Lack Gets a Makeover

Materials: Lack coffee table

Description: I wallpapered out little Lack and added decorative nails to give it a bit of glam.

See more of the Lack makeover.

~ Lizzie, Chicago

IKEA Lack-console table

Materials: Lack table, shower curtain, contact glue

Description: Old and in poor condition Lack-console table. Covered with the table top and legs using a pixel pattern shower curtain.

Before: Surface worn and scratches...
Traditional painting instead I decided to glue an extra leftover shower curtain on the table :)

AFTER: My new shiny desk :)

~ Maija, Lahti, Finland

Semi-home made 'LACKured' media cabinet

Materials: Lack Shelving Unit, Power Drill, 2-1/2 in. Hole Saw, Key Hole Saw, 1/4" brushed nickel aluminum channel, BIN shellac based primer by Zinsser, satin white spray paint, translucent white plexi-glass, plastic oval grommet, Loctite super glue

Description: I was inspired by an Ikea hack done by Matt in Portland. Ever since I saw this I wanted to do this to our birch Lack shelf purchased in 2005.

When we moved into our new home, I took the opportunity to follow thru and transformed the old shelf (first picture) with white spray paint, 1/4" aluminum channels in a brushed nickel finish and custom cut white translucent plexiglass doors and top. This semi-home made 'LACKured' (lacquered) finish gives the cabinet a more high-end look that matches the aesthetic in our new home. I modified Matt's hack by adding a grommet hole behind the TV so I could hide all the cables. Also only one side of the shelf has doors so we could still use the open side to display objects and see the brick wall behind the cabinet.

Link to slide show and more pictures.

Step by step instructions after the jump.

See below for a list of tools required, materials used, instructions and diagrams for measurements
Tools required:
power drill
2-1/2 in. Hole Saw,
Key Hole Saw
Ikea wrench to dis-assemble
tape measure
drop cloth
saw horse legs and or blocks

Parts/materials required:
Ikea lack shelving unit
two sticks of 1/4" aluminum U channel at least 34.375" long (34-3/8")
two pieces of 1/8" translucent white plexi-glass door material - sized at 15.5"(L) x 9-9/16"(W),
1 piece of 1/8" translucent white plexi-glass sized 74.75"(L) x 15"(W)
The plexiglass was purchased at Faulkner Plastics in Miami.
The metal channel was purchased at Atlantic Metal in Miami
1 quart of shellac based primer
white sating spray paint
oval plastic grommet cover, can be purchase online from Mockett

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1) Similar to Matt, i took out the upright supports except for the middle support and I measured the distance from the inside face of the center support to the inside face of the end support at 34-3/8". This is the length for the metal channels. I had them cut at the metal shop, but any one with a hacksaw or pull saw can cut them at home. I recommend having them cut at home to get the most accurate cut.

Step 2) Measure the opening for the plastic grommet cover. Use the diagram provided. Drill the holes with a power drill and a 2-1/2" hole saw. The remaining sections can be cut using the key hole saw.

Step 3) Install the metal channels. Before gluing the channels make sure the channels fit in the opening. Apply the glue to one channel at a time. On the backside of the first channel apply a small bead of the super glue and place at the edge of the shelf between the supports. Install the bottom channel first and repeat with the top channel.

Step 4) Prepare the cabinet for painting and if you are not painting, continue to step number 7. Prepare the cabinet for painting by doing the following; cover the metal channels with painters tape, roll up a small amount of painters tape and place into any open holes. Remove the top of the cabinet from the lower supports and base. Paint the top separately.

Step 5) Prim the cabinet with a shellac based primer. See this post on apartment therapy for tips on painting Ikea furniture.

Step 6) Spray paint shelf with satin white for matt finish or gloss white for glossy finish. Be sure to paint in a well-ventilated garage or studio space or better yet a covered outdoor patio. Do not paint indoors. Apply the paint with a light touch, to heavy a touch will cause drips and ruin the look. Allow the cabinet to dry, preferably over night.

Tips for spray painting: One, make sure the shelf parts are elevated off the floor, using sawhorse and or blocks. This will prevent the pieces from sticking to your drop cloth. Second, allow the paint to dry on the top of the cabinet before painting the underside of this piece. Third, if you are supporting your shelf on legs or casters there is no need to paint the bottom of the shelf.

When the parts are dry place the top of the shelf back on the supports.

Step 7) Install the plexi glass doors, by removing the lack end support next to the channels and slide the doors into the channel. Re-install the end support.

Step 8) Place the large plexi glass sheet with the pre-cut grommet hole on top of the shelving unit and then place the plastic grommet cover into the pre-cut holes. Install your media equipment in the cabinet, attach to your TV and enjoy the look of your semi-home made custom lacquered TV cabinet.

