The industry does not send out replacements, it restores/repairs. No different than if you buy a new car, they don't send you a brand new one if the transmission fails, they fix that transmission.
If leather, a Finished leather can be repainted, sometimes even patched if cut. Because a finished leather is painted, and there are mobile services in most major areas that do that work such as www.fibernew.com. If a pure aniline, those are dyed leathers, they cannot be restored but usually can be made to look much better by massaging leather conditioner in the affected area. If torn, they cannot be patched, and require going back to the factory for new hides in that area.
95% of all damages are small nicks like you see here. Once in awhile, there is major damages such as a frame break, but that is rare. In the event of refusal, the piece will be gone for sometime. If it has to go back to the factory, it may be several months, most of which is transportation. It's about like putting toothpaste back in the tube. Delivery companies do not do well in timeliness of returns.
Proper unpacking is really the key element. Get the staples clear of the piece and also lay furniture pad on the ground before the sofa is every pivoted to an upright position.
Re: How its Packed and HOW TO UNPACK - Hancock and Moore
Anything that is different for unpacking a recliner?
Re: How its Packed and HOW TO UNPACK - Hancock and Moore
Recliners are easy. The key in unpacking one is to watch where your blade is relative to the furiture. You don't want to cut the leather on the chair.
Re: How its Packed and HOW TO UNPACK - Hancock and Moore
When you have your furniture delivered out of state do they arrive in H&M's packaging then? It's been a long time since I had ordered from you so I don't remember.
Re: How its Packed and HOW TO UNPACK - Hancock and Moore
It all depends on how we ship it
1) If we are shipping via Sun Delivery / America West, they will pick up in the H&M packing and usually transport to their local drop off partner (near you) in the boxes. At that point that local agent may or many not take it out of the packing. If they bring it to your driveway in the boxes, they will unpack there. 80% of the time it will be blanket wrapped when the truck pulls up.
2) if you opt for us to ship it to a Receiver or Loading Dock of your choice, then it will stay in the packing to their dock. From there you can have them bring it out to you and install, or self-transport and unpack yourself.
I created this section on unpacking because when done right as per my directions, its very much damage-free. I can't even count how many H&M pieces I have unpacked over the years (and still do). It has to be in the thousands. I have had three leather cuts in all those unpackings, all where I was going to quickly and not checking my blade clearance and cut into the hides. When that happens, it has to go back to the maker to get new leather, its not repairable.
I have had one client slice his wing chair leather with a blade while unpacking. A very costly leather with a 30" slash in the side. Of course, he claimed it came like the factory like that and wanted a free replacement. That was an unpleasant conversation.
Re: How its Packed and HOW TO UNPACK - Hancock and Moore
Do you have a recommendation for packing blankets for getting our ottoman from our home to the factory? We have some old moving blankets but they are pretty dirty and maybe not as padded as they should be
Also, any particular tie downs that you like?
I saw these on amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ATS8MOYLJ&th=1
Do we even need those for the two recliners and two end tables? Maybe better to be safe than sorry lol
Re: How its Packed and HOW TO UNPACK - Hancock and Moore
Old blankets are not ideal, a proper furniture pad is better. However, when you pick up at both the Hancock and Moore Factory (two Recliners) and Woodbridge (two end tables), they will be fully boxed for export shipping and you won't need any pads or any tie downs, as long as the truck is large enough and you don't have to take them out of the boxes.
Transport tip in a cargo van: While you don't need to tie them down, make sure your recliners are close to the back of the driver and passenger seats - at least 6" to the seat. That way, should you have to slam on the brakes your cargo will be stopped by the seats. You don't want to put them far back by the rear doors as that way they can launch forward with some velocity and mass.
Re: How its Packed and HOW TO UNPACK - Hancock and Moore
Thanks for that tip about the loading order. Will Do!...out of curiositywill the folks at factory help us get them into the cargo van?
For taking our Ottoman up there....a blanket like this? https://www.amazon.com/Moving-Blanke...st_sto_dp&th=1
Re: How its Packed and HOW TO UNPACK - Hancock and Moore
Yes, ones like that, but you can get them cheaper at your local Lowe's / Home Depot because they don't have to pay for the 'free' shipping. :)
Example: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Fleming-Sup...ply/5001427333
Re: How its Packed and HOW TO UNPACK - Hancock and Moore
Yes, the guys on the loading dock will definitely help you load. In most cases, they will load you up while you take the Tour.
