IKEA Hackers

They used this item to turn into a Covid WorkStation

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 13:00:35 GMT

Due to Covid, I had to work from home more often and had to create a workstation in my room, where I could hide from my toddler for a few hours.

I didn’t want to spend too much money. So I used a baby changing table that we were not using as much and bought a keyboard tray from eBay.

IKEA items used:

GULLIVER changing table

Other materials and tools:

Keyboard tray with mount
Glue gun and refills
Paper knife
Screwdriver and washers (drilling is optional)

Covid WorkStation

First, get a keyboard tray. You’ll need the tray and all its included brackets and screws.

Assemble the tray. (If necessary for your model)

Using the screws provided, attach the keyboard tray to the underside of the GULLIVER top shelf.

I didn’t use a drill, but I guess it would have looked a bit neater if I had pre-drilled the holes.

And done!

How long and how much did it cost?

The GULLIVER cost about £65, keyboard tray was about £10

What do you like most about the hack?

It looks exactly how I imagined. It is very functional with lots of space to store my stationery.

It’s also more comfortable than it looks, because I can rest my feet on the lower shelf and the computer monitor is higher up than a regular desk.

So my working posture has improved.

What was the hardest part about this hack?

Putting the screws in the correct place. I had to move a few of them and the tray is not really very straight.

What to pay special attention to?

Making the tray straight was actually pretty challenging.

Looking back, would you have done it differently?

I didn’t have much time to invest on this project. The best way would have to disassemble the top shelf, attaching the keyboard tray separately and then assembling it back into the GULLIVER.

The keyboard tray has annoying lines that makes typing a bit too loud. I would buy a cleaner design.

And other thoughts/ comments that you have received about the hack:

I worked on this one in lock down, so I didn’t have the chance to pop into the hardware store. I would have got some different screws with fitting washers.

~ by George FB

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IKEA to ‘Buy Back’ used furniture, up to half price

Sat, 24 Oct 2020 01:00:00 GMT

Hot on the heels of its first second hand store, the blue and yellow store is at it again: A Buy Back programme for old IKEA furniture.

It recently announced that it will begin a buy back programme starting November 24, just ahead of Black Friday.

The aim? To cut down on excessive consumption.

“By making sustainable living more simple and accessible, IKEA hopes that the initiative will help its customers take a stand against excessive consumption this Black Friday and in the years to come,” the company said in a news release.

This programme will be available in 27 countries, including the UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia. Conspicuously missing from the list — the USA. Perhaps, it will join the programme at a later date.

Here is how it works: (the process may differ slightly from country to country)

You navigate to the Buy Back form on their website (see the one in Canada and Australia) and enter the necessary information. Then, you’ll be given an estimate depending on the condition of the item.

Furniture in as-new condition may be repurchased for 50 percent of the original price. Items with minor scratches may get up to 40 percent of the original price, while well-used items may be bought back at a lower 30 percent of their original price.

Still a pretty good deal and a much better option than clogging the landfill.

You’ll then bring item (assembled) to the store, where it will be assessed and given a final quotation. If both parties agree on the price, the deal is sealed. And you’ll be given in-store credit to spend on new IKEA furniture.

All repurchased items will be refurbished and sold in the As-Is section of the store. Which gives us more “raw materials” to hack.

Here’s a list of eligible items under the IKEA Buy Back program:

All dressers, office drawer cabinets, small structures with drawers, show storage, sideboards
Bookcases and shelf units
Small tables
Multimedia furniture
Cabinets
Dining tables and desks
Chairs and stools
Chest of drawers

Items that are not accepted:

Non-IKEA furniture
Outdoor furniture
Mattresses, textiles and other soft goods (pillows, towels, etc.)
Items with glass
Baby and children’s furniture
Oversized pieces (e.g. PAX, BESTA, Kitchens, etc)
Any “hacked” items

So if there are any old items you don’t intend to upcycle or hack, consider the IKEA Buy Back programme. Let’s do our bit to reduce waste.

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CPU stand that looks made for IKEA desks

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 13:00:24 GMT

Want a CPU stand next to your IKEA desk? Read on.

This isn’t a hack in the sense that it hacks traditional IKEA products – rather it finds new uses for traditional products.

This idea was born from our need to have more work space in our home office.

My husband and I both work from home, and he has a desktop computer. This used to mean it took up more desk space than we wanted it to, until this ingenious hack was born.

IKEA materials used:

JONAXEL shelf unit | IKEA.com

JONAXEL shelf unit. We used the smaller one. But if you use the taller ones you also gain storage, which is a nice plus.
JONAXEL casters, $5

JONAXEL shelf unit as a CPU stand

It turns out that the thin JONAXEL is the perfect size for the computer’s processor. And the height of the small shelving unit plus casters is exactly the height of the IKEA MICKE desk (and I’m guessing most IKEA desks).

So it even makes the desk a bit longer, as you can see in the picture. Instead of losing storage space, we gained some!

In the picture it may seem like the JONAXEL CPU stand is longer than the MICKE desk. It’s not, our computer drive is what’s longer, that’s all.

Hope this hack helps others with a similar problem!

~ by Shazan

Q: Can I make a king size IKEA MANDAL bed?

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 15:36:33 GMT

I would need some help, advice or opinion on the possibility and realisation of my idea.

I really like the MANDAL bed but unfortunately they don’t come in king size (180×200).

MANDAL single bed with storage | IKEA.com

So my idea is to join two single MANDAL beds together.

Related: MANDAL bed studio solution

I don’t have a lot of experience in woodwork but the idea was to simply use some kind of metal plates (image below) to screw the tops of beds together (the tops of beds are flat). I thought about three or four plates.

Another option would be to screw the back panels of the bed together. The drawers open only from one side. (Might be better as the metal plates on top might tear the mattress?)

What kind of screws (if they are even the right thing to use) are adequate for this kind of joint?

Has anyone done anything similar or has an idea if this would work or how to do it better?