Notes:
Measurements for the plexi glass top and doors can be found in the diagram. The diagram can be given to a plastic shop and cut on a CIC machine. I had mine cut at Faulker Plastic in Miami for $120.

The grommet hole in the plastic is 1/8th of an inch larger than the one in the top of the lack shelf. This is to account for small discrepancies in measurements and to allow one to line up the holes and install the plastic grommet cover.

~ Harris, Miami

IKEA LACK Tables become wall art

Materials: 3 LACK side tables, at least 3 yards of fabric

Description: My roommate and I were perusing IKEA and saw a nice wall art display at IKEA. The store display used actual frames of some kind. Problem was, IKEA didn't sell those types of frames in their store (I don't even know why they displayed those frames in the first place). They did have fabric though, so we picked out a pattern that we liked.

On the way out we saw the LACK side tables on clearance for $5 each, so we decided that it would probably be less expensive to just wrap fabric around the tables rather than trying to find actual frames at a craft store.

We used a staple gun, clamps, at least 50 staples, at least 6 small nails, and at least 3 yards of a medium density wire.

To staple the cloth to the back of the table we stretched the cloth and clamped it on opposing sides. Using the staple gun we spaced the staples in the back about an inch apart. We repeated the process for the other opposing sides. Don't forget to cut off any excess fabric. To not have lumpy corners of fabric, cut the fabric at a 45 degree angle on the corner you're working with. Then pound in two nails two-thirds up the way on the back. Wrap some wire between the two nails and make sure the middle of the wire can extend to the top (or about the top 1/3) of the frame, to ensure it will hang properly.

And voila, art for the wall.

~ Dave T., Santa Monica, CA

Floating Bathroom Shelf Made with Kee Klamp and Lack Components

Materials: LACK, Kee Klamp fittings

Description: Floating bathroom shelves from Kee Klamp fittings and Lack shelves. Kee Klamp fittings look like a great alternative to Stolmen posts, especially if you don't want post that go all the way to the ceiling.

See more of the floating bathroom shelves.

~ Chris Pollock, Rochester, NY

When iMac goes to work

Materials: 1 LACK Wall shelf unit, 1 LACK Wall shelf, 2 CAPITA Bracket, 1 DALFRED Bar Stool

Description: First of all it's necessary an iMac 27"!
If you are looking for a workstation comfortable and elegant, suitable for a small space, this is the solution for you.

You only need a Lack series, especially a wall shelf unit, a wall shelf and brackets.

I choose black version but there are many more..

I worked on the ground to assemble shelfs and brackets. Then I put in vertical and fix to the wall.

At last, I placed very carefully the iMac, mouse, keyboard, hd and I sat on the stool.

It's done!

PS. Ikea garants 3kg for shelf, so I prefer to fix 2 staff under the iMac's shelf.

~ Piritea, Italy

Clean Minimalist TV Stand

Materials: Ikea Lack shelf, Ikea Capita Legs, MDF, Acoustic Speaker Cloth, staples, cabinet magnets

Description: I wanted a TV stand that looked clean, modern, and would hide all of my components but leave them usable by remote. I had seen this Ikea shelf used as a tv stand a couple times and liked it but thought I could contribute something. On another Ikea hack I saw someone use speaker cloth stretched on a frame to cover up an opening and thought it was clever so I combined the ideas here.

Step 1. Acquire Lack shelf : )
Step 2. After putting the shelf together I made the necessary measurements to know what size to cut the MDF strips to for the frames.
Step 3. After having the MDF cut and tacked together into rectangular frames I screwed the cabinet magnets into place on the shelf. This was the hardest part. Getting those screws to penetrate the veneer on the shelf on the insides of the shelf was quite frustrating but we found beer helped with that.

Step 4. I then cut the speaker cloth to the appropriate sizes and stapled them to the MDF frames.
Step 5. I decided to use the feet to raise the level of the shelf and TV a bit higher and to give a more 'open' and 'clean' look. I used 8 legs total as I wanted it to be as sturdy as possible, my plasma TV is quite heavy. I arranged them with 2 on each end and in the middle. The other 2 legs were mounted in the middle a quarter of the way in from the ends to provide good support where the tv would be.

*Note: You'll notice there is a bit of a gap inbetween the frames and the shelf openings, this was unintentional. The Home Depot guy cut the MDF the wrong size and we had to re cut them to even it out and thats what happened. I decided it wasn't the end of the world. Oh, and dont mind the SNES hiding under there.

What we're left with is a TV stand that looks really clean, hides aways all the components and gives me easy access to them when necessary. The whole project was finished over the course of a few days. I'm quite happy with how it turned out but I need to do some serious cable management behind this thing. I'm thinking about screwing some zip ties to the back and running the wires through there....I'll get around to it.

