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A movable workbench for the workshop or craft room

I decided to hack a movable workbench when I moved from an apartment with a small room as a workshop. Now I have a bigger room and I can move the bench around when I clean and when I do a bigger project.

It took a day’s work to complete the bench and the biggest cost was the chests. What I like most is that I now have a nice open surface for my projects.

IKEA items used:
Other tools and materials:
How to hack a movable workbench

First, decide how big the bench should be. (Be precise or you will have to remodel it like me.)

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A movable workbench for the workshop or craft room

Then decide where to place the MALM chests.

Screw the 2x4s together so the chests will fit snugly in between.

Attach the wheels then flip the bottom construction over and attach the chests.

Depending on the distance between the chests, you might want to attach some shelves between them.

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A movable workbench for the workshop or craft room

Now it’s time to decide the top. I took a simple plywood and reinforced it with studs

I then attached electric outlets on the side to supply to electric tools.

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A movable workbench for the workshop or craft room

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A movable workbench for the workshop or craft room

For anyone thinking about this project, I would advise to not overdo it — a big bench is hard to move. I had to shorten it because it was too big and I shortened it to 50 cm.

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A movable workbench for the workshop or craft room

~ by Anders Hägg

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Guitar stand that’s affordable and easy to hack

For a Father’s Day gift, a friend wanted to give her husband a guitar stand without spending hundreds of dollars. This took 2 hours to design and build. It cost only the price of the IVAR shelving unit. I used scrap wood for the braces. The wood used in the IVAR unit is soft and weak once cut into and compromised. It needed to be reinforced with braces. I made some out of scrap wood, but you could use metal braces from a store.

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Ivar guitar stand

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Ivar guitar stand

IKEA item used:
  • IVAR Shelving Unit
  • IVAR Shelves
Materials and tools:

How to hack a guitar stand from the IVAR unit

1. Measure and mark the cut-outs for the guitar neck. Mine are 3″ wide and 10″ deep, with a half circle in the middle of the shelf. They are spaced evenly across length of the top shelf. I cut out four. You could make less or more, depending on your guitar needs.

2. Using a jigsaw, make your cuts.

3. Make and attach braces for the top of the top shelf. These should stretch from the back of the shelf to close to the front of the shelf. These braces are added to keep the top shelf of the guitar stand strong. They are completely necessary. Do not skip this step.

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Ivar guitar stand

4. Make and add cleats on the second shelf from the top. These are 1 1/2″ wide and 16″ long. They are placed 5″ apart. The cleats are added to keep the guitars upright.

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Ivar guitar stand

5. Sand all until desired smoothness. I used a random orbital with 220 grit, and sanded the edges of the wood by hand.

6. For this shelf, the amps go on the bottom since they are heaviest. The pedals go on the next shelf up from the bottom. The guitars go above that. The IVAR shelving unit comes with 5 shelves, but we only used 4.

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Ivar guitar stand

~ by C. Sanborn


You may also like these hacks for guitars

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guitar display

You don’t always need to store your guitars in a guitar stand, you can display them in style. This one is hacked from an old IKEA EXPEDIT 5×5 shelving unit. Only the bottom row is retained and the top section given a new wooden panel. The same can be done with the KALLAX shelving unit. See the tutorial.

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hanging guitar display

Paolo found a very easy way to hang up his guitar, rockstar style. Check it out.

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handmade guitar

Zach crafted a guitar out of an IKEA butcher block. The block sat in his stockpile for 2 years till he came across a quote from Brad Paisley. He said “a Tele(caster) is nothing more than a cutting board, a baseball bat and strings”. And the next Ikea Z guitar made the cut. See more.


 

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Small dog? DIY these dog steps from IKEA crates

I decided to hack the dog steps after watching my puppy struggle to get onto the couch. The options online didn’t suit our decor and we needed an option quite quickly. The project only took me an hour to make and the cost was low as I already had the other tools. The total cost I paid was $32.99.

IKEA products used:
  • 3 x KNAGGLIG box
  • 1 x GURLI cushion cover in grey
Other materials:
  • Staple gun with staples
  • Strong glue suitable for fabric and wood

Steps for my DIY dog steps

1. Cut two rectangles of fabric from Gurli pillow case. Ensure they are large enough to cover the base of the Knagglig box including some overhang.

2. Assemble all Knagglig boxes as per instructions. However, do not attach the base on 2 of the 3 boxes.

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Small dog? DIY these dog steps from IKEA crates


Related: DIY window perch for small dogs


3. Using the fabric cut earlier, wrap the remaining bases. The flat side will act as the step for your dog.

4. Glue wrapped box bases into place to complete the box.

5. Glue one fabric covered box on top of the box without fabric using strong glue.

6. Lastly, glue the two steps together using strong glue and leave overnight. And your dog steps are done.

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Small dog? DIY these dog steps from IKEA crates

Pay special attention to the thickness of the fabric you choose as the base may not be able to slide in to the box.