Advice is needed and much appreciated!

Thanks a lot,

Ana

***

Hi Ana

You’re on the right track.

I’ll definitely go with option 2 of bolting it from back of one bed to the other to make a king size MANDAL bed. It will be a neater finish compared to the brackets which will also work.

Any kind of wood screws will work.

Here’s how I would join the two MANDAL into one king size bed

First, use 2 – 3 clamps to hold the two beds together tightly.

Measure the thickness of the two side panels (combined as the centre panel). Get screws that are slightly shorter, so that they won’t poke through the other side.

Mark where you want to attach the screws. I’d suggest all along the side panels in a zigzag formation, screwed in from left and right side of the centre merged panel.

Blue dots — screwed in from bed on the left to right.

Yellow dots – screwed in from bed on the right to left.

Get it?

You’ll get a stronger hold when the screws come in from both sides. Use as many screws as you think necessary for a firm hold.

Then, use a drill to make pilot holes. Drill from Bed 1 through to the Bed 2 but not breaking the surface of Bed 2. (As a guide, use a masking tape to mark the depth to drill on the bit.) Repeat on the other side.

Use a screwdriver to secure the screws into the pilot holes you’ve just made.

It should be pretty straightforward as all the sides are flat.

Good luck on the hack and look forward to seeing it all done.

Happy hacking,

Jules

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Easy wine rack for METOD kitchen cabinet

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 13:00:04 GMT

We recently moved into an apartment with a great IKEA kitchen using the METOD cabinets … the only thing missing was a wine rack.

We solved that pronto, with a super-fast project that used up old bits I had laying around. It required no cutting and was complete in ten minutes!

IKEA items used:

KALLAX insert for bottles | IKEA.com

METOD cabinet and shelves
KALLAX insert for bottles
KALLAX shelves

Tools:

Screwdriver for adjusting shelf pins

Easy kitchen cabinet wine rack

The first thing we did was to space the METOD shelves with six dowel holes between the shelves.

Then, peel the gray felt off the edges of the KALLAX insert for bottles and assemble the pieces of the wine insert. Next, slide the insert in between the METOD shelves.

Lastly, we used leftover KALLAX shelves to make the final side of the little wine cubby.

They wedge in nice and tight, so I didn’t feel they needed to be secured with glue or screws. But you can certainly take the extra step to keep things secure.

And that’s it! The kitchen cabinet wine rack is done.

Last step is, of course, to fill them up with bottles.

Cheers!

~ by Bethany

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Valet chair for better, quicker dressing up

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 13:00:23 GMT

The valet chair is a useful piece of furniture that lets you hang your lightly soiled clothes or prep a new set for the next day. It’s also a place to sit down while getting dressed and is especially handy for putting on shoes and socks.

More than that, it’s certainly prettier than a pile of clothes over a chair or ironing board.

Here’s my version of a valet chair from an old IKEA MALM nightstand, which is no longer in production. Under the seat, it has a drawer for small items like socks. Very handy!

IKEA items used:

MALM nightstand | IKEA.com

MALM nightstand

Other materials and tools:

2 Handles
3 Coasters
2 Furniture pads
White paint
Cushion
Wooden clothes hanger (optional)

Hack instructions:

First, remove the top shelf.

Flip the shelf and attach it to the bottom of the front drawer as pictured. This is to create support and level the front drawer with the back leg.

Then, attach a drawer pull to the back using the original holes. I chose a C-shaped drawer pull so I can hang items off it.

Next, attach a drawer pull to the front drawer.

Place furniture pads under the front drawer to further level the chair.

Then, I whitewashed the valet chair with diluted white paint. This step is optional if you want to maintain the colour of the MALM nightstand. You can also paint it any other colour your wish.

To cover up the holes where the top shelf was, I glued coasters to the back of the seat.

Add a cushion for the seat.

Related: Chair-in-wall dressboy hack

The last step is also optional. But to let my jacket drape better, I glued on a coat hanger to the top of the chair.

~ by Maya

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10 fab things you can do with a $13 kitchen turntable

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 13:00:00 GMT

The IKEA SNUDDA kitchen turntable: It’s one of those things I’ve always want to buy but am not sure what I’m going to use it for. Have you ever had that dilemma?

SNUDDA lazy susan turntable | Buy on IKEA.com

If so, here are some ideas on how to use it and not necessarily in the kitchen.

10 fabulous ideas for the IKEA SNUDDA kitchen turntable

#1 A Kitchen Turntable

Firstly, of course as a kitchen turntable. It’s so simple, so cheap and so useful for the kitchen.

Glue a round tray like the SKALA on top of the the SNUDDA lazy susan and you’ll get a handy turntable to use in those hard to reach corners under the kitchen sink. Read more.

Also works beautifully in corner cabinets.

Credit: I Heart Organizing

#2 Sunburst mirror

Monica from the magazine, Home by Sunset has two wonderful hacks using the IKEA SNUDDA.

You can make a unique round mirror to suit your home decor. Monica stuck wooden teardrops on the lazy susan and painted them white. Glue on the mirror last.

#3 Big red and baby blue clock

One IKEA SNUDDA lets you make two clocks. Not bad for a $13 item. Firstly, lightly sand the top and sides of the lazy susan. Decorate it the way you want to with wooden shapes, stencils, nails — it’s up to you. Paint and assemble the clock as per instructions.

#4 A cute side table with storage

Get a side table with storage in a few seconds. Just combine the RÅGKORN plant pot and the SNUDDA lazy susan. See more.

#5 Wood and metal side table

Another side table, this time combined with MARIUS Stool legs. See tutorial here.

#6 A decor piece

Create a unique piece with Scandinavian prints for a chaotic, whimsical art piece that’ll brighten your kitchen. See custom painted SNUDDA.

#7 A cat tree

The round discs of the SNUDDA is just right for a cat tree. Seen here with STOLMEN poles. Swap the discontinued poles with the ELVARLI. See the full tutorial here.

