What do the symbols in furniture manuals mean?

Flat-pack manuals are wordless by design, so everything is communicated with a small set of symbols. Once you know them, almost any manual becomes readable. Here's the full cheat sheet.

Parts and hardware

• •Letters (A, B, C…) usually label types of hardware — a specific screw, bolt, dowel or cam lock.
• •'A x12' means: use hardware A, and there are 12 of them in total for the whole build.
• •Circled numbers (①②③) label the larger parts and panels, and stay consistent throughout.

Actions and orientation

• •Arrows show the direction to push, slide, rotate or insert a part.
• •A curved arrow means rotate or flip the part.
• •Dotted lines trace where a piece moves to, or which hole a screw goes into.
• •A zoom bubble (magnifying glass) is a close-up of a fiddly detail.

Tools

• •A screwdriver/Allen key icon shows which tool a step needs.
• •A crossed-out tool (often a hammer or drill with an X) means do not use that tool — usually 'hand-tighten only' to avoid stripping or cracking.

Warnings and help

• •An exclamation mark (!) or shaded/red box is a warning — these mark the exact mistakes people make. Never skip them.
• •Two-person icon: get a second pair of hands for this step. Worth it for large panels and tip-overs.
• •A phone or support icon: if a part is missing or damaged, contact the maker instead of improvising.