~ by Courtney

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Portable shower tent for our long RV trips

Living in a 300 sq.ft. tiny home feels capacious after long trips in our 19 ft. long RV. To make the 100 sq.ft. home on wheels feel bigger, we shower outside using the RV’s external hot water faucet, our portable shower tent from an IKEA KURA bed tent, and a bracket on a magnet to hang the shower head. The shower tent dries quickly so you can hit the road with no delay! All for about $35. We bought a green polka dot tent several years ago for our RV. (Image below)

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Portable shower tent for our long RV trips

Our choices this year for a portable KURA shower tent for friends with a new RV were pink or blue (blue below).

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IKEA KURA tent | IKEA.com

Materials needed:
  • IKEA KURA bed tent $20
  • 16 feet Lightweight Nylon line/twine
  • 2 Rings of plastic or metal (like IKEA 1.5 inch plastic curtain rings or key rings)
  • 1 bungee cord 20 inches long
  • Magnets: 1.75-inch diameter x 1/4 inch thick magnet CMS magnetically N52 disc neodymium magnet strength: 13.5 K Gauss and 45.5 lb. pull force (available online $9.78)
  • Felt 2 inch x 2 inch, about 1/16 inch thick

The hack is very simple: use nylon string to connect the already attached 6 white plastic tent pieces so the tent will stand up vertically against the sidewall of the RV…instead of creating the curved dome lying horizontally when attached to a bed. We like the white plastic pieces designed to grab the top bar of a crib or bed frame as they won’t scratch your vehicle when placed as a vertical curved tent. Then you hang it with a bungee cord from your vehicle through rings attached to the strings at the top.

DIY portable shower tent for RV

1. Build the tent following IKEA Assembly Instructions by inserting the included flexible tent poles into the sleeves. This leaves a stiff, flat, taut piece of nylon with 6 white plastic parts… 3 protruding from each side.

2. Turn it inside out so the fabric “ledge” is on the outside when it is curved for use, so it won’t collect water and soap.

3. Cut three strings, 4 feet long each.

4. Attach each string permanently on one side of the tent in a vertical position by knotting one end of the string to each of the 3 plastic parts on that side, as it stands up in a vertical position.

5. Form a big enough loop at the unattached end of each string so that it can easily slip over the white plastic part on the other side… with a 3 ft spread between the fixed end and the looped end!!

6. In an upright position, pull the tent around you to create the curved structure.

7. Attach each string’s looped end to the plastic piece at the same height on the other side. The 3 strings will lie flat against the side of the vehicle. The tent will dome out behind you to create a private space… but it will not stand well on its own. It should be hung up first.

8. Attach one last string 4 feet long through the fabric loop where the only upright pole inserts. Make it a permanently fixed attachment at the top of the upright pole. Turn your tent upside down if needed to knot the string around the insert end that gives you a wad of tent fabric already sewn strongly so you can loop through it.

9. Now, the very important rings… one ring hangs on the top string lying against the side of the van. One ring is tied to the end of the string in the top middle of the tent coming from the top of the upright pole. This should be tied temporarily about 3 ft.long as you will need to adjust it to alter the height of that side of the shower tent. (We have included a picture below of the top of the shower tent showing rings, top strings, and bungees in use).

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Portable shower tent for our long RV trips

9. Run the bungee through both rings and put the hook ends on the RV. Our RV has a high ledge to hook to, but you may need a longer or shorter bungee depending on how high up you have to go to find a place on your RV to support the shower tent. Adjust the hang of the tent, higher or lower, by shortening or lengthening the top strings.

10. The hardware bracket for our particular shower head was available at RV parts stores.

11. We glued the specified magnet (ordered online) to the showerhead bracket using epoxy. We also used epoxy to glue the felt to the magnet so it wouldn’t scratch our RV’s paint.

12. We don’t have a recommendation for a floor mat for the outdoor shower as we would like it to be flexible for uneven surfaces, stay above the water and mud, be foldable for storage, and dry quickly. Any ideas?

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Portable shower tent for our long RV trips

Our final advice: don’t shower naked in this tent in windy conditions… unless you’re an exhibitionist!

~ Sally of Zippity Go Global, Albany, California,

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Rose Gold Dressing Table

We decided to hack the KULLEN chest of drawers to add a unique aesthetic to a common item. The total cost of our rose gold dressing tabel came under £100. What we love most is the contrast of the rose gold against the white.

Materials:
  • Drawers: Ikea Kullen x 2
  • Worktop: B&Q (200cm x 40cm)
  • Acrylic Vinyl: Amazon (Rose Gold)
  • Mirror: Amazon (60cm)
  • Stool: Amazon
  • Accessories: Primark

How to hack your rose gold dressing table:

Assemble Kullen drawers, before inserting drawers wrap the dividers with the acrylic vinyl. Insert the drawers. Secure worktop using screws or adhesive tape.

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rose gold dressing table

See more.

~ by Danny Cooper

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How to disguise your Bike Trailer as a end table

I created this hack for two reasons. It saves space by not having to store my bike trailer and I really thought it would look interesting to use the trailer as an end table. To use the bike trailer all I do is lift off the top and connect to my bike.

IKEA Items used:
  • SLADDA Bike Trailer
  • ÄDELSTEN Mortar and pestle
  • HEJNE deep shelf
  • VÅRDA

Other materials used:

Bike trailer end table instructions

1. I had an extra deep shelf pair from a HEJNE shelf unit I put together. I pried off the ends of the shelf that holds the slats together.

