How to assemble a wheelbarrow

• Spanners or socket set (two, to hold nut and bolt)
• Screwdriver
• Tyre pump with gauge
• Old blanket or cardboard

Before you start, lay everything out on a soft surface (the flattened box works) and check it against the parts list in your manual.

• Steel or plastic tray
• Two handles with grips
• Legs and leg stays
• Front nose bracket and tray braces
• Wheel, axle and axle brackets
• Carriage bolts, washers and nuts

1. 1

   Step 1: Lay a blanket or flattened box on the ground and set the tray upside down on it, then sort the bolts by length using the manual's hardware list.

2. 2

   Step 2: Lay the two handles on the underside of the tray, with the grips at the wide end, and loosely bolt them through the tray using the carriage bolts from the inside.

3. 3

   Step 3: Fit the legs to the handles at the back, then add the leg stays that run from each leg up to the tray, keeping all nuts finger-tight.

4. 4

   Step 4: Slide the axle through the wheel hub with any spacers the manual lists, then fit the axle brackets over each end.

5. 5

   Step 5: Bolt the axle brackets to the front ends of the handles, and add the nose bracket or front brace that ties the handles to the tray lip.

6. 6

   Step 6: Once every bolt is in, tighten them all working from front to back, holding each bolt head while you turn the nut so it does not spin.

7. 7

   Step 7: Pump the tyre to the pressure printed on its sidewall and check the valve does not leak.

8. 8

   Step 8: Turn the barrow the right way up, spin the wheel to check it runs straight without rubbing, and push it loaded with a little weight to test the balance.

• Tightening the first bolts fully, so the last holes will not line up.
• Fitting the carriage bolts from underneath, leaving nuts inside the tray to catch the load.
• Forgetting the axle spacers, so the wheel rubs against a bracket.