Our cats had basically destroyed this poor couch (see photo of side arm) and we’d already decided that it was time to change it out. I had even posted it free on Craigslist.
BUT I loved the storage and the couch and chaise were both still very comfy.
So I decided we could just keep the chaise. I uninstalled it to make it easier to transport and realized that the chaise was ideal if we put it against the wall.
At first I thought about chopping the back so the chaise would have a back, but decided that the pillows against the wall were sufficient for the time being.
Maybe one day, I’ll build a back for it, but for now, it’s all good. And the space we have it is a PERFECT reading nook.
I wanted a small, portable table that I could use to put my food and drinks on when sitting in my garden. As I would use it only occasionally, I didn’t want to buy something that would just take up space in my house or shed. (I already have a large dining table in my garden).
Although a foldable table would have been appropriate, I had left over materials and decided to make something myself.
I already owned the BEKVÄM stool and the size was ideal. I decided to make an extension so the stool could be used as an occasional side table. The furniture board (detachable table top) does not take up much space, so I just store it in my shed when I don’t need it.
Cut the furniture board into the desired size, depending on how large you want the side table to be. Use sandpaper to smooth the edges.
Step 2:
Cut two pieces of wood into the shape of the BEKVÄM stool opening on top. Use sandpaper to smooth the edges and to ensure they fit through the opening.
Step 3:
Place the two pieces of wood on top of each other and drill the screw into the center.
Two pieces of wood attached to the furniture board
Step 4:
Decide how you want to place the furniture board on top of the BEKVÄM stool. Then, place the stack of two pieces of wood in the right place and drill the screw through the furniture board. The screw has to be sufficiently tight so that the two pieces of wood can be twisted only with some force.
Bottom piece of wood twisted to secure furniture board to BEKVÄM stool. Photo taken from below.
Step 5:
The screw is now sticking out from the furniture board or what’s now the table top. Use a door knob or any desired alternative to cover and secure it.
Step 6:
The furniture board can now be placed on top of the BEKVÄM stool and secured to the stool by twisting the bottom piece of wood that is sticking out underneath.
And there you have it, a step stool side table.
How much did it cost and how long did it take?
I did not buy any of the materials specifically for this project, using only what I had leftover. If buying new, a BEKVÄM stool costs £25.
Cutting and smoothing the wood took the most time. In total, the project took me a couple of hours.
What’s the most difficult part of this hack?
The most difficult part was to cut the two small pieces of wood in the right shape, so they would be able to fit through the opening of the BEKVÄM stool.
It is important to find a screw with the right length. It has to stick out somewhat in order to secure the furniture board and two pieces of wood, but not too much. In my case it stuck out around 1.5 cm, so the doorknob could be screwed on easily. Adding the doorknob was a last-minute idea. I don’t like this particular doorknob as it is old and discolored, but it emphasizes the fact that I used recycled materials only.
Personally I like the idea of the doorknob, because it is easy to carry the furniture board (also with the stool attached), but a smooth surface may have been more aesthetically pleasing.
We have 3 full width, 3 half width BILLY bookcases and 4 GNEDBY CD/DVD storage. We’re about to move to a new home where we’ve been told we can’t secure the bookcases to the wall. Has anyone found any solution to this, perhaps using something like Command strips?
Thanks,
Steve
***
Hi Steve
Anchoring your tall bookcases to the wall is an important safety step and I’m glad you’re not overlooking it.
Consumer Reports recommends kits with straps made from nylon webbing or braided steel cable. The anchoring kits are typically comprised of two brackets tethered by a strap or cable. One bracket screws directly into the piece of furniture; the other fastens into a stud in the wall. The connecting strap or cable is typically affixed to each bracket, then tightened in place. The point of an anchoring kit is to prevent furniture tip over accidents.
IKEA also recommends screwing one part of the bracket directly to the wall and the other end onto the furniture with their provided wall anchor kits. You can request for one here.
I assume your landlord is wary of tenants making lots of holes in the walls. However, most landlords are okay if they patch up the holes and paint the wall when they move out. Do check with your landlord as safety should not be compromised.
Failing which, there are alternative anchoring kits.
#1 Furniture anti-tip kit
Qdos sells a furniture anti-tip kit which can be installed without screws. However, it still needs a picture hook, which they claim leaves a tiny pinhole with minimal damage to dry walls. Easily patched up when you leave. It’s available on Amazon.
#2 Baby safety strap locks
Reddit user found baby safety straps as a solution. Nextstopplease writes, “I have used these baby safety locks on a thin bookcase and lightweight bathroom cabinet, after one year they’re still holding up! The adhesive is very strong and I can tighten the straps to ensure the furniture doesn’t wobble or move.”