2. I used to 1″x1″ boards as underneath supports. I nailed the slats from the HEJNE shelf to these supports with no spacing.

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How to disguise your Bike Trailer as a end table

3. I drove out the nails that had connected the slats to the end pieces already pried out.

4. I applied the VÅRDA clear stain.

5. I threaded twine through the leftover holes from the nails driven out. One could just trim off the ends so there aren’t any holes.

6. I put felt pads on the underside.

7. I used the ÄDELSTEN upside down with the wood disks stacked for the trailer to be level.

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How to disguise your Bike Trailer as a end table

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How to disguise your Bike Trailer as a end table

~ by Tim

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Show off your shoes in this gorgeous gold rack

As part of my ongoing hunt for more storage I was looking for a creative way to store my shoes on display but without forking out tonnes of money for it. I knew I wanted some kind of bookcase or shelving unit but looking online at pieces to upcycle just wasn’t working well for me. I knew I wanted something metallic and simple so as not to take the focus away from the other furniture I had in the room.

After hunting I decided I wanted something like the HYLLIS shelving unit but it just didn’t have enough shelves for my liking. So I decided to buy two of them which wasn’t too expensive since they are only around £9 each anyway! My plan was to use the extra shelves from the second unit and attach them to the first one in between where the other shelves were meant to go.

Items for my shoe display rack:

Before building the actual units, I took the 4 posts and all the shelves, laid them outside and sprayed them all over using a gold spray paint. I sprayed each section of the shelves with about 3 coats all in all. I made sure that I kept rotating the legs and shelves so that every inch of them was covered.

I then drilled some holes on the legs where the extra shelves would go. This was quite difficult as the drill kept slipping so eventually I used masking tape to stop this happening and it seemed to work quite well! If you do this, make sure you use a suitable drill bit though.

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Shoe display rack: A HYLLIS hack
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Shoe display rack: A HYLLIS hack
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Shoe display rack: A HYLLIS hack

Once all the individual bits were dry and fully coated and the holes had been drilled I then assembled the whole thing. As a side note, it is also worth spraying the tops of the screws gold too so that you don’t end up with screws that look out of place. I then carried the shoe display rack up to my spare room and started to organise my shoes until it warmed my heart!

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Shoe display rack: A HYLLIS hack

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Shoe display rack: A HYLLIS hack

Not including drying time this took me about an hour and a half.

See the full tutorial of my shoe display rack on my blog.

~ by Chloe Rees

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Video Games Table for less than 100 euros

I love to play ’80’s arcade games, so I wanted a video games table — something cool and compact for my living room to play in my spare time using my TV. So I got the idea to create something to be used both as a table and video game console too. I spent less than 100 euros to build it, the hardest part was to build and connect everything without damage to the table or making it weaker.

IKEA items used:
Other materials and tools:

Video games table hack instructions

Create 3 holes on the bottom of the LACK side table — 2 for the controllers, 1 for the computer.

Drill matching holes on the surface for joystick and buttons.

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Video Games Table for less than 100 euros


Related: Bamboo arcade game controller set


Drill also a hole on the side for power supply, HDMI connection for the TV and an extra USB connection (eg. for wifi keyboard)

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Video Games Table for less than 100 euros

My first thought was to embed the monitor into the table, but then I thought it would not be comfortable to play with it. We have a big flat TV at home, so I thought It would have been better to use the flat screen TV. Besides, the video games table would be less expensive.

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Video Games Table for less than 100 euros
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Video Games Table for less than 100 euros


Related: Arcade Video Games booth in a Micke desk


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Video Games Table for less than 100 euros

See more photos of my video games table here.

~ by Luca Enei

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Light up with a cute table lamp made from serving bowls

I created this table lamp and its name is BLANDA BLANDA. It’s shaped like a turtle.

I used the BLANDA BLANK steel serving bowls.

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Blanda Blank serving bowl

Blanda Blank | IKEA.com

The biggest bowl I used as the lamp base, the smaller bowl as lamp holder.

I made a hole in steel bowls using a drill with a steel cutter. Then I joined the two bowls through the lamp holder. The bulb is the LEDARE led lamp E27 1000 lumen.

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Light up with this cute table lamp made from serving bowls


Related: A Verner Panton Flowerpot lookalike from Blanda Blank bowls


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Light up with this cute table lamp made from serving bowls

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Light up with this cute table lamp made from serving bowls

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Light up with this cute table lamp made from serving bowls


Related: A Blanda Blank ceiling light


See my table lamp on my Instagram.

~ by Giovanni, Italy.

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Rattan doors for the EXPEDIT / KALLAX cubbies

This is an old hack of mine. I had an EXPEDIT TV shelving unit and wanted some BRANÄS drawers for it. However, for some of the cubbies a door was better suited, so I had to do a small hack. I hacked the rattan doors for the EXPEDIT but it will work for the KALLAX too.

Materials:

Rattan doors for the EXPEDIT cubbies

I dismantled the rear panel from every BRANÄS drawer I bought. Replaced them with a piece of hard cardboard and used the drawer as intended.

