Spice drawer under cooktop By: Bo Seiffert

I needed some additional storage space for our spices, preferably where they were readily at hand too and I was a bit annoyed about the unused space under our cooktop, which is mounted on non-Ikea (HTH) kitchen modules.

However, I found that Ikea had exactly the drawer I needed in the Förvara series.

Initially I actually expected that I would only use the rails from the Förvara drawer, but it turned out that the drawer itself almost exactly fitted the width of the module.

I only needed to add a single spacer behind is rail to make it fit the slightly narrower drawer

Before starting I checked the specs for the cooktop, to ensure that my specific cooktop did not have requirements to the free space beneath the cooktop, which would be compromised by the new drawer.

Steps taken

1) Purchase the Förvara 60cm*37cm drawer (I had to leave room for electrical installation at the back). This cost as little as €16

2) Gently remove the frontplate. It was only mounted by a snap-fit

3) Assemble the drawer and remount the frontplate. This took some careful hacks on the sides of the Förvara sides, to bring the frontplate to the proper height and alignment with the existing drawers. Trial and error with a little Dremel cutter

4) Mount the rails to the kitchen module. Much to my surprise even the mounting holes matched, so the only hack needed was to add a washer under each screw, to bring the rails a couple of milimeters out from the module sides.

5) The drawer fitted perfectly and was fairly easy to adjust vertically, thanks to the cut-outs made with the Dremel in 3)

6) It turned out that the height of my spice jars was a little more that I liked. They didn’t actually hit the cooktop, but I was not comfortable with it. So I removed the standard bottom of the Förvara drawer and replaced it by a piece of the back of a redundant and cannibalised Billy bookshelf

Disclaimer. Pls. make sure that the hack does not compromise any safety requirements/regulations for your cooktop. Pls. make sure that the cooktop is insulated so that it will not make the drawer too warm

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/KdGKM0 From Bo Seiffert

$25 Standing Desk Hack from Lack TV Unit, Summera By: lauzaucpa

I already owned the gray-brown HEMNES desk when I decided to make it into a standing workstation. I found the new LACK TV unit and bought it in white. This cost about $15. Instead of installing the shelf at the recommended level, I raised it to just 3.5 cm from the top so that I could hang a SUMMERA keyboard tray under it. Since I already had the desk, this hack cost $25 to make a standing desk. We liked it so much my husband did the same hack to his desk at his office. He used the black LACK TV Unit. He is able to support 2 monitors on it. His was featured in the company newsletter by the employee health nurse!

BTW, I am 5’4″ and he is 6′ tall. We are both able to use this desk because our elbows (like most peoples’) are at the same height.

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1dCkk3v From lauzaucpa

Lack “Double Becker” TV Bench By: James Evans

Having just relocated from the UK to Singapore and purchased a new large screen TV I was looking for an economical TV cabinet to house all of my electronic equipment including a Blu-ray player, HTPC, PS3 and NAS whilst also providing good air circulation give the warn ambient temperatures in Singapore.

I liked the design of the IKEA Lack TV Bench but the space was too narrow to house the larger pieces of my equipment. However, as I toured the IKEA store I noticed the Lack side table was the same depth but also just over twice the height. From here a plan formed to join two TV benches together and to use the side table to create a more spacious lower section.

Parts Required

• IKEA Lack TV Bench (501.411.87) x 2

• IKEA Lack Side Table (701.984.08)

Tools Required

• Drill

• 5mm drill bit

• 8mm drill bit

• Philips screwdriver

Steps to Follow

1) Build the first TV bench top using the original short sides as per instructions. Once assembled this should give you a U shaped piece

2) Take the top from the second TV bench and the taller sides from the side table, and with the unfinished side of the top facing upwards

• Drill four new holes in the top to align with locking bolt holes from side table sides using a 5mm drill

• Drill four new holes in the top to align with the dowel holes from the side table sides using an 8mm drill

• With a fine drill make four small holes through from the unfinished side where the dowels for the short sides would normally go

• Flip the top over so that the finished side is facing upwards and drill back through where the fine drill marked the surface using an 8mm drill

3) Take the first top that you built with the short sides attached to turn this upside down so that the short legs and unfinished side are facing upwards

• Take the second top that you have just drilled addition holes in and place this on top of the first top, again with the unfinished side facing upwards

• Using four of long screws with hex heads from the side table (100218) secure the second top to the first top though the new 8mm holes that you drilled

4) Then attached the two taller sides from the side table to the second top

a. Use the bolts (114928), locking barrels (114926 & 115263) and the thicker dowels (101350) from the side table to secure the sides to the top

5) Position the base on top of the higher sides and use a fine drill to mark the taller sides where the four large counter sunk bolt holes are in the base

a. Remove the base and drill the four holes vertically down into the sides with a 5mm drill. Keep drilling until the drill brakes through into the cavity in the side panel

b. Position the base back in place and attach with four of the long hex head bolts (104323) from the TV cabinet

6) Put felt pads on the bottom and flip over and position in your living room

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1cACLzq From James Evans

Expedit Wall-unit/TV, with built-in desk By: Rob

I moved into a fairly large bachelor apartment, and decided that after living as a single adult for about 14 years, it was time I broke down and bought a TV, instead of just using my computer monitor. The only problem was that I only have one appropriate wall on which to place an entertainment unit AND a desk. I also needed storage for books/etc. I also wanted something that would utilize my (relatively) high ceilings while not looking chintzy (so the new Expedit 4×5 TV unit was OUT).