#8 Pet playground

Remember the good old turning disc on the playground? You can have the same for your Degus or other rodents now. Here’s a different version for prairie dogs. Click for more.

#9 Homework station

Decorate the turntable with paint and washi tape. Next, stick mason jars on top of the SNUDDA with fasteners. Then, fill the jars with stationery for your kids to grab and do their thing. See the full tutorial here.

#10 Wheels

Bet you never saw that coming. But the SNUDDA works as wheels in this coffee trolley table. The wheels are functional so you can move the trolley table around if needed. See the complete tutorial.

How have you hacked your SNUDDA? Let us know in the comments.

Originally published on Jan 4, 2008. Updated with new content.

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How to paint the IKEA STRANDMON wing armchair

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 13:00:48 GMT

I’ve bought a STRANDMON Wing Armchair on MarketPlace, but the color was too light for my living room, so I decided to paint it.

These are the materials & tools I used:

STRANDMON Wing Chair | IKEA.com

STRANDMON wing armchair
1 x Textile Color Fabric Paint (Black) from Amazon for 15,00 Euros
2 x Textile Color Fabric Paint (Brown) from Amazon for 30,00 Euros
1 x set of flat brushes from Amazon.it for 9,00 Euros
1 x small paint roller

I also used some leftover black enamel paint that I have at home to paint the feet.

Steps to paint the STRANDMON armchair

First, I placed a plastic wrap on the floor to protect from drips.

Related: Make a STRANDMON rocking chair

Then, I mixed one bottle of the brown fabric paint with 1/3 of the black one. This was because the brown was too red, so I mixed them to get a chocolate brown.

I used a small paint roller for the flat areas such as the front, back and seat. And used the flat brushes to cut into the edges and joints.

Load the roller evenly and not too wet to get a more even finish. Best to work in sections.

I painted on the first coat and waited a day to be sure it was thoroughly dry.

After it was dry, I painted the second coat.

I wanted to get a more aged / distressed effect, so I added more black paint to the last mixture. It worked and I ended with a slightly darker shade.

Before and After

Lastly, I painted the feet.

Now the darker STRANDMON chair works so much better with my space.

~ by Maurizio

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Mystery IKEA Sofa: The Name Game 4

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 13:00:32 GMT

We’ve not had this for a while — ID the IKEA aka The Name Game. So let’s put our heads together and solve this IKEA Sofa mystery.

Mystery IKEA Sofa #1

The first one is a mystery sofa from Oliver. It appears to have a slipcover over it.

For this kind of mystery, I usually turn to Comfort Works and Bemz, two reputable IKEA-compatible sofa slipcover makers. On their sites, you can find sofa guides to help you identify current and discontinued sofas.

The lists do not feature all IKEA sofas ever made but they are pretty extensive. So I took a look and ….

Source: ComfortWorks.com

… it looks like a TOMELILLA. Except for the seat. TOMELILLA has separate cushions instead of one long one.

Or it could also be a FARLOV, which features a long one-cushion seat.

I would recommend taking the measurements of the sofa against the TOMELILLA or FARLOV to confirm the model.

Mystery IKEA Sofa #2

The second is from Rondel.

He says, “I’ve searched high and low for the model of this old IKEA Sofa. There is no tag anywhere, it’s upholstered, I think, cause I can’t see anywhere to remove the cover.

I would LOVE to buy a slipcover but no one knows what the model is. Can someone here tell me?”

It looks like a BACKA, with the tapered legs. That’s my best guess.

Getting a new slipcover is an awesome way to extend the life of your couch. There are many companies that make IKEA-compatible slipcovers, including some on Etsy and Amazon.

I’ve already mentioned two — Bemz and ComfortWorks. While I’ve not tried Bemz, ComfortWorks sponsored a sofa makeover for a friend. The slipcover was a good fit. And the fabric, colour turned out really great.

So yes, do give your sofa a new slipcover.

Now to those out there who can positively ID these sofas, over to you.

Jules

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MARKERAD display cabinet, stacked and elevated

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 13:00:34 GMT

The MARKERAD glass door cabinet is a really nice, simple piece of modern furniture made from solid pine.

It has a really nice pop of colour on the ‘nail’ shaped orange handle for the glass sliding doors.

before

My only issue is it’s a bit low to the ground and the holes in the glass sliding doors allow dust in.

So this is a relatively low cost and simple fix that really elevates the unit, in my opinion.

after

IKEA items used:

MARKERAD display cabinet x 2
FIXA felt floor protectors x 4

Other materials / tools:

White rubber money-box stoppers x 2 (eBay)
Tapered wood legs, M8 bolts, 20cm, Mahogany Stained x 4 (similar on Amazon)
Parlat LED strips x 3 (Amazon)
Parlat LED strip extension cable x 1 (Amazon)
Cable tidy clamps (Amazon)
Nano gel tape (Amazon)

Elevating the MARKERAD cabinet

You are basically stacking two MARKERAD display cabinets, one on top of the other, adding some legs to the the bottom cabinet, and lights (optional).

Since it’s a fairly square piece of furniture with flat sides, it’s safe and easy to stack, as long as you have a reasonably level floor.

It’s an incredibly simple hack that requires no tools or special skills, other than a pair of scissors. As such, there aren’t really any specific steps other than to add the legs, add the rubber stoppers, install the lights and enjoy.

Basic build (no lighting)

Each MARKERAD comes with four small plastic feet to help level the unit. You will need to install these feet on the TOP cabinet if you intend to use lighting, to create space between the two cabinets and allow the power cable to slip in between the two cabinets and not be squashed.

If you’re not using lighting then you could probably lose the plastic feet altogether, though they may be useful for levelling the top cabinet. And I think the small spacing between the cabinets actually looks quite nice regardless of lighting.

Here’s what I did.

Buy 2 x MARKERAD cabinets. These are limited editions circa 2020 and collection only at time of writing.