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Rattan doors for the EXPEDIT / KALLAX cubbies
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Rattan doors for the EXPEDIT / KALLAX cubbies
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Rattan doors for the EXPEDIT / KALLAX cubbies

I installed the remaining BRANÄS panels directly to the frame of the EXPEDIT TV unit with piano hinges.

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Rattan doors for the EXPEDIT / KALLAX cubbies

This way I had half of the cubes with BRANÄS boxes and half of them with BRANÄS doors.

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Rattan doors for the EXPEDIT / KALLAX cubbies

See my other hack: the RYSSBY PC.

~ by Peter

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IKEA LACK Stencilled Accent Table for succulents

Hi, my name is Elyse and here’s an IKEA hack inspired by Nifty, on how to upcycle an IKEA LACK side table into a beautiful stenciled accent table complete with succulents.

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IKEA LACK Accent Table for succulents

Materials:

How to make an accent table for succulents

First, sand your IKEA LACK table with 120 grit sandpaper to ensure a smooth, even surface.

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IKEA LACK Accent Table for succulents

Next, decide how big you want to make the cutout in the middle. Pro tip: Buy your succulents or other decorative plants in advance so you have a better idea of how big to make the square opening.

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IKEA LACK Accent Table for succulents

Locate the center of your table using a T-square ruler. Make sure the T-square part of the ruler touches the edge of your table, so the line will be perfectly straight.

Mark the middle of the ruler on the surface of the table and repeat the process on the adjacent side of the table. You will then know the center of the table. From the center, use the T-square ruler to draw four lines of the same length outwards towards each side of the table. Using those four lines and the T-square ruler, create a square.

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IKEA LACK Accent Table for succulents

Now that you have your square marked out, tape down the T-square ruler so it doesn’t move and take a box cutter to start cutting your square. Keep going over the same edge until it feels as if the blade has cut through the table. Repeat this process until all four sides have been cut and the square can be removed from the table.

The material inside of the LACK table is like cardboard and can easily be removed with just your hands. Scoop out any of the material inside of the square opening so that the plants can rest at the bottom of the table. Then sand the edges of the square opening you created so everything looks even and smooth.

To make sure that paint will stick to the table, apply two even coats of primer. We recommend Stix primer, but any good adhesive primer will do. Make sure to coat the legs of the table too!

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IKEA LACK Accent Table for succulents

Wait until the primer has dried and then apply two coats of paint. Pro Tip: make sure you let the first coat of paint dry completely (about an hour) before you start the second to avoid the paint being pulled up by a roller. Now you’re ready to start stenciling!

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IKEA LACK Accent Table for succulents
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IKEA LACK Accent Table for succulents
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IKEA LACK Accent Table for succulents

Start from the middle of the table and work your way outwards. This will make it easier to plan out the spacing in between each different stencil design. You can even take it a step farther and use a chalk pencil to outline specific parts of each stencil, so you remember where you wanted each stencil to go. The best part about inlay stencils is that the choice is all yours! You can mix and match different stencil patterns from the kit to suit your style and create a unique piece every time.

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IKEA LACK Accent Table for succulents

You can also tape off certain sections of the stencil pattern to fit in certain areas or to create your own unique stencil design. This is easy and only requires a small amount of tape. Just place the tape over the sections you don’t want stenciled and the tape will act as a mask covering that part of the stencil.

You can also use the T-square ruler to make sure your stencils are aligned straight! Put your stencil where desired and then place the T-square part of the ruler up against the edge of the table so that the ruler is next to the stencil. If the entire edge of the stencil touches the ruler, the stencil is straight and you can start stenciling! If not, simply readjust the stencil so that the edge matches up with the ruler and then begin stenciling.

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IKEA LACK Accent Table for succulents

Once you’ve finished stenciling the major elements, you can always go back and add small details to fill up any empty space! Just place the stencil in the desired space and tape off the sections you don’t want to stencil. It’s that easy!

Once the surface of the table is complete you can move onto the sides of the table! Work your way around until you reach the first side you started with. You can even mix and match stencil designs so that each side has a different pattern!

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IKEA LACK Accent Table for succulents

Now you can finally stencil the legs! Flip the table on its side to make stenciling the legs even easier. Pro Tip: If you want to stencil just a border, use a strip of blue painter’s tape to mask off the entire middle portion of the stencil. This will allow you to stencil the border in a breeze! Finish off the legs to complete the stenciling portion of this gorgeous DIY upcycled project.

Seal your amazing DIY accent table with two coats of water-based polyurethane. This will help to keep your upcycled IKEA LACK table from being scratched or damaged from spills!

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IKEA LACK Accent Table for succulents

Place a small plastic bag or some tin foil in the bottom of the square opening. This will create a barrier between the bottom of the table and the soil for the plants. Add your succulents for the finishing touch!

The accent table project took about 6 hours and cost around $45

See the complete tutorial of the LACK accent table.

~ by Elyse

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Single ODDVALD keyboard stand (or side table)

I bought two Oddvald trestles as I was inspired by the piano stand hack but both would have been overkill for my little keyboard. I then worked out this way to use a single trestle as the keyboard stand base.