I’d suggest checking them regularly as the adhesive stickers and straps may deteriorate over time. Be aware the adhesive stickers may detach in the event of a tip over, as they will not be able to stop the force of a heavy bookshelf falling forward.
#3 Stabilise the bookcase
Other factors that may help is to always place heavy books and items on the bottom shelves to keep the bookshelves grounded.
As for Command strips, I don’t think the adhesive stickers have what it takes to anchor a bookshelf to the wall. If it’s just to stop them from wobbling when you open the doors, perhaps they’ll work. But as a safety measure, it is not what I would use.
Other methods like glue actually leave more damage on the wall and is harder to clean up when you want to move out.
All said, especially if you have kids, I would highly recommend screwing in the IKEA wall anchor kits — from the BILLY bookcases to the wall with hardware suitable for your wall. Patch up the holes when you move.
All the best in talking to your landlord.
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.
We wanted to have a heavy rustic wooden table, with only two or three pieces of wood glued together. This style fits our house and other furniture very well, but it’s hard to find in stores and it gets very expensive. And we wanted to have something unique that we’ve made ourselves!
It’s from and old dead elm tree that grew nearby, and was cut down 15-20 years ago
Dimensions (glued together): 1230x710x40 mm
Linseed oil paint:
Ottosson Titan-Zink White, 10 cl
Ottosson 1A-4950 Iron Oxide Black, 10 cl
Handcrafted brush for linseed oil paint
Furniture wax (I used an uncolored one consisting of linseed oil, carnauba wax, and beeswax)
Elm coffee table instructions:
Disassemble the MARKÖR coffee table fully, even the metal plates to hold the table top together.
Apply the paint removal to the lacquered and stained pieces (legs, frame, drawer). Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Remove the paint (again, according to the paint removal instructions).
Sand the previously painted pieces, starting at grit 60 and going gradually up to 240.
(Optional) Apply a barrier color or twig varnish to stop resin from leaking through or discoloring the finish.
I didn’t do this, partly because of the age of the wood but also because I’m using such a dark color.
If you’re using a brighter linseed oil paint color, I recommend using a twig varnish.
Mix the black and white paints to a blend you like (I used about 2 parts black and 1 part white) in a resealable container.
Apply the linseed oil paint to all leg and frame pieces of wood.
Follow the instructions of the particular linseed oil paint manufacturer.
With Ottosson, you normally do 3 applications, but I had some bleed from the twigs so I applied it a few times extra.
You can put the brush in a sealed plastic bag in the freezer between applications, no brush cleaning required inbetween!
The tricky part: the table top
I contacted a nearby saw mill and found the two pieces of elm there. They helped me plane, cut, and glue together the pieces according to the dimensions we asked for. We asked for a slightly longer and wider table top (60mm wider than the frame both in width and length). This makes it look more balanced as we used a thicker top than the original (40mm instead of 20mm).
These pieces are mirrored, making it a beautiful joint piece of wood.
You could use other kinds of wood, like oak, cherry, walnut, or something else with an interesting grain pattern.
Sand the table top up to grit 240.
Apply one layer of furniture wax to the entire table top (sides and bottom, too). I applied using a sponge and wiped off excess wax with a cotton cloth.
Use the metal plates from the MARKÖR to keep the table top stable:
Measure and drill holes on the bottom side of your new table top (make sure to not drill through!)
Mount the metal plates.
Apply two more coats of wax on the top.
My pieces had some small holes and irregularities but it doesn’t matter much, the wax keeps it protected.
Polish with the wax to get a nice surface.
Reassemble the MARKÖR frame and legs once the paint is dry and hardened.
Measure and drill holes on the bottom side of the table top for the frame screws (make sure to not drill through!).
Put the table top upside down on a carpet and mount the frame.
Done!
How long and how much did it cost?
It took a few weeks in total with the rounds of paint drying. Actual work time maybe 10-12 hours in total.
Costs:
MARKÖR table (used): 25 EUR
Elm pieces, including planing, cutting, and gluing: 360 EUR
Paint and sandpaper: about 30 EUR
Total: 415 EUR
If it was even possible to find this in a store, it would probably sell for 1000-1500 EUR, I guess. A custom-built one would probably be at least as expensive.
What do you like most about the hack?
The contrast between the dark gray frame and legs and the natural elm top is beautiful. It’s also very heavy and rustic, doesn’t move a bit. It’s a table for a lifetime.
What was the hardest part about this hack?
Finding the right pieces of wood.
What to pay special attention to?
Apply very thin coats of paint when using linseed oil paint!
Carefully selected the pieces of wood for the table top. The fewer pieces you use, the more you should pay attention to the grain pattern and twigs.
Looking back, would you have done it differently?