Install the tapered wood legs to the bottom cabinet. The ones I bought via eBay came with M8 bolts, the same as the holes already installed in the cabinet, so this is a straightforward add on.

Now to stack the second cabinet on top. Make sure you’ve added the plastic feet supplied with the MARKERAD for the top cabinet, especially if you are using the lighting strips (read separate instructions below)

Get someone to help you lift the second cabinet on top of the bottom one. Once you have the two cabinets stacked and lined up, get someone to lift each side of the top cabinet while you install a sticky FIXA felt pad under each plastic foot. This should protect the bottom cabinet from scratching.

Lastly, simply push the two white rubber stoppers into the two holes of the glass doors.

Done!

Optional lighting

All three LED strips are installed OUTSIDE the cabinets using the nano tape and can be daisy-chained using extension cables.

I only used one extension cable to daisy chain two of them. Mainly because I wasn’t aware of their existence when I first stacked and filled the cabinets. So dismantling it all to add another extension cable would have been a pain.

I’m fairly sure if you did this from scratch that you could daisy chain all three LED strips and only have one mains plug to deal with – much neater.

Because the pine batons have a bit of depth to them, and the LED strips are almost the same height, you can practically hide them from view.

Use the Nano tape and cable tidy grips to install all three on the front, inner edges of the cabinets, two on the bottom cabinet, one on the top cabinet.

For the middle LED strip, make sure you use the plastic feet on the TOP cabinet to create space. Then, trail the power lead out over the back of the cabinet when you are stacking them.

What’s the cost?

Each unit costs £150. The FIXA pads are around 50p a packet. Rubber stoppers around £1 each. The stained legs were around £20 for a set of four. And the LED strips around £15 each, so a total cost of around £370.

The cabinets take the lighting really well as they are glass on all sides. And despite being quite a large object, as it’s largely glass it doesn’t feel big in my space. And I have a low ceiling.

How long did it take to hack this?

It took a while to arrive at the stacked option as I bought one cabinet first then had the idea to stack another later.

If you were doing this in one go it would take maybe 2 hours total.

Anything you would do differently?

If I do anything differently in future it would be to daisy chain all three LED strips to reduce the installation to a single power plug.

~ by Simon H

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Make a drop leaf table with storage in 5 minutes

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 13:00:25 GMT

Perfect fit! These two IKEA items merge into a drop leaf table with storage.

I just came up with a solution for my studio — which is messy and full of materials to store and everlasting lack of space to do so.

The idea is very simple and requires no specific special instructions except the ones given by IKEA.

However, the hack involves two different products which are then merged into one space-saving multipurpose item.

I call it the Table storage-merger.

IKEA items used:

IVAR cabinet excluding its doors (either model of IVAR – 20″ or 12″ depth – will do)
NORBO wall mounted drop leaf table

Merging a drop leaf table with storage

The idea is that you remove the doors of the IVAR storage cabinet and install the NORBO drop leaf table instead.

This way you can have the storage space, have the storage hidden neatly away when the drop leaf table is down.

And, on demand, set up the table to expand work surface in the studio.

The last step is to secure the IVAR cabinet to the wall to prevent any tip over risk.

How long did it take?

5 minutes (drilling 4 holes in the IVAR cabinet and fastening the NORBO)

What was the hardest part of the hack?

Doing this alone, the NORBO table is a bit clumsy and heavy for one person to put up.

What to pay special attention to?

Arrange the IVAR shelves in the cabinet before fastening the NORBERG. Also, secure the IVAR cabinet to the wall so it doesn’t tip over from extra weight.

I would also recommend fixing an extra piece of wood along the top of the IVAR to prevent the screws from tearing out of the IVAR.

~ by Jana

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R2-D2 dresser hack and it’s bleep bloop beep boop good

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 13:00:22 GMT

Mary @the_handcrafted_haven tagged me on Instagram and was I glad she did. Her R2-D2 dresser hack blew me away.

I’m not a huge fan of Star Wars (after Episode 6, I pretty much gave up on the franchise) but R2-D2 has my heart.

Just look at it. *heart eyes*

View this post on Instagram

I’m not a huge fan of Star Wars but I R2-D2. So this Hemnes dresser hack made me go “beep beep bo bo peep bo peep” which translates to “it’s freaking awesome”. Mary @the_handcrafted_haven made this dresser for her Star Wars obsessed son. Lucky kid. Head to her story highlights for the tutorial. . . . #starwars #r2d2 #diy #ikeahack #starwarsart

A post shared by Jules Yap (@ikeahackersofficial) on Sep 29, 2020 at 8:30am PDT

IKEA item used:

HEMNES chest of 3 drawers

HEMNES chest of 3 drawers | IKEA.com

Other materials:

Plywood
Paint – grey and blue
Sharpie
Brackets
Painter’s tape

Tools:

Jigsaw
Drill
Pencil
Ruler

R2-D2 Dresser hack

Mary started with a plain HEMNES chest of 3 drawers. The first and very essential step was to use a little R2-D2 Droid as inspo.

With a pencil, she outlined R2’s design on the dresser. It’s no easy task getting every line and curve right. It’s a labour of love.

Some parts of the body which appears embossed on R2, she outlined with a grey Sharpie.

Next, she painstakingly painted the blue and grey parts. She used painter’s tape to help keep the lines within the boxes.

As for R2’s head, she drew a half circle on plywood and cut it out with a jigsaw. She first coated it in grey, then, transferred the face designs on it. Again, painting the face to look like R2.

The plywood head is then attached to the top of the dresser with brackets.

And voilà! R2-D2 dresser. Flanked by fellow droid, BB-8.

Photo: @the_handcrafted_haven

Now, if only we can add flashing lights and beep boop beeps, it will be complete.

See her Instagram Story Highlights for the tutorial.

For more amazing DIY decor like this, follow Mary @the_handcrafted_haven.

Did you know you can build robots from IKEA parts? Check out Gille Monte Ruici’s IKEA robot series here.