It took 3 or 4 hours though I did it over a few days to let paint and glue dry.
The cost is £10 for the ODDVALD trestle and £7 for table top wood. I owned everything else already.

IKEA items:
  • One IKEA ODDVALD Trestle Stand
  • Signum Cable Trunking – Optional
Other materials and tools:
  • Small piece of 18mm ply – 40cm x 30cm
  • Large board for table top – 40cm x 90cm – I used 18mm spruce ply
  • Drill, jigsaw, hand saw, file, sandpaper
  • Black paint
  • 6 x 4cm wood screws
  • Wood glue

Instructions ODDVALD for keyboard stand

1. Draw out three brackets on the 40cm x 30cm ply using the measurements on the template or print out the A4 template to trace/mark them. If you print make sure the measurements are correct on the printed template.

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Single ODDVALD keyboard stand (or side table)

2. Use a jigsaw to cut out the shape. Remember, the inside of the A shape needs to be a very tight fit on the sides of the top bar of the Oddvald so cut the wood slightly too large and use a square file to reduce it to size. Check often until brackets just about slide on while pulling the A shape open slightly.

3. Drill holes in brackets. The holes need to be around 50mm from the end of each bracket and counter sunk. The screws you have need to go from the counter sink through into the table top but not out the other side of the board so place your holes accordingly. I used 40mm wood screws.

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Single ODDVALD keyboard stand (or side table)

4. You need to lower the table height so your keyboard keys is at the standard 72cm-ish hight.

Use calipers or ruler and pencil to mark 60mm from the bottom around the end of each leg. As the legs are at an angle you need to mark around the entire leg.

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Single ODDVALD keyboard stand (or side table)

Use a hand saw to cut each leg down to size. Use a file to take the edges of each leg.

5. You need to move the long crossbar back so it’s out of the way of your feet while you are sitting at the keyboard.

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Single ODDVALD keyboard stand (or side table)

Take both short crossbars and mark 50mm in the centre of the wood from one end. Then use a 6mm wood drill bit to make hole.

6. Use black paint to paint all three brackets, the bottom of each leg if needed, and the inside of the holes left in the short cross bars.

7. Watch paint dry.

8. Slide the brackets onto top bar of ODDVALD bar, one in the centre and one around 30mm in from each end. Be careful not to cover the leg holes.

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Single ODDVALD keyboard stand (or side table)
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9. Lay the 40cm x 90cm table top on a solid surface and place the top bar with the brackets in the centre. Clamp or use heavy objects to hold brackets in place. Use a 2mm wood drill bit to drill guide holes in the table top.

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Single ODDVALD keyboard stand (or side table)

10. Remove the brackets and top bar, glue the top of the brackets and place back on the table top. Clamp again. Screw in place. Let wood glue dry.

11. Attach ODDVALD legs. Then attach the short cross bars. Then use the 6mm holes you drilled earlier to attach the long crossbar.

12. Use a file to take any sharp edges and corners off the table top and sand sides, edges and top. You can stain or varnish the table top or just leave as is.

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Single ODDVALD keyboard stand (or side table)

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13. Attach SIGNUM or other cable management onto the underside at the back if needed. Chuck on your keyboard on the keyboard stand and start playing!

What do you like most about your keyboard stand?

I like the way the brackets are designed to clamp onto the top bar with no glue or screws or bolts.

What was the hardest part about this hack?

Shaping the insides of the brackets. It’s best to cut to slightly large and slowly file them down.

What to pay special attention to?

Make sure you’ve measured out the leg shortening cuts correctly! The wood is at an angle on both the x and y axis.

Looking back, would you have done it differently?

Used lacquer paint not cheap black paint.

~ by Nathan Rae @thenathanrae

 

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The IKEA Billy Project: A BILLY library like no other

Benjamin sent in his massive IKEA BILLY project — a BILLY library to be exact. He wanted “a large bookcase in the style of a small library.” And he got exactly what he envisioned.

The library spans across a doorway and so classy when lit.

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The IKEA Billy Project: A BILLY library like no other

If you’re planning on your own BILLY project, the bridge is probably the part to pay most attention to. It’s formed from 2 rows of BILLY height extension units and Benjamin took extra steps to make sure everything holds up.


Related: French country house library


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The IKEA Billy Project: A BILLY library like no other

The middle row of BILLY bookcases were cut down to fit a media center.

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The IKEA Billy Project: A BILLY library like no other

IKEA items used:
  • IKEA BILLY bookcase 40 x 28 x 202 cm
  • BILLY Height Extension units
  • OXBERG glass doors
Other materials and tools:
  • Light installation
  • Top sides
  • Chipboards
  • Plasterboards
  • Stucco profiles
  • Electric drill
  • Tool kits

The steps are too numerous to list on this post. Take a look at the video below for an overview of the build.

A short video on the light effects. Beautiful!

Then hop on to his website to check out the instructions and process photos.

~ by Benjamin Ferger

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GALANT tool cabinet with roll down shades

I wanted to find a tool cabinet to house my tools and other items. It needed to maximize space and hide all the clutter as well.