I probably would have used twig varnish if I could redo it, to not have the bleed-through and having to apply those extra coats of paint.
For further details on the elm coffee table, see Oskar’s post on Twitter and Instagram.
In the gangway to the bedrooms in his home, Marc needed extra place for the books to read in the bedroom. The most suitable space was a corner just outside the rooms. However, the corner BILLY unit sold in IKEA would have taken up too much space.
So, he took two regular BILLY bookcases and converted one of them into a corner element.
If you join two normal BILLY bookcases in a corner you lose a lot of space in the corner which never more can be cleaned up.
His solution was using the corner in full without losing any corner space.
First, assemble one BILLY bookcase according to IKEA instructions.
Then, assemble the second one but leave out one of the side panels where you intend to form the corner.
Place the second BILLY bookcase against the first at an angle. Then, use straight metal brackets to attach the two BILLY bookcases together at the top and bottom shelf.
Next, attach metal brackets along the underside of the shelves. These should extend from the edge of the shelves and become supports for the corresponding shelf on the corner unit.
For the finishing touch he painted the bookcases in red lacquer and covered the backs with wallpaper. You can finish it however you wish, or let it remain in regular IKEA finishes.
He did it a few years ago and he is still very satisfied of it. Many of his friends came alone to admire it and copy it!
And if you’re wondering, it is strong. The corner has no problem holding up a load of books.
See Through Room Divider that doesn’t block the view.
In our 1960s house, the Dining Area and Lounge are one open space that seemed to beg for some separation. I wanted to keep the Lounge’s cozy feeling for reading or watching TV, but not hide the Dining Room from view.
I searched for room screens at local furniture stores and on the internet, and found a few options. The ones in the style I liked were serious furniture: their scale was too massive, they took center-stage and cost a fortune.
I was going for subtle separation, not another piece of furniture added to the mix.
I found the IKEA RISÖR, and liked its simple geometric pattern; the size was right for the space.
When I got it set up in the room, the screen’s frosted panels made it seem like ‘The-Doctor-will-see-you-now’; so I decided to remove the polypropylene panels. (I did this by supporting the frame, wrapping a t-shirt around my fist, and punching the center of each panel; there may be safer ways of doing this, but it worked for me). With the panels removed, it was wonderfully see-through.
I thought it needed more screening pattern, so I cut sticks of wood lattice molding into six additional mullions, which I glued in each ‘window’ at the middle height of the screen; this gave me the effect I wanted. The black finish was too strong for my existing decor, so I de-glossed it by sanding, and painted it a medium grey.
We are pleased with the results, and think the see through room divider gives the room a unique character. Visitors notice it and say they love it.
1. Assemble the six KNAGGLIG crates as per instruction EXCEPT leave the bottom off of two of the KNAGGLIG crates. And install the bottoms upside-down/reversed on the other four units.
This will create a flat top and bottom for smooth joining of the two stacks you’ll be making. You’ll need to use a spade bit to create a counter sink on the four holes of each bottom – I used a 1/2″ spade bit for mine.
2. Stack three KNAGGLIG crates — 2 with bottom, 1 without bottom – so that the one without bottom is in the middle and the one on top is upside-down.
Once satisfied with the placement, glue them together. I used a rope wrapped around from top to bottom with a trucker’s hitch as a clamp. But you can always use a bunch of heavy books on top as a “gravity-clamp” until the glue dries. I used Gorilla Glue, but most any wood glue used for joinery should work.
3. Repeat step 2 with the other 3 KNAGGLIG crates. You can set both stacks up at the same time to dry.
4. Once the glue is dried and cured (I allowed 24 hours for the two stacks to dry and cure), remove all the slats on one side of both stacks. This will be the front of the bookcase.
Word of caution:
Somewhere between 2018 and 2019, IKEA has started to glue the planks of the KNAGGLIG before tacking them to the frame pieces. This has made deconstructing more difficult especially if you intend to re-use the planks in other projects as I did with these.
I’m rather proud of the console barndoor (pictured below) I made out of 8 KNAGGLIG planks reclaimed from this bookcase project. There were 18 planks so I was able to make 2 barndoors. Some changes that IKEA does I just do not understand.
5. Take one of the unused KNAGGLIG bottoms and drill four new holes near the four pre-drilled holes. Using these newly drilled holes, attach this bottom piece to the end of one of the two stacks with the two ribs of the bottom directly against the stack. This will be the bottom of the book case. Now attach the EKET legs to that new bottom. It should look like this:
6. After setting the stack upright on the EKET legs, place the second KNAGGLIG stack on top. Glue into place. While the weight of the top stack should suffice, you may want to place some heavy books or other weighty objects as a “gravity-clamp”.