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Loft bed with crib: Practical sleep solution for two kids

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 13:00:00 GMT

This is my hack to turn an IKEA KURA bed into a loft bed with crib under it.

My son was about 15 months when he started climbing out of his crib. It wasn’t safe but he was too busy to be contained in a crib.

He and my daughter already shared a room and my daughter already had an IKEA KURA bed.

We also had an old futon frame from IKEA which we no longer used. (I don’t remember the name of it.)

So putting two and two together, we decided to repurpose the futon frame to make a crib at the bottom of my daughter’s existing KURA loft bed.

IKEA items used:

KURA reversible bed

KURA reversible bed | IKEA.com

Other materials:

Wood (in my case a recycled futon frame)
2 swinging hinges
1 spring loaded hook and eye lock (make sure it is a spring loaded one for safety)
1 twin size mattress

Tools:

Drill
Saw

Loft bed with crib instructions

First, we secured a wood pillar to the bottom section of the KURA bed, dividing the opening into two halves.

Then, we using a saw we cut down to size one half of the futon frame.

We installed swinging hinges on it to make the door of our new “crib”.

Then, we secured the other half of the futon frame into the frame of the KURA bed to close it up the section on the right.

To close and lock the door we used a spring loaded hook and eye lock.

We put an IKEA twin mattress on the floor underneath the KURA bed. For added safety, the bed is secured against a wall.

And there you have a loft bed with a crib!

Simple hack using materials we already had.

Took about 2 hours to do and cost was under $20.00 because we already had most materials.

~ by Dianna V.

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3 ideas for a kitchen cabinet pull out table

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 13:00:05 GMT

This week’s Hacker’s Help question: Michael asks, “Is it possible to add a pull out table to an IKEA Kitchen Cabinet?”

I would be interested to know if anyone has succeeded in adding a pull out table to an IKEA METOD kitchen cabinet as per this 2013 Hackers Help request.

Photo: Alno via Urban Splatter

I am not so bothered about the seats as I don’t think the drawers would support a person’s weight. But the table really interests me as this type of accessory is generally only available in very expensive upscale kitchens.

~ by Michael

***

Hi Michael

Sadly, I’ve not seen a good pull out table hack for the IKEA kitchen cabinet system. I’m still hoping IKEA will add one to their range.

But in the meantime, there are possible workarounds.

3 ideas for a kitchen cabinet pull out table

#1 UTRUSTA pull out shelf

The UTRUSTA pull-out shelf may work as a pull out table of sorts. Install it just below the countertop. Add a handle and it will turn into a nifty table.

UTRUSTA pull out shelf | Buy on IKEA.com

#2 Hidden table hack

Another way to skin this hack, is to add a piece of wood on top of a drawer. Like so.

The above is installed in a NORDLI drawer but you get the idea.

Here’s how I would do it for a medium height MAXIMERA drawer:

1. Cut a piece of plywood or MDF to the size of the top of your MAXIMERA drawer. The width should be as large as the drawer’s metal frame.

2. Add strips of wood on the underside of the board (on both sides) to help the board stay wedged between the metal frames.

3. Use a hole saw to cut a notch at the top of the board for your fingers to lift the table when you need to access the drawer space beneath.

#3 Pull out table between drawers

The last idea is based on this brilliant pull-out table in a MALM chest of drawers.

The hack will mean adding a shelf on drawer slides between two drawers or under the countertop before the top drawer. As the METOD kitchen does not come with face rails between drawers, this method will take a lot more planning to get it right. But it’s possible.

Hope that helps you get started with your hack.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Happy hacking,

Jules

Hacking may compromise the structural integrity of the item, so please be aware of the risks involved before modifying or altering any IKEA product. Alterations and modifications will also void any warranties or return policies you may have received from IKEA. IKEAhackers.net is not liable for any product failure, injury or damage resulting from the application of suggestions, ideas and hacks featured on this site.

The post 3 ideas for a kitchen cabinet pull out table appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

Large corner LINNMON desk with floating effect

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 13:00:00 GMT

My wife wanted a large desk to work on her Doctorate program. And combining the affordable LINNMON table tops into a floating corner desk seemed like the best solution.

The cost of the desk tops were $98 and the rest of the materials were $59.

IKEA items used:

Other materials and tools:

4 white closet rods (as legs)
1”x4” wood boards for wall cleats
Steel corner brackets

Hack a corner desk with floating effect

Cut 1×4” boards to length matching the length of the combined tops.

The wall cleat along the length of the table top

Mount the cleats to the wall using drywall screws.

Then, mount the desk tops to the cleats using steel corner brackets.

Steel bracket to fasten the table top to the cleat

Supported the combined desk tops on each end using the closet rods.

It’s a bit hard to see but it shows the cleat painted to blend in with the wall

Because of the wall cleats, we did not need to install a leg in the corner section to support the desk. This gives the desk a floating effect and makes the corner a lot easier to use.

When we picked up the three LINNMON table tops that we used for the desktop surface IKEA was sold out of all colors of the ADILS legs.

Our LA area stores weren’t expecting them for over a month due to the number of people setting up home offices and home-schooling. We didn’t want to delay the install.

I bought simple 1 3/4” wooden closet rods and cut them to the 29 1/2” length my wife wanted for her desk. I painted them white and used the closet mounting ‘cup style” brackets that came with them to hold the legs in place under the tops.

This came out to about the same price as the ADILS legs (which would have been prefinished) and gave us the same ADILS clean modern look. Anyone could easily use the ADILS legs for the same look.

What do you like most about the hack?

The ease of working with the Linnmon tops

What was the hardest part about this hack?

Transporting the 48” corner top in a small hybrid

What to pay special attention to?

Keeping the entire top level left to right and front to back.

~ by Bob P.

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We made a Hello Kitty Bed and Playland

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 13:00:00 GMT

We made a two storey “Hello Kitty” Bed and Playland from 2 IKEA KURA loft beds. The first level is a play area while the bottom bunk is for sleeping.