Materials:
  • 3 white GALANT Add-On units (80 x 80 x 40)
  • 1 white shelf (I had it at home, I think it was UTRUSTA, but you can also use KOMPLEMENT)
  • 2 SOMMAR 2018 pleated shades – (100×190)
  • Crochet string
Step 1: Building the tool cabinet

It was an IKEA sale and I found that the GALANT Add-On unit was about 55% off (around $33 each). So I assembled them as per IKEA instructions. Then I stacked 3 on top of each other and I got a 2.4m height cabinet with a depth of 40 cm.

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GALANT add-on unit

GALANT Add-On unit | IKEA.com

I attached the add-on units together with the original screws, I just needed to drill holes in the upper part of the 2 lower units, on both sides.

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GALANT tool cabinet with roll down shades

The bottom add-on unit does not have a shelf. I had at home a shelf I previously bought from IKEA, with the length of 74cm (UTRUSTA), I cut it with a circular saw to fit. And also I cut from it 2 pieces of 74x2cm to lay the shelf on it, so it will not sit on the floor.

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GALANT tool cabinet with roll down shades

Step 2: Creating the shades

I bought the SOMMAR shades for about $3.50 each.

Since the length of the cabinet is 2.4m and shade is only 1.9m I needed to attach 2 shades together. I sewed them together manually with back stitches since the glue of the SOMMAR is very weak and cannot hold.

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GALANT tool cabinet with roll down shades

Cut the width of the shade to 80cm to fit the length of the cabinet.

Take a power drill with a small wooden drill, and drill small holes, about 3 cm from each side of shades, all the way through the pleats.

Cut two 5 meter strings, and thread the string inside the holes. (5 meter is twice the height of cabinet)

Place a small washer at the end of the shade to hold the string and tie it. Or for a nicer touch, you can put a bead instead.

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GALANT tool cabinet with roll down shades

Place metal rod at the bottom of the shade with zip ties, so gravity will bring the curtain down. You can use some wooden stick instead.

Step 3: Attaching the shades

Use the original double sided tape and paste it to the top of the cabinet.

Place 2 hooks to hold the drawstrings (on each side of cabinet). It is better to use closed-loop hooks.

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GALANT tool cabinet with roll down shades

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GALANT tool cabinet with roll down shades

Place each string inside its own hook, and bring both strings to the same side (in my case, it’s the right side)

Close the shades and cut the excess length. (You can make a knot, so both strings will stay together, also you can put another hook to hold the spring inside to keep the shades of the tool cabinet open, if you wish).

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GALANT tool cabinet with roll down shades

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GALANT tool cabinet with roll down shades

~ by Assaf

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How to Pinch Pleat Curtains aka IKEA RITVA luxe version

I wanted a custom and high end looking curtains, but didn’t want to spend a fortune on custom drapery. So with these beautiful IKEA RITVA woven cotton curtains, I have the same custom high-end look of pinch pleat curtains … without the price!

Materials:
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How to Pinch Pleat Curtains using affordable IKEA curtains

before

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How to Pinch Pleat Curtains using affordable IKEA curtains

after! Pinch pleat curtains

Instructions for pinch pleat curtains

Sew two panels together to create a wider panel.

Where the slits are for the rod pocket, that’s where you are going to sew each pleat (it’s 7 inches wide).

Take the rod pocket slots and create three pleats, take your threaded needle and create a stitch sewing 7-10 times.

Secure and then you’re going to stitch again two inches above the other.


Related: Create bold striped black and white RITVA curtains


There are five pleats per panel and since we sewed two panels together, we will make a total of ten pleats.

Once you’re done with the pleats, add the drapery hooks to the back of the panel, hang the panels and then measure the length of your curtain.

Next, remove the panels and iron on the tape to hem it to the right length.

And you’re done! Image may be NSFW.
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🙂

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How to Pinch Pleat Curtains using affordable IKEA curtains


Related: How to add a trim to your RITVA curtains


The full tutorial for the IKEA pinch pleat curtain post is here or you can watch the video tutorial on Youtube.

~ by Rita Crane

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Stylish and affordable built-in headboard with IKEA RAST drawers

From the very beginning of our master bedroom renovation, we wanted to create a built-in headboard at the back of our bed to provide more storage. The project had to be affordable and creative too! As the wall is around 3 m long, our queen size bed fit perfectly between two RAST chests of drawers (24 inches wide each). If your wall is longer, you still can create this headboard by adding drywall frameworks on each side of the headboard to meet the adjacent walls.

IKEA items used:
  • RAST chest of drawers x 2
Other materials and tools:
  • Wood or MDF flat trim (approx. 11 m long and 4 cm wide)
  • A wood board (approx. 30 cm wide, the length will depend on your bed’s width and the layout of the room)
  • 12 door knobs of your choice (I chose door knobs with a polished steel finish)
  • Wooden battens (to create the framework between the chests of drawers)
  • White satin paint
  • Wood glue
  • Wood filler
  • Wood screws
  • Drywall screws
  • Drywall plaster
  • Clamps (to hold the trim and drawers together while the glue dries)
  • A mitre box or an electric mitre saw (to cut the wood trims)
  • A sander

A trowel (to hide the drywall screws)

How to hack RAST chests of drawers to create a stylish built-in headboard:

1. Assemble the two RAST chests of drawers and put them in position so you can see what the headboard will look like, ensuring that your bed will fit in. In our room the fit was just perfect with a few centimeters either side of the bed, allowing us to open and close the drawers with ease when the duvet is in place.