Making shelves
7. While waiting for the glue in step 6 to dry and cure (at least 8 hours but 24 hours is better), go ahead and cut the HEJNE shelves down to size.
I cut the HEJNE planks to 16-5/8″ long and the end pieces were cut to 8-7/8″ long. That made for a snug fit that almost didn’t need screws for support – almost.
The cut end piece made a convenient template for drilling the screw holes for shelf support.
8. Once the glue in step 6 has dried, time to put in the downsized HEJNE shelves. I used my template to place the shelf support even with the bottom edge of the middle plank on the side of the two stacks.
It is easier to actually drill all four holes and insert the screws far enough in that it just takes a turn or two to keep the shelf in place as you screw in all four screws.
9. Once you’ve got all eight screws put in for both HEJNE shelves (one for the top KNAGGLIG stack and one for the bottom stack,) they should look something like this:
That’s it … the finished crate bookshelf project:
For me, KNAGGLIGs are like LEGOs for adults and IVARs are like Erector sets.
Outdoor trellis comes indoors as a lighted room divider.
As many of you do, due to COVID-19, we spend most of our time at home.
We wanted to make the home environment more cozy and charming and designed a lighted room divider. Our project is called Velumen.
We wanted to take a simple and inexpensive object and reimagine its usefulness and beauty. One that could enter any home for not too much money but for great effect.
With our room divider you can easily create an inspirational private space in your apartment, even if it is small.
2. With a foot placed on it to secure it in place, use the back of the hammer to pry the support wood from the 5 planks.
3. Now that you’ve separated the two support pieces, take your wire cutter and clip away all the nails poking through the bottom.
4. Next take you hammer and finish the job by hammering them until they are no longer visible.
5. For good measure take your sandpaper and go over the support planks one more time to ensure no nails poke through. If you can’t get rid of your nails completely, don’t worry, cover the bottom of the wood with duck tape or a similar film to protect your floor.
6. Take your ruler and find the center point of the support piece. Making a mark with your white pencil.
7. Take your hand saw and cut that support piece in half. These will become part of the base of the Velumen Room Divider.
8. Next take the planks from the TORDH shelf, and place them on the floor. There should be 5 in total.
9. Take two of the planks, placing them end-to-end, creating a longer 39” surface from the two 19.5” planks.
10. Do the same thing with the next two planks. Placing the new 39” surface parallel to the first one you placed.
ASSEMBLE THE BASE
11. Take the two halves of the supporting piece you cut and screw them to the underside of the two long planks, connecting them with about an inch gap between.
12. Take your GRANHULT brackets and place them on top of the two 39” surfaces that you made from the four planks.
13. Align the edges of the GRANHULT brackets with the outer edges of the two long planks in order to find the proper distance to screw them in place. But don’t screw yet!
14. There should be a gap between the two long 39” surfaces that’s around an inch.
15. Take that last plank from the TORDH shelf and measure off 5 inches.
16. Take your hand saw and cut off those 5 inches. This piece will be used to screw the base planks you just prepared for securing. Keep the remaining 14.5 inches, we will use that later.
17. Now that you have your 5 inch piece of wood, place that under the two long blanks, and begin to screw them into place. Use two screws at the end of each plank for a sum of 8 screws total.
18. At this point you should have the wooden base entirely secured.
19. Next take the GRANHULT Brackets and place them 5 inches from the outside edges of the name wooden base.
20. Take 4 more screws and secure both brackets in place, using two screws for each bracket.
21. Congratulations! The base is complete.
INSTALL ASKHOLMEN TRELLIS INTO THE BASE
1. Take your ASKHOLMEN Trellis and lie it flat on the floor, adjust the length of the freely folding trellis until the squares between each wood piece form 90 degree angles.
2. Take the leftover 14.5’ plank and screw that to the center of the fourth row of the trellis, securing the proper angles of the structure. Use two more screws for this. This will serve as a handle as well!
3. Now that the trellis has been secured, mount it into the brackets. To do this, slide the edges of the rellis into the cavities on both brackets. This should hold the trellis in place reliably.
Congratulations! You have successfully installed the trellis.
PREPARE PAPER LANTERNS
1. You can prepare paper lanterns by laser cutting the material or by manually cutting it (the second option is doable, but will require much more time) . Use this pattern or make your own!
You want to laser cut or manually cut these four shapes:
3. Email Adobe Illustrator file to a laser cutting facility of your choice asking them to laser cut 35 cubes (one cube consists of four above mentioned shapes). So you will need to laser cut 70 shapes out of chipboard and 70 shapes out of Vellum.