IKEA items used:

2 Preloved KURA reversible beds
3 TROFAST step units
4 SATTA Knobs
4 BEKVÄM Spice Rack
2 IRJA Curtain Rail
FEDERICKA Fabric

How we made our Hello Kitty Bed

First, we assembled the two KURA beds in loft position.

We wanted to add two facade pieces to the long side of KURA beds. In order to counterbalance the weight of the planks (1cm thickness), a couple of simple carpentry works needed to be done.

Related: DIY kitty lamp with FADO

1. A wooden ‘C’ bracket is fixed to the bed with bolts and nuts and the other side is mounted to the wall.

2) Two pieces of 4cm x 4cm wooden beams are added to the frame that supports the facade.

3) Three customized iron brackets with 10cm screws (with bolts and nuts) are installed to hold the bed frames together.

When the basic structure is in place, accessories are then added.

For example, two TROFAST step units are modified as table and storage.

One TROFAST step unit is used as the stairs (with 1cm roundish poles as rails).

We used the IKEA FEDERICKA fabric (discontinued) to cover up sections of the KURA bed and also create a cover between the KURA beds.

SATTA knobs are used as “hooks” for bags. We installed the BEKVÄM spice racks onto the KURA wood frame as book/ toy shelves.

The last part was to decorate the facade with Hello Kitty wall decals. And we were done!

It was not an easy build. We spent about 2 weeks to build our Hello Kitty Bed and Playland. But we are so happy with the results.

~ by Grace

The post We made a Hello Kitty Bed and Playland appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

Love IKEA TÄRNABY? Here are 4 ways to make it better

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 13:00:00 GMT

The IKEA TÄRNABY lamp is inspired by traditional kerosene lamps, with a visible light bulb that emulates a live flame. Lovely in many ways.

TÄRNABY table lamp | Buy on IKEA.com

But users have made small improvements to table lamp and made it even better.

#1 IKEA TÄRNABY frosted

The reason I did this was because I like the lamp, but even with the bulb that was included it can get bright enough to hurt my eyes unless I kept it on a low light level. I wanted to be able to use it on maximum brightness so I decided that I should diffuse the light somehow.

5 minutes later I had the glass taken off. And with the spray can in my hand and after an hour of drying — since this stuff dries incredibly fast — it was back on the lamp and I could turn it up as much as I wanted.

I also personally like the way it looks this way more, but the detail in the edison bulb gets lost in the light diffusion on higher brightness levels.

IKEA item used:

TÄRNABY table lamp and included LED bulb

Other materials:

Krylon glass frosting spray
Masking tape

Here’s how:

It’s simple really.

First, I took off the glass bulb cover.

Next, I used masking tape to block off the inside of the lamp so none of the spray would get inside.

Then I applied 2 coats of the glass frosting spray to the outside of the glass and let it dry.

~ by Noah Frix

#2 Add a diffuser

Snomifox took an easier route to soften the glare from the TÄRNABY lamp. He used a piece of tape like non-woven fabric as a diffuser for the bulb. Just cut to size and slide it into the glass jar.

#3 Make it old school

Enhance the vintage style of the TÄRNABY lamp with a reflector, like the oil lamps of yore. Gismo75 made a reflector holder for the TÄRNABY lamp and it’s available on Thingiverse.

#4 Give it a personalised shade

I have bought a TÄRNABY desktop lamp. Since I do 3D printing, I immediately started thinking about how to modify it.

I have designed a 4 armed bracket that fits in the slot of the glass cover and from this point on, it can hold a lithophane cover.

After the sample printing, it turned out, it has problems so I had to redesign it to a 7-arm bracket. This print succeeded, so with the help of the lithophanemaker I generated a barrel type 12 cm size lithophane cover.

Using a layer cutter, I matched the two objects and generated a g-code for the printing. As for the printing, I used a highly pigmented ABS filament, with 0,1 layer size. The printing lasted almost 40 hours long.

Final results — personalised lithophane lamp shades. I think it is cool.

~ by Makai

The post Love IKEA TÄRNABY? Here are 4 ways to make it better appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

Genius fold out home office desk in PAX wardrobe

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 13:00:08 GMT

After a few months of COVID related working from home, with no end in sight, we wanted a dedicated work space with a big screen.

Sitting with the wife at the kitchen table happily hacking away is fun, but when both of us have conference calls, or when the kids are around, not much work gets done.

There was no spare room, and we were neither willing to tolerate a permanent work desk in the bed room nor did we want to lose an entire PAX — at most we were ok to lose one drawer.

Luckily a fold out desk with a screen is enough for either one of us. No need for printer, lots of binders or other tools.

We share this space, whoever needs the separate room most gets to use it that day.

Here’s how our PAX looks

Opens up to reveal our fold out desk

Slide out and start working

IKEA items:

PAX frame with sliding doors — in my case the 2 meter wide, 2.36 meter high version. (Could work the same I guess with the 75cm PAX frames, 50cm would probably be useless.)

Other materials required:

Wooden plates to the sizes required
Heavy duty slides
Piano hinge
Screen with a corresponding VESA mount
Magnetic catches
Some scrap wood

Tools:

Drill
Wood glue
Dowel pins
Measuring tape
Joiners square
Spirit level
Saw

Make a fold out desk in a PAX wardrobe

This requires some advance planning and measuring, since the slides and the screen will vary based on what one can source.

I started with the slides.

I wanted to get reasonably heavy duty slides for the desk, and I wanted the slides to come out as far as possible.

If the fold out desk slides out 50 or so centimeters, there’s enough space for your legs under it, so I did not want to skimp there.

My PAX has an inside depth of 57 cm, and I was able to source slides pulling out 55cm. Here’s a link to what I bought.

These have a width of 13mm per slide and are rated for 45kg load.

The PAX tolerates quite a heavy load, might want to make sure it’s screwed to the wall.

The PAX being 96cm wide on the inside, I got the board for the desk cut to 93.4cm x 57cm. I mounted the slides to desk height into the PAX (around 76cm for me, but you may vary according to your liking), flush to the front.