~ Justin Clark, Lakewood, Ohio

One legged lamp stand

Materials: One leg from a Lack side table

Description:
It's a lamp with a textile electrical cord, hand built from the leg of a LACK side-table.

See more of the textile electrical cord lamp.

~ Charles Crawford, http://crawfordcreativestudio.com

Bookcase with scratching post and hammock

Materials:Expedit Bookcase, LACK Wall shelf, Shelves Carriers, Material from an old scratching post

Description: I took an Expedit bookcase and a LACK wall shelf to create a storage cabinet which also functions as a cat playground.

~ Siebrenna

The dreaded Kids Train Table with a new twist

Materials: Lack Shelving Unit, Casters, Interior Door

Description: We had used the Lack shelving unit as a playtable (on it's side) for our 2 year old twins, because it had the perfect height and lots of storage underneath.

When the kids asked for a train table, I just simply added the caster, for more height (because they had grown) and for the ability to roll it away from the wall so that the kids can play on both side.

When they are done playing, we simply roll it back against the wall to have more space.

I painted a standard door from a Home Improvement store and screwed it to the the top of the Shelving unit, patched and painted the holes. The trainset is not glued to the top, so it can be taken apart and the table can be used for other things: cars, dinosaurs, Lego etc.

~ Brigitte, Miami

After building Murphy bed I hacked the leftover 48 legs

Materials: Lack side tables and legs


Description: I built a Murphy bed using the Ikea Lack side tables on the front to make a very aesthetic and artistic wall piece.

The bed required 12 lack table tops, and after the project I was very inspired to make good use of the left over 48 table legs......which inspired several more hacks.....I sawed the legs to a short height and attached them to a black rectangular table top which also acted as a reinforcer to the murphy bed when it is down it lays on top of the flat zen like table.

Additionally, I bought two long wooden shelves to match the dining table I was using and created two side benches by attaching six hack side table legs under each shelf.

I also created a queen size bed platform for my tempurpedic using apporximately 20 of the left over legs and two interior standard sized doors with flat hinge reinforcers. The tempurpedic lays comfortably on top and I have amazing additional storage under neath.

~ Nicole Persley, Delray Beach, Florida

Lack bench/lounger

Materials: Lack coffee tables

Description: This is a bench made from the ubiquitous "Lack" coffee table. We had several kicking around and I found the rest for $4-6 a piece on Craigslist.

Each one is cut in two, filled with expanding insulation foam and covered with latex paint (for waterproofing).

The uniform locations where the legs screw in make perfect pilot holes for drilling out a section from each corner. Two steel rods (3/4 inch) slide right through the holes and support the whole thing.

The backrest (and rear slanted detail) is made of the tables' legs screwed right into one another.

See more of Charles' Lack bench lounger.

~ Charles Crawford, San Diego

Bath Vanity from Appliance Cabinet

Materials: LACK bookshelf and AVSIKT roll front cabinet

Description: I recently remodeled a former laundry room into a very narrow (41") bathroom. I needed a sink, countertop and storage, but didn't want the space to feel cramped, so I used a shallow wall-mounted hand sink (150mm = 9 7/8" deep), and cut down a LACK wall shelf to float underneath.

I ran the shelf lengthwise through a table saw to make it 3/8" narrower at the back - - this still kept enough veneer to hide the support bracket, while making the front flush with the sink depth. I then cut the shelf to fit the room length, and cut the internal metal shelf support to the match. I core-drilled holes for the sink supply and waste plumbing lines, positioning the holes to avoid the shelf’s internal supports. I filled the hole sides with patching compound and put 3 coats of polyurethane on all surfaces.

For additional storage, I recessed the 12" deep AVSIKT roll front kitchen cabinet into the stud bay, so that it fits underneath the shelf. The roll-front avoids the problem of cabinet doors swinging into the adjacent toilet. The grey foil and brushed aluminum finish goes great with the chrome plumbing fixtures. A small shim above the this cabinet snugs the LACK shelf to the underside of the sink, providing additional support.

Final installation has to follow a sequence for proper fit: first the wall-mounted sink, then the cabinet exactly 2" lower, then the shelf support, then the faucet and water supply lines.

Slip the shelf halfway onto the supports, then pull the water lines (braided flexible pipe) through their shelf hole as you continue to slide the shelf into place. Connect the water lines to the supply. Finally, install the waste line. Due to the small size of the bathroom, I waited until the shelf was installed before setting the toilet into place.

Notice the GRUNDTAL toilet paper dispenser attached to the underside of the LACK shelf -- I find that it still holds strongly even though the 2 screws are in the hollow portion of the shelf.

~ Steve, San Gabriel, CA