My solution was a simple hack using only Expedit units, some extra screws, and some black screw covers from a hardware store. What you are looking at is, from bottom to top, starting with the lower left, is this: Expedit 2×2, Expedit 4×2 (metal plate screwed to the back to bolt these together to make 6 cubes high by 2 wide), Expedit 4×2 (laid horizontal) with Expedit 4×4 screwed on top, and another Expedit 2×2 + 4×2 combo on the far right. This formed the wall-unit. Then I used another 2×2 to make the “desk” on the left… basically by using only the top and 2 sides, and leaving out the bottom (thick panel) and the shelves.

The 4×2 on the top left: I left out the bottom shelves to leave a space for a monitor, inset. For the TV, I just left out the shelves for a 3×2 section of it (which leaves just enough room for a modern 40″ TV… pictured here is my new 40″ Samsung LED). I spray painted some 2″x2″ steel brackets and screwed/glued them under any shelves which had incomplete shelves underneath them ( I wouldn’t trust the free-hanging shelves on only dowels). I also secured it to the wall of course, and used black screw plugs and glue ($0.23 each) to fill in the unused shelf holes. Overall, I’m happy with the functionality and look (though I still need to finish organizing the shelves and buy more storage bins).

Thanks to Ikeahacker for the ideas

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1dBlbS1 From Rob

Transfer in progress By: Jules IKEAHacker

Hello! You may experience some interruption to the site today as I am switching hosts (again!). It may take about 24 hours for the transfer to complete. Till then, I will not be posting new hacks. Comments made during the transfer may also disappear.

Hang in there! We will be back to our usual programming very soon.

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1aqVNvg From Jules IKEAHacker

Lines of Floating Moments By: A Bret Hanson

Materials:

IKEA scrap wood planks (black/brown) – (2) 2.5×53 & (1) 5.5×37, (19) white ball pins, (19) 4×6 photos (mix of color and b&w), & (2) 3lb sticky backs for each plank

Inspiration:

After over two years of marriage I finally decided it was “definitely” time to display some wedding pictures. I am not the kind of person who rushes into things and I had been sitting on this project for about a year.

I had (3) inspiration points for designing the Lines of Floating Moments Installation:

(1) exhibit I saw at the Walker Art Museum

(2) clean line work broken up

(3) odd numbers – 3 lines with 19 pictures

Of note – I also practice sustainability in my profession & am a big fan of IKEA’s scrap wood section. In fact I have built a TV, computer, and bed stand from scrap planks & pieces.

Process:

1. Visit IKEA several times over the course of a year to select the most appropriate planks of wood for project yet to materialize in brain. Stick wood in garage & sit on until idea comes to mind.

2. All planks were used as dimensioned (no cutting). The only change was painting unfinished ends of middle plank. Top & bottom planks are equal while middle is completely different in size. Top & bottom also have radiused edges. These variants make for a more interesting piece.

3. To achieve photo floating effect the hanging devices needed to “disappear” while photos projected out from planks. I edited each photo adding a 1/4” white border along top edge & a 1/8” white border along other three edges. Each photo was pinned along top border & pulled out from the plank (approx. 1”) adjacent to ball end. The ball pin disappears within the white border & thus photos appear to be floating along dark wood planks.

note 1 – pins cast tiny shadow that is barely noticeable

note 2 – white border also gives more clean / professional look to photos – IMO

4. Photos were pinned at differing heights & spacing to break up monotony & add rhythm. Also, using a mix of portrait / landscape photos reinforced this concept.

5. Using a level – layout & pencil the plank locations (this can be done at any point). Place a sticky back at each end of plank and press & hold against wall where marked.

6. Allow wife to praise your creative hard work

7. Take photo & post to social media for peer approval

Note – I suggest pinning photos before “hanging” planks and adjusting after. A push pin was used to created a starter hole for ball pins.

Optional – mixing a handful of 5×7 photos (odd #), playing with projection distance of photos

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1eRPb96 From A Bret Hanson

Ikea Brimnes for Kitchen By: tessacontellis

3 Brimnes cabinets with Pragel benchtop

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1alSNjL From tessacontellis

Lego Lamp Love By: Sooze

Once I laid eyes on the Bran lamp, I knew what I had to do.

This hack is super simple, just loosen the ‘cap’ with a hair dryer and fill it up. The heat from the hair dryer weakens the glue so the top pops right off. I must say though that I was rather afraid the glass might shatter; as it is there is a small crack on the glass so keep the heat even.

Once done I closed the cap and sealed it up with blu tack so that I can add more bricks or change it up as needed!

via IKEA Hackers http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Ikeahacker/~3/aN79rnbIEVU/lego-lamp-love-3.html From Sooze