The sides on my PAX are chipboard, this has enough ‘meat’ to hold the slides. This constitutes the basic desk to slide in and out.

Mounting the slides was not very hard to do, but it’s important to measure and work precisely. This step does not tolerate sloppy work. If the slides are not parallel, the desk will not slide out easily – or at all.

Next step was to measure the screen and screen mount.

I wanted to figure out the depth of the screen and mount assembly. I got two boards cut to this height, added a few millimeters to spare.

The higher those boards are, the more space the construction will take later when folded, and the higher the screen will come when unfolded. I chose my boards to be the interior width of the PAX (96cm), and had to take out little corners to make space for the slide. One could also make them the width of the desk board, but I preferred the full width look.

The last board needed is the cover, when folded flat, that houses the screen. I made that one the width of the PAX, and the full extension of my slides – 96x55cm.

I had all the boards cut for me at the DIY shop – perfectly straight and true. I went for glued beech wood (in 18mm) for those boards, which I oiled, because I like the look. One could just as well go for laminated chipboard — no need to treat it, but will have to cover the cut edges.

I finished the desk part by fixing one of the small boards vertically to the rear end of the desk board. As mentioned, I had to make little cutouts for the slide.

I mounted it so that it would be flush with the front of the PAX when the desk was all extended. At this point, I had to mount and unmount the desk board several times from the PAX to measure and check things.

The vertical board will hold up the cover board later. One can either screw and glue this on, or use wooden pins. I went for the pins since there’s no visible screws, but functionally both methods are good.

The cover board is next.

This lies flat when folded and holds the screen. I mounted the VESA mount on to it in such a way that the lower edge of the screen is just above the lower edge of the board, and drilled a big hole in it to route the cables on to the other side of the board.

On the 1 meter PAX, a 32” screen works beautifully, however a 4K screen is required. You will sit too close for comfort with a FullHD screen, it will look all grainy. I know because I tried.

On top of the cover board, above the screen, I mounted the other small board vertically. Again with wood pins, but screws are good, too. When folded down, this board holds up the cover board, so the screen does not touch the desk board.

The fold out desk slides out of the PAX and the top cover is then lifted up.

I fixed the small board not at the very edge, but 2cm in, to give me a handle to grip the entire contraption when folding it up. One could just as well drill a hole into it to get a finger in as a handle.

Next to last step is …

… attaching the cover board with the screen to the desk board – this is what the piano hinge is used for. Again, it’s not extremely hard, but precision is required. The hinge has to lie straight on the edges of the two wood boards, so when one folds the cover up, it sits nice and straight.

Once the entire construction was ready and mounted into the PAX, I made sure that, when pushed in, it lied flat with the front of the PAX and the sliding door closed just in front of it. When pulled out and folded up, the cover board was flush with the PAX.

Using some left over wood, I cut two blocks that I screwed into the PAX for the cover board to rest against, and two magnetic catches to hold it up. The catches are rated for 10kg each, and in conjunction with the blocks mounted lower on the sides of the PAX, make sure the cover board does not come down on its own, and the desk board cannot be pushed in when the cover is up.

Added a laptop holder

As an encore, I added a holder for a notebook computer (which is just an L shaped contraption made of left over wood) and a power socket on top of the cover board. When I get to work, I pull out the board, plug in my notebook, slide it into the holder, and fold up the screen — and I’m in business.

One could just as well mount a small form factor PC like a NUC to the back of it, but in my use case, various company supplied notebook computers are used.

How long and how much did it cost?

This was work — I spent around 8 hours working on it, over the course of a week or so. It was not hugely expensive, the slides cost 20 EUR, the VESA mount was 15, assorted hardware another 15, and the wood around 100. The screen is expensive, but that was needed anyway.

What do you like most about the hack?

The fold out desk is very pleasant to use and set up. Takes me a minute in the morning to convert the bedroom to office, and a minute in the evening to move it back.

What was the hardest part about this hack?

Nothing was very hard, some bits just required precise work.

What to pay special attention to?

It’s important to make sure one takes exact measurements of the thickness of the mounted screen, of the exact position of the VESA mount. VESA is a standard, but the height of the mount varies from screen to screen. Also, the VESA mount may need some extra space to assemble it once mounted to the screen. I tried these things several times before finally fixing them.

I like it. The wife likes it too, so it’s all good.

~ by Marc from Luxembourg

The post Genius fold out home office desk in PAX wardrobe appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

Q: HEMNES stripped to natural wood?

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 13:00:00 GMT

Sophie asks, “Has anyone ever tried to bring that HEMNES solid wood bookshelf to natural?”

***

Hi Sophie

Firstly, I’m not sure the bookcase in the photo is a HEMNES. The legs are a little different from the HEMNES’ straight legs. And the HEMNES top isn’t flared. Perhaps an older HEMNES? I’m not sure.

HEMNES bookcase | Buy on IKEA.com

But anyways, to answer your question. Yes it’s possible to take the solid wood HEMNES bookcase from lacquered to natural. And if your bookcase is solid wood with a lacquered top, you can pretty much follow the same steps.

I’ve seen some pretty examples of it, especially this one. In that hack, Janson removed the white lacquer to reveal the natural pine wood beneath.

Stripping HEMNES to natural wood

Basic steps include using an orbital sander to remove the lacquer on the surface. Start with an 80 grit sandpaper to remove the top layer then switch to a 120 grit to smooth out the wood.

Some prefer to disassemble the item and then sand each piece. I would probably go with that to make sure the orbital sander does a thorough job. If you rather not disassemble it (because we know it can be a pain), then sand the main flat surfaces with a sander and then use a sanding block or sandpaper for those pesky nooks and crannies.

This would probably take up the bulk of your time. Remember to go slow to minimise swirl marks from the sander.

After you’re satisfied with the sanding, give it a good wipe-down to remove the dust.

At this point, some prefer to assemble the unit before staining. Some prefer to finish the stain job before assembly. My personal preference would be to stain before assembly. And assemble before sealing for a smooth finish.

To stain, get a piece of rag and dip a section into the stain of your choice. Then, apply a thin coat, following the grain of the wood. Rub off excess with a dry cloth. If the stain is too light, leave it on for a little longer before rubbing off.

Leave the stain to dry thoroughly (usually 24 hours) before moving to the last step.

The last thing to do is to seal the stain with a layer of polyurethane. Again, wipe down the bookcase to prep the surface. Then, using a foam brush apply as many coats as you think necessary, leaving to dry thoroughly between applications.

After everything cures, voilà! Your bookcase au naturel.

Show us how it looks after.

Happy hacking,

Jules

The post Q: HEMNES stripped to natural wood? appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

IKEA NORDEN Gateleg Table made mobile

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 13:00:47 GMT

I love my NORDEN Gateleg Table. It fits in nicely in my tiny flat and I use it as a dining table, sewing table and prepping orders from my online shop!

However it’s SO heavy which made it difficult to reposition and pull out the other side if I wanted to have more people over for dinner.

After some Googling I found a really helpful Youtube video. The result is my very first IKEA hack!

I just wanted to submit this hack as there are definitely others that have done it, but I don’t think I’ve seen it on IKEAhackers yet, or with castor recommendations with UK/EU specs.

IKEA items used:

1 x NORDEN Gateleg Table

Other materials and tools:

4 x heavy duty 25mm locking castors and 2 x heavy duty 25mm regular castors from ebay. (Or two sets of these from Amazon to get 4 locking wheels and 2 regular ones)
Screws and screwdriver

NORDEN gateleg table on wheels:

1. First, I turned the NORDEN table upside-down. I used a duvet for cushioning to avoid damage to table/floor.

2. Then, I removed plastic floor protectors from the legs.

3. Next, I screwed locking castors to main legs, and regular castors to the swinging legs. (The castors are bigger than the legs so the plating will stick out a bit, as you can see in the photo. But two screws should keep it in place.)

Related: NORDEN goes dark with stain

4. Lastly, I checked all castors are secure before lifting the table upright.

How long and how much did it cost?:

It took me about 30-40 minutes in total. I’m a DIY novice so some will probably do it quicker than that. The table itself cost £40 off Gumtree but you can still get the table from IKEA. The castors came in two sets at £10 each from eBay linked here. In total this hack cost me £60.

What do you like most about the hack?:

I love that I can turn and swing out both sides so easily now, which will allow me to keep it out of the way, then pull it out it when I have more people over for dinner. Plus, if I ever move flat, I can easily roll it out the door.

What was the hardest part about this hack?

It was totally easy! I would recommend this hack to even complete beginners.

What to pay special attention to?

Make sure and buy castors that are small enough to attach to the legs, but strong enough to support the incredible weight of this table. Position the castors so that the screws are not too close to the edges as this might split the wood.

Looking back, would you have done it differently?

For safety’s sake, I probably should have had someone to help me tip the table upside down and back upright again.

And other thoughts/ comments that you have received about the hack:

As the castors’ weight limit equals the weight of the table itself, I’m wary that I can’t now have anything too heavy on the table or in its drawers permanently, and to not to lean heavily onto the table.

~ by Claire

The post IKEA NORDEN Gateleg Table made mobile appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

IKEA Hackers

They used this item to turn into a Covid WorkStation

Covid WorkStation

How long and how much did it cost?

What do you like most about the hack?

What was the hardest part about this hack?

What to pay special attention to?

Looking back, would you have done it differently?

And other thoughts/ comments that you have received about the hack:

IKEA to ‘Buy Back’ used furniture, up to half price

Here’s a list of eligible items under the IKEA Buy Back program:

Items that are not accepted:

CPU stand that looks made for IKEA desks

IKEA materials used:

JONAXEL shelf unit as a CPU stand

You may also like this rolling PC stand

Q: Can I make a king size IKEA MANDAL bed?

Here’s how I would join the two MANDAL into one king size bed

Easy wine rack for METOD kitchen cabinet

IKEA items used:

Tools:

Easy kitchen cabinet wine rack

Valet chair for better, quicker dressing up

IKEA items used:

Other materials and tools:

10 fab things you can do with a $13 kitchen turntable

10 fabulous ideas for the IKEA SNUDDA kitchen turntable

#1 A Kitchen Turntable

#2 Sunburst mirror

#3 Big red and baby blue clock

#4 A cute side table with storage

#5 Wood and metal side table

#6 A decor piece

#7 A cat tree

#8 Pet playground

#9 Homework station

#10 Wheels

How to paint the IKEA STRANDMON wing armchair

Steps to paint the STRANDMON armchair

Before and After

Mystery IKEA Sofa: The Name Game 4

Mystery IKEA Sofa #1

Mystery IKEA Sofa #2

MARKERAD display cabinet, stacked and elevated

before

after

IKEA items used:

Other materials / tools:

Elevating the MARKERAD cabinet

Basic build (no lighting)

Here’s what I did.

Optional lighting

What’s the cost?

How long did it take to hack this?

Anything you would do differently?

Make a drop leaf table with storage in 5 minutes

IKEA items used:

Merging a drop leaf table with storage

How long did it take?

What was the hardest part of the hack?

What to pay special attention to?

R2-D2 dresser hack and it’s bleep bloop beep boop good

IKEA item used:

Other materials:

Tools:

R2-D2 Dresser hack

Loft bed with crib: Practical sleep solution for two kids

IKEA items used:

Other materials:

Tools:

Loft bed with crib instructions

3 ideas for a kitchen cabinet pull out table

3 ideas for a kitchen cabinet pull out table

#1 UTRUSTA pull out shelf

#2 Hidden table hack

#3 Pull out table between drawers

Large corner LINNMON desk with floating effect

IKEA items used:

Other materials and tools:

Hack a corner desk with floating effect