Introduction: IKEA Political hack

The nice thing about IKEA furniture is that it is chintzy and easy to hack. In other words, lets say that you were to buy two Gorm shelving units and accumulated them to discover that one was awry. Well then, it would constitute really easy to pass an afternoon converting the crooked one into a solid, stylish and symmetric bookshelf workbench.

As you probably just guessed, this Instructable leave show you how to convert a shelving unit into a bookshelf bench. With a few extra peices of hardware and a couple of staple power tools, you could comprise on your way to relaxation and organization whol at the same clip.

Update: You keister no more buy these types of shelves instantly from Ikea, but you can still get them second-hand. Alternately, you can try converting one of Ikea's newer shelving systems.

Step 1: Offer Get Stuff

Textile, foam and stuff for a cushion - see Step 13

Please note that more or less of the links on this page contain Amazon affiliate links. This does not deepen the price of any of the items for sale. Nonetheless, I earn a small commission if you click on whatever of those links and buy anything. I reinvest this money into materials and tools for future projects. If you would suchlike an alternate hypnotism for a supplier of any of the parts, delight let me know.

Step 2: Assemble Your Anfractuous Bookshelf

Assemble your Gorm bookshelf to realize that two out of the 4 posts are crooked. Stare at it in displeasure.

Resolve to take drastic actions.

Step 3: Shorten a 2x4 Into 4

Cut four 12.25" lengths of 2x4.

Step 4: Drill Holes

With a 3/8" drill bit, recitation holes in the ends of the 2x4 so much that they are 3/4" in from from each one edge (top, bottom, leftist and right).

Also drill holes on the flat surface of the panel that is 2" in from the utmost edge and is perfectly aligned with the hole you first trained. In other actor's line, this hole should intersect at a 'T'.

Step 5: Take Apart Your Bookshelf

Break apart your dreadfully crooked bookshelf. Select the two prettiest and straightest beams to cut up for use as the supports for the bench. You bequeath be able-bodied to make sextet supports with these ii beams.

Using the two ugly beams, you should cost able to get 1 support from each.

Step 6: Slice the Beams

Cut one of the nice-looking for bookshelf beams starting from the nates edge (border that used to beryllium connected the level) and cut it to a height of 18.25".

Next, take the first piece you cut and find its holes with the holes on the new bottom margin on the board. Make a fool on the thirster panel at to each one end of the first burn ray. Exploitation the 2 lines you precisely drew as cutting guides , make two cuts. You should now take up a second ray. Now, use the outset shine to line up to the holes on the opposite side of the board and score trend marks as appropriate so they are all the same size. Cut at these markings. You should now have 3 beams.

Replicate this process along the second pretty looking beam.

Next snap up the deuce horrifying-sounding beams. Measure in from either the bottom or crown edges (whichever edge looks top-grade) of both frightful beams and make nonpareil rationalize on each to get two more 18.25" beams.

You should now deliver eight 18.25" beams with all of the holes lined up.

Step 7: Sand

Sand and smooth whatsoever rough edges you may have from sawing and/OR drilling the 2x4 or bookshelf beams.

Step 8: Insert Cross Dowels

Put in cross dowels into the four holes trained through the surface of the 2x4 sections. Depending happening the leeway involved, this may require driving the crossdowels into the holes with a hammer. To push it in beyond the surface of the board, place a screwdriver operating room cheat atop the crossdowel and slightly tap it with the hammer. Pretend certain that the slots connected the crossdowels are all cladding the Lapp counselling inside the board.

Step 9: Build the Skeletal frame

Using the Ikea ironware, attach three shelves to the last-place holes in the bookshelf beams. Adjacent, using your 2.5" bolts and crossdowels, tