Hacking IKEA Furniture

When something desired proves unavailable for purchase, the option of crafting it oneself becomes a plausible alternative. Recently, I moved and needed a room dedicated to office work. My ideal solution combined the practicality of a workbench with the aesthetic appeal of regular living room furniture. Researching products revealed workbenches or industrial shelving units carrying a garage-like appearance; they were unsuitable, especially for my girlfriend.

Cabinets were limited to a maximum depth of 40 cm, insufficient for my needs. Custom-made furniture exceeded my budget by a significant margin. ChatGPT directed me towards kitchen cabinets with suitable dimensions (60 cm deep) and a more affordable price point. However, I struggled to find a suitable design, functional layout, and attractive sides.

Undeterred, I opted to construct the furniture myself using IKEA Kallax shelving units. The idea stemmed from a similar setup in my previous apartment, though it lacked proper securing mechanisms. Additionally, I had recently upgraded my desk, which remained unused in my basement. The desktop board, still in good condition, would serve as the top of my new creation.

Post-move, my experience with IKEA was overwhelmingly positive. Their low and medium-priced options are excellent, readily available for pickup, and feature an intuitive website with accurate filtering by dimensions. IKEA's cost-effective choices were advantageous for modifications if errors occurred. The 2x2 Kallax shelving unit cost 40 € in black and a mere 30 € in white.

Notably, the felt pads were hexagonal instead of round, a design choice to save material and reduce waste. For materials, I procured two Kallax 2x2 shelving units, inserts with drawers and doors, MDF boards cut to size, screws from a hardware store, decorative foil, and rubber mats from Amazon. My old desk, measuring 160 cm × 80 cm, was also salvaged from the basement.

We utilized a 60 cm section from each end, resulting in two 80 cm × 60 cm pieces, with a scrap piece from the middle. After some initial difficulties with a mini circular saw, we successfully cut the pieces using a sharper Japanese saw. Power tools proved invaluable throughout the process. I prepared the MDF boards by testing screw tightness beforehand and ensuring precise alignment of holes.

The top part received decorative foil, pre-drilled and countersunk holes, and rubber sheets for vibration absorption. The 3D printer and pen plotter would be placed atop. To assemble, I positioned the desktop board, rubber sheets, MDF boards, and the Kallax shelving unit upside down, screwing layers together in a single, enjoyable session.

The final result was far more stable than the previous arrangement. While the desktop was 60 cm deep, the Kallax unit remained 39 cm deep, sacrificing some storage space. However, the units were positioned closer to the front, allowing overhang for items in the open shelves. Extra MDF boards were ordered, but their width varied, causing minor delays in the project.