Attach the chests of drawers to the wall and/or floor. Do not insert the plastic pieces that lock the drawers and the chests together, as you will need to remove the drawers later.

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Stylish and affordable built-in headboard with IKEA RAST drawers

2. It is time to create the drywall framework between the chests of drawers. Create a frame using wooden battens and wood screws, fixing them to the chests of drawers and the wall/floor. Be sure to make it strong.

Important: You should leave a space at the front corresponding to the drywall thickness, so the drywall will sit flush with the chests of drawers and not stick out. Ensure that everything is firmly attached. If you have a gap to the left and/or the right of the headboard, you may want to create another framework to meet the adjacent walls.

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Stylish and affordable built-in headboard with IKEA RAST drawers

3. Attach the drywall to the wood framework with drywall screws and fill the screw holes with drywall filler.

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Stylish and affordable built-in headboard with IKEA RAST drawers

4. You can sand the drywall when the filler is dry and paint it with the colour of your choice (knowing that most of the drywall will be hidden behind the bed).

5. Remove the drawers and prepare the wood trim: you will have to cut it at a 45° angle using a mitre box or an electric mitre saw. When all the trim is ready, glue it onto the front of the drawers, ensuring that the trim is flush with the edges.

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Stylish and affordable built-in headboard with IKEA RAST drawers

6. Use clamps to hold the trim and drawers together while the glue dries.

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Stylish and affordable built-in headboard with IKEA RAST drawers

7. When the glue is dry, fill the gaps between the trim with wood filler.

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Stylish and affordable built-in headboard with IKEA RAST drawers

8. When the wood filler is dry, sand the drawers using a sander or sandpaper until the surface is smooth. Vacuum the drawers to prepare them for painting.

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Stylish and affordable built-in headboard with IKEA RAST drawers

9. Paint the drawers and the visible parts of the chests of drawers in the colour of your choice. I chose a white satin paint so the headboard matches the rest of the room, but you may want to choose a bolder colour to make the headboard pop!

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Stylish and affordable built-in headboard with IKEA RAST drawers

10. Attach the knobs (I bought two sets of 6 door knobs for just over £2 a set from a French discount store!).

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Stylish and affordable built-in headboard with IKEA RAST drawers

11. You are almost done! You will now add the wood board to the headboard. The easiest way to proceed is to have the wood board cut at the store when you buy it. Take the measurements carefully and have it cut or cut it yourself. You will then need to attach it from the inside of the chests of drawers using a few wood screws. Make sure the screws won’t go all the way through!

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Stylish and affordable built-in headboard with IKEA RAST drawers

12. Finally, sand and varnish the wood board, if necessary, to create a smooth finish, especially on the edges. Put the drawers back. You may need to apply some acrylic putty to fill the gaps between the chests of drawers and the drywall, and between the wood board and the wall.

Optional: I added white skirting to make it a real built-in piece of furniture, but you could also simply paint the bottom of the chests of drawers to match your existing skirting boards.

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Stylish and affordable built-in headboard with IKEA RAST drawers

13. You can now enjoy your brand-new built-in headboard! This hack may seem time-consuming, but it is definitely worth it as it will add a chic accent to any room while being quite affordable (less than £100 for me). Although it may seem a bit low to sit in your bed and read a book, it is actually very comfortable if you add some pillows behind your neck or back Image may be NSFW.
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😊
We are so happy with it!

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Stylish and affordable built-in headboard with IKEA RAST drawers

If you enjoyed this built-in headboard hack, feel free to subscribe to my new Instagram account (link: ) to see other Ikea hacks and the rest of our house renovation!Image may be NSFW.
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😊
Any suggestions to improve this hack would be appreciated. Until next time!

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Stylish and affordable built-in headboard with IKEA RAST drawers

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Stylish and affordable built-in headboard with IKEA RAST drawers

~ by Mélanie

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Sound system console table from $69 IKEA dining table

This is not the easiest project but I hope it will be useful to some. This is a sound system console table made out of an affordable IKEA dining table.

IKEA item:
Tools required:
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Sound system console table from $69 IKEA dining table

Ingo table | IKEA.com

Instruction for sound system console table

Slice the table top into two sections lengthwise. The width of the right section should be 15 inches and the left 13.5 inches.

Also, cut the sides and replicate all originals fittings on the cut portion to connect the table legs.

By the way, table legs are also cut (they’re shorter by 8 inches)

The table top left section is to be used as the bottom shelf.

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Sound system console table from $69 IKEA dining table

Cut all the corners of the bottom shelf to fit with the legs.

Use steel corners to hold the shelf to the legs.

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Sound system console table from $69 IKEA dining table

~ by Benoit


You may also like these INGO table hacks

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Ingo desk

It’s amazing what you can do with the INGO table, paint, a few strips of 1×2 & 2×2, glue and dowels. See the hack.

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The folding table Denise was using as her sewing table was too tall. She really wanted something at a more ergonomic height and found a sewing table hack with the INGO table. But she needed storage, so she tweaked it to fit. See the tutorial.

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What do you do with a stained INGO table? Paint it, of course! Here’s how.


 

 

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Indoor plant needs light? Try this Plant Tray / Display with Light

Both my husband and I love plants, but there are a few places in the house that really don’t get enough light for them to thrive – so there was a bit of a brainwave. After picking up some cheap Fuku Bonsai, we found out that all they need is a few hours of visible spectrum light – which they can get from an LED lamp….and a hack was born! Everyone that sees it wants one – and they only take about 30 minutes to make one plant tray /display board at most.

Materials:
  • (1) JANSJÖ light with base
  • (1) FASCINERA chopping board
  • (6) Stick on cork feet to keep it up off the tabletop (and so you don’t have to countersink the screws).
  • (1) Fuku Bonsai from Aldi (or your local nursery)

How to make a plant tray / display board

Take the JANSJÖ out of the box. Throw away the base but keep the screws.

Drill some pilot holes and screw the base mounting screws through the bottom of the FASCINERA chopping board.


Related: DIY a pair of cute plant shelves


Add a few cork feet and you won’t have to countersink the screws at all. Plug it in, and that’s it.

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One Plant Tray / Display board with Light


Related: IVAR plant nursery


We added a Fuku Bonsai from Aldi but you could add any small plant that needs a bit of daylight – a few hours a day will keep it nice and green and healthy even in a dim room – plus it looks pretty. Image may be NSFW.
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😊

~ by Carley and Aaron

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I cut up my twin bed and turned it into a pull-out bed

I needed to hack a trundle/ pull-out bed to allow for more space in this room. Currently, all three of my sons share a room, and while IKEA is great for accommodating smaller spaces, we needed to bring in additional storage for clothing/ fun area.

We were not only lacking major space in this room, but we were also working around two awkwardly placed windows and a floor vent. This made it difficult when it came to room arrangement.

I knew that hacking our IKEA twin bed into a pull-out bed would make all those things happen. My favorite part of realising this hack is that I now have an entire wall to utilize and maximize this space.

IKEA items used:
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IKEA FJELLSE twin bed

FJELLSE twin bed | IKEA.com

Materials + tools:

Hack instructions for twin bed to pull-out bed:

The first step to my hack was to measure the available space from the bottom of my IKEA MYDAL bunk beds to the floor. Once I had this measurement I was able to measure and make cuts to my FJELLSE twin bed.

I took notice of the fact that the twin bed couldn’t slide underneath the bunk bed without shortening the side slats, so I laid the mattress support slats on the frame and marked a line on the outside of the slats (the slat that is secured by the peg), and cut roughly 2×5-3 inches off the side slats.

Once the side slats were cut to size, and now able to easily slide underneath the bunk bed with a little room to spare, I made cuts to all four legs, headboard, and footboard.

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Pull-out bed from IKEA twin bed hack

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Pull-out bed from IKEA twin bed hack

When all the cuts were made I was able to secure the bed back together as if I was assembling it right out of the box (just a little shorter now). I used additional screws for added support, along with the bolts that came with the original bed (those were placed back in the original holes).

Lastly, we stained the bunk bed and pull-out bed with this dark walnut stain, which is my all-time favourite.

What was the hardest part of this project?

Not necessarily hardest part, but I’m not the best at measurements, so I really made sure I measured…five times (ha!) to make sure I was making the right cuts before actually cutting the bed.

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Pull-out bed from IKEA twin bed hack

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Pull-out bed from IKEA twin bed hack

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Pull-out bed from IKEA twin bed hack
What to pay special attention to?

If you’re going to attempt this hack, definitely pay attention to the amount of room you are working with on the insides of the bunk bed legs. There isn’t much wiggle room, so measurements and cuts are imperative to make this IKEA hack a success.

See the full tutorial of the trundle pull-out bed on my blog.

~ by Bridgett

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30-minute hack: LEGO tables or kids play tables

We turned on old GULLIVER changing table into LEGO/ kids play tables. This was actually an extremely simple hack that only took about 30 minutes total to complete from disassembly to reassembly.

IKEA Item:
Materials needed:

Hack instructions for LEGO/ kids play tables:

Completely disassemble the sides of the changing table.

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30-minute hack: LEGO tables or kids play tables

Take the 2 vertical sides of the changing table and with a saw, cut in a straight line right along where the first level of wooden beams ends.

Do this process for both vertical sides. Once done, sand both of the sides that were cut and make sure they are even in length. If they are not even, adjust accordingly.

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30-minute hack: LEGO tables or kids play tables


Related: Make a mobile kids play table. See the tutorial here.


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30-minute hack: LEGO tables or kids play tables

Once you reassemble, your one changing table has now been converted into 2 small kids tables. You can use both tables as LEGO tables by gluing down LEGO baseplates and add LEGO bins for storage.

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30-minute hack: LEGO tables or kids play tables


Related: Children’s play table with storage too


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30-minute hack: LEGO tables or kids play tables

You can also use both kids tables for other purposes: eating tables, stuffed animal organizer, pretty much anything. The tables end up at the perfect height for a standing 2-3 year old or a sitting 4-6 year old.

~ by Grace Y.

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