4. After getting your cuts done, assemble your 35 cubes, by glueing together these details in this order:a) Chipboard box with glue tabs and vellum cover with glue tabs b) Chipboard box without glue tabs and Vellum cover without glue tabs c) Form a cube by glueing part a and part b
5. Congratulations! You have prepared your paper lanterns.
INSTALL PAPER LANTERNS INTO THE TRELLIS
1. Take your paper lanterns and place them into every available hole of the trellis. Subtracting the three filled by the 14.5” handle that secures the trellis’s rigidity, there should be 35 holes to fill.
2. To finish off the piece, take your lights and string them through the tops of your lanterns or in whichever way works easiest for the lights you have available.
3. Congratulations you have finished your Velumen room divider.
How long and how much did it cost?
Breakdown of Time
Construction of Base: 30- 45 min
Mounting Trellis: 15 min
Building Lanterns: 6 hours with one person
Threading lights: 15-20 min
What do you like most about the hack?
Vellum paper reveals the underlying pattern of the lanterns when either sunlight or the lights inside shine through it. The natural flow of transparent Vellum paper masks the rigid structure of the chipboard lantern.
What was the hardest part about this hack?
The hardest part was assembling the lanterns. They are extremely simple to build, but we would recommend grabbing a friend to help you so that you can finish folding the lanterns faster.
What to pay special attention to?
Pay special attention not to tear the paper of the lanterns when you’re threading the lights. When I did it, I stuffed at least 2 lights into every lantern and I had to gently fold down the flaps so that I wouldn’t tear the corners with the cords on the string lights.
We used the IKEA LEDLJUS light initially, but the easiest light to use is the Icicle type hanging light. The longer sections of wire between each strand make it easy to hide them behind the paper, and the bunchings allow easy allotment for each lantern. They’re also less expensive.
Looking back, would you have done it differently?
We would have purchased another TORDH shelf. For this design we really made every piece of material count, but in the future, that extra supply of clean planks could make fabrication a lot easier. Also, we would rethink the placement of the handle so that all 38 holes of the lighted room divider can be filled with lanterns.
~ by Jane Voronovich, Tirth Engineer, Shayn Jackson
More photos of the VELUMEN lighted room divider (click to enlarge)
The space under a sloping ceiling is always a bit of a challenge. Costantino has an attic with a sloped ceiling where he wanted to fill with bookcases and free up the living room.
His bookcase of choice was the cheap and very hackable BILLY. However the BILLY is not modular, unlike the PLATSA system which lets you position frames like a step bookcase.
The only solution was to hack.
Admitting he was not skilled at carpentry, Costantino kept it simple.
His plan: cut the two sides into different heights and forget about a sloped top.
Here’s what happened on first attempt. It looked promising.
And the second.
Sloped ceiling bookcase hack
How-to:
First, measure and measure.
Then, he marked the cut lines on the BILLY side panels. Be careful to correctly mark the left and right panels. Cut the side panels with a jigsaw. For a cleaner cut, he recommends using a blade with finer teeth, set at a slower speed and to exercise more care in removing the masking tape from the cut lines.
And after completing the first bookcase, place the upright of the second BILLY side by side with the first and mark the cutting line. Otherwise you may get two sides with one or two millimetres difference, which would be a pain to fix.
Without the top panel, the BILLY was wobbly. Costantino shortened the top piece and positioned it lower as a top shelf.
The last step was to cut the back panel. Measure the top position at each side, draw a line and cut with a cutter on the white side (not the brown).
Secure each module to the wall with appropriate wall fixings.
Lastly, he joined the bottom of one BILLY to another using metal joiners (leftover from a previous PLATSA installation). You can also screw the units together through the dowel holes.
All in all, he’s stoked with the results. The bookcases look good and fits perfectly under the sloped ceiling.
A folding screen is a quick way to divide a room and create private spaces. IKEA currently sells the RISÖR room divider and that’s it. Nothing much in this department.
But fret not, it’s easy to make one. The IVAR side units are perfect for this DIY project and can be customised to function as more than a privacy screen in so many ways.
Then I placed one panel next to another and attach them together with hinges. I used 3 per joint.
Place the panels flat on the fabric. Cut fabric to size for each panel. Fold and staple the edges to the IVAR post. Pull the fabric taut for a smooth finish.
~ by Corinne
IKEA made one too some time ago. See their version pictured below.
#2 A charming partition with cane webbing
Photo: LivetHemma
This lovely one is from IKEA’s discontinued DIY blog, Livet Hemma. Instructions are lost but you can refer to this IVAR cane headboard post for a similar tutorial.
Love this gorgeous knotted screen from My French Twist. Despite how complicated it looks, she reassures us that it consists of one basic knot (excluding the Lark’s Head Knot at the top.) That makes it so doable, even for macrame noobs. Tutorial here.
The same folding screen frame but staggered with the addition of the shorter side unit. Which makes for a more interesting formation, if prefer a varied height. Emmeline added a plank across the rungs to form a shelf. You can certainly add more planks for more shelving. Read more.
Partial cover that still lets light through. Alternate with fabric and twine or any kind of yarn you like.
Some pointers before you begin:
The 20″ IVAR side units would be more stable with its wider footprint. Bear in mind, if you choose the taller units, it may wobble or topple easily when opened too wide. Please note that this project may not be suitable if you have small children (or cats!)
I’m coming back with what I love the most, giving makeovers to old stuff and making them not just nicer but also giving them a new purpose.
I had an old IKEA footstool laying around my home for a while (so old it’s already discontinued). The cover looked not only worn out, but it didn’t match my living room color-scheme at all.
It also had the sole purpose of existing and taking precious space from my tiny living room.
Therefore, I have refreshed it using stuff I had at home and turned it into a beautiful footstool with storage for my blankets.
3. Per mark, drill a hole using the 2mm bit and screw a 3x12mm through the square brackets. The hole will guide the screw through the wood and prevent it from from splintering. The brackets won’t be seen from the outside.
4. Measure and extract the inner shape of the stool.
5. Cut such shape in a 5mm plywood board. Pro tip: if you use a jigsaw, you can use a wooden strip as support to ensure cutting a straight line.
6. Use the leftovers to thicken the area where the screws will be. Glue them with CA and place the screws.
7. Using an old KIVIK couch cover, my mom (thanks mom!!) upholstered separately the cushion (including its base board) and the main body.
8. The edges are tucked in and stapled to the body walls and legs.
9. Screw the hinges to one of the walls and the cushion’s board.
The result is just awesome!
It matches perfectly the couch cover and the living room theme as well as serves as storage for those blankets that come in so handy in the cozy evenings of pjs and Netflix.
The quote for a bespoke bookcase was over £3K. We rolled up our shelves and hacked ourselves an IKEA HAVSTA built-in bookcase. We love that we get the bespoke looking finish for the IKEA price!
Our cats had basically destroyed this poor couch (see photo of side arm) and we’d already decided that it was time to change it out. I had even posted it free on Craigslist.
BUT I loved the storage and the couch and chaise were both still very comfy.
So I decided we could just keep the chaise. I uninstalled it to make it easier to transport and realized that the chaise was ideal if we put it against the wall.
At first I thought about chopping the back so the chaise would have a back, but decided that the pillows against the wall were sufficient for the time being.
Maybe one day, I’ll build a back for it, but for now, it’s all good. And the space we have it is a PERFECT reading nook.
I wanted a small, portable table that I could use to put my food and drinks on when sitting in my garden. As I would use it only occasionally, I didn’t want to buy something that would just take up space in my house or shed. (I already have a large dining table in my garden).
Although a foldable table would have been appropriate, I had left over materials and decided to make something myself.
I already owned the BEKVÄM stool and the size was ideal. I decided to make an extension so the stool could be used as an occasional side table. The furniture board (detachable table top) does not take up much space, so I just store it in my shed when I don’t need it.
Cut the furniture board into the desired size, depending on how large you want the side table to be. Use sandpaper to smooth the edges.
Step 2:
Cut two pieces of wood into the shape of the BEKVÄM stool opening on top. Use sandpaper to smooth the edges and to ensure they fit through the opening.
Step 3:
Place the two pieces of wood on top of each other and drill the screw into the center.
Two pieces of wood attached to the furniture board
Step 4:
Decide how you want to place the furniture board on top of the BEKVÄM stool. Then, place the stack of two pieces of wood in the right place and drill the screw through the furniture board. The screw has to be sufficiently tight so that the two pieces of wood can be twisted only with some force.
Bottom piece of wood twisted to secure furniture board to BEKVÄM stool. Photo taken from below.
Step 5:
The screw is now sticking out from the furniture board or what’s now the table top. Use a door knob or any desired alternative to cover and secure it.
Step 6:
The furniture board can now be placed on top of the BEKVÄM stool and secured to the stool by twisting the bottom piece of wood that is sticking out underneath.
And there you have it, a step stool side table.
How much did it cost and how long did it take?
I did not buy any of the materials specifically for this project, using only what I had leftover. If buying new, a BEKVÄM stool costs £25.
Cutting and smoothing the wood took the most time. In total, the project took me a couple of hours.
What’s the most difficult part of this hack?
The most difficult part was to cut the two small pieces of wood in the right shape, so they would be able to fit through the opening of the BEKVÄM stool.
It is important to find a screw with the right length. It has to stick out somewhat in order to secure the furniture board and two pieces of wood, but not too much. In my case it stuck out around 1.5 cm, so the doorknob could be screwed on easily. Adding the doorknob was a last-minute idea. I don’t like this particular doorknob as it is old and discolored, but it emphasizes the fact that I used recycled materials only.
Personally I like the idea of the doorknob, because it is easy to carry the furniture board (also with the stool attached), but a smooth surface may have been more aesthetically pleasing.
We have 3 full width, 3 half width BILLY bookcases and 4 GNEDBY CD/DVD storage. We’re about to move to a new home where we’ve been told we can’t secure the bookcases to the wall. Has anyone found any solution to this, perhaps using something like Command strips?
Thanks,
Steve
***
Hi Steve
Anchoring your tall bookcases to the wall is an important safety step and I’m glad you’re not overlooking it.
Consumer Reports recommends kits with straps made from nylon webbing or braided steel cable. The anchoring kits are typically comprised of two brackets tethered by a strap or cable. One bracket screws directly into the piece of furniture; the other fastens into a stud in the wall. The connecting strap or cable is typically affixed to each bracket, then tightened in place. The point of an anchoring kit is to prevent furniture tip over accidents.
IKEA also recommends screwing one part of the bracket directly to the wall and the other end onto the furniture with their provided wall anchor kits. You can request for one here.
I assume your landlord is wary of tenants making lots of holes in the walls. However, most landlords are okay if they patch up the holes and paint the wall when they move out. Do check with your landlord as safety should not be compromised.
Failing which, there are alternative anchoring kits.
#1 Furniture anti-tip kit
Qdos sells a furniture anti-tip kit which can be installed without screws. However, it still needs a picture hook, which they claim leaves a tiny pinhole with minimal damage to dry walls. Easily patched up when you leave. It’s available on Amazon.
#2 Baby safety strap locks
Reddit user found baby safety straps as a solution. Nextstopplease writes, “I have used these baby safety locks on a thin bookcase and lightweight bathroom cabinet, after one year they’re still holding up! The adhesive is very strong and I can tighten the straps to ensure the furniture doesn’t wobble or move.”
I’d suggest checking them regularly as the adhesive stickers and straps may deteriorate over time. Be aware the adhesive stickers may detach in the event of a tip over, as they will not be able to stop the force of a heavy bookshelf falling forward.
#3 Stabilise the bookcase
Other factors that may help is to always place heavy books and items on the bottom shelves to keep the bookshelves grounded.
As for Command strips, I don’t think the adhesive stickers have what it takes to anchor a bookshelf to the wall. If it’s just to stop them from wobbling when you open the doors, perhaps they’ll work. But as a safety measure, it is not what I would use.
Other methods like glue actually leave more damage on the wall and is harder to clean up when you want to move out.
All said, especially if you have kids, I would highly recommend screwing in the IKEA wall anchor kits — from the BILLY bookcases to the wall with hardware suitable for your wall. Patch up the holes when you move.
All the best in talking to your landlord.
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.
We wanted to have a heavy rustic wooden table, with only two or three pieces of wood glued together. This style fits our house and other furniture very well, but it’s hard to find in stores and it gets very expensive. And we wanted to have something unique that we’ve made ourselves!
It’s from and old dead elm tree that grew nearby, and was cut down 15-20 years ago
Dimensions (glued together): 1230x710x40 mm
Linseed oil paint:
Ottosson Titan-Zink White, 10 cl
Ottosson 1A-4950 Iron Oxide Black, 10 cl
Handcrafted brush for linseed oil paint
Furniture wax (I used an uncolored one consisting of linseed oil, carnauba wax, and beeswax)
Elm coffee table instructions:
Disassemble the MARKÖR coffee table fully, even the metal plates to hold the table top together.
Apply the paint removal to the lacquered and stained pieces (legs, frame, drawer). Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Remove the paint (again, according to the paint removal instructions).
Sand the previously painted pieces, starting at grit 60 and going gradually up to 240.
(Optional) Apply a barrier color or twig varnish to stop resin from leaking through or discoloring the finish.
I didn’t do this, partly because of the age of the wood but also because I’m using such a dark color.
If you’re using a brighter linseed oil paint color, I recommend using a twig varnish.
Mix the black and white paints to a blend you like (I used about 2 parts black and 1 part white) in a resealable container.
Apply the linseed oil paint to all leg and frame pieces of wood.
Follow the instructions of the particular linseed oil paint manufacturer.
With Ottosson, you normally do 3 applications, but I had some bleed from the twigs so I applied it a few times extra.
You can put the brush in a sealed plastic bag in the freezer between applications, no brush cleaning required inbetween!
The tricky part: the table top
I contacted a nearby saw mill and found the two pieces of elm there. They helped me plane, cut, and glue together the pieces according to the dimensions we asked for. We asked for a slightly longer and wider table top (60mm wider than the frame both in width and length). This makes it look more balanced as we used a thicker top than the original (40mm instead of 20mm).
These pieces are mirrored, making it a beautiful joint piece of wood.
You could use other kinds of wood, like oak, cherry, walnut, or something else with an interesting grain pattern.
Sand the table top up to grit 240.
Apply one layer of furniture wax to the entire table top (sides and bottom, too). I applied using a sponge and wiped off excess wax with a cotton cloth.
Use the metal plates from the MARKÖR to keep the table top stable:
Measure and drill holes on the bottom side of your new table top (make sure to not drill through!)
Mount the metal plates.
Apply two more coats of wax on the top.
My pieces had some small holes and irregularities but it doesn’t matter much, the wax keeps it protected.
Polish with the wax to get a nice surface.
Reassemble the MARKÖR frame and legs once the paint is dry and hardened.
Measure and drill holes on the bottom side of the table top for the frame screws (make sure to not drill through!).
Put the table top upside down on a carpet and mount the frame.
Done!
How long and how much did it cost?
It took a few weeks in total with the rounds of paint drying. Actual work time maybe 10-12 hours in total.
Costs:
MARKÖR table (used): 25 EUR
Elm pieces, including planing, cutting, and gluing: 360 EUR
Paint and sandpaper: about 30 EUR
Total: 415 EUR
If it was even possible to find this in a store, it would probably sell for 1000-1500 EUR, I guess. A custom-built one would probably be at least as expensive.
What do you like most about the hack?
The contrast between the dark gray frame and legs and the natural elm top is beautiful. It’s also very heavy and rustic, doesn’t move a bit. It’s a table for a lifetime.
What was the hardest part about this hack?
Finding the right pieces of wood.
What to pay special attention to?
Apply very thin coats of paint when using linseed oil paint!
Carefully selected the pieces of wood for the table top. The fewer pieces you use, the more you should pay attention to the grain pattern and twigs.
Looking back, would you have done it differently?
I probably would have used twig varnish if I could redo it, to not have the bleed-through and having to apply those extra coats of paint.
For further details on the elm coffee table, see Oskar’s post on Twitter and Instagram.
In the gangway to the bedrooms in his home, Marc needed extra place for the books to read in the bedroom. The most suitable space was a corner just outside the rooms. However, the corner BILLY unit sold in IKEA would have taken up too much space.
So, he took two regular BILLY bookcases and converted one of them into a corner element.
If you join two normal BILLY bookcases in a corner you lose a lot of space in the corner which never more can be cleaned up.
His solution was using the corner in full without losing any corner space.
First, assemble one BILLY bookcase according to IKEA instructions.
Then, assemble the second one but leave out one of the side panels where you intend to form the corner.
Place the second BILLY bookcase against the first at an angle. Then, use straight metal brackets to attach the two BILLY bookcases together at the top and bottom shelf.
Next, attach metal brackets along the underside of the shelves. These should extend from the edge of the shelves and become supports for the corresponding shelf on the corner unit.
For the finishing touch he painted the bookcases in red lacquer and covered the backs with wallpaper. You can finish it however you wish, or let it remain in regular IKEA finishes.
He did it a few years ago and he is still very satisfied of it. Many of his friends came alone to admire it and copy it!
And if you’re wondering, it is strong. The corner has no problem holding up a load of books.
See Through Room Divider that doesn’t block the view.
In our 1960s house, the Dining Area and Lounge are one open space that seemed to beg for some separation. I wanted to keep the Lounge’s cozy feeling for reading or watching TV, but not hide the Dining Room from view.
I searched for room screens at local furniture stores and on the internet, and found a few options. The ones in the style I liked were serious furniture: their scale was too massive, they took center-stage and cost a fortune.
I was going for subtle separation, not another piece of furniture added to the mix.
I found the IKEA RISÖR, and liked its simple geometric pattern; the size was right for the space.
When I got it set up in the room, the screen’s frosted panels made it seem like ‘The-Doctor-will-see-you-now’; so I decided to remove the polypropylene panels. (I did this by supporting the frame, wrapping a t-shirt around my fist, and punching the center of each panel; there may be safer ways of doing this, but it worked for me). With the panels removed, it was wonderfully see-through.
I thought it needed more screening pattern, so I cut sticks of wood lattice molding into six additional mullions, which I glued in each ‘window’ at the middle height of the screen; this gave me the effect I wanted. The black finish was too strong for my existing decor, so I de-glossed it by sanding, and painted it a medium grey.
We are pleased with the results, and think the see through room divider gives the room a unique character. Visitors notice it and say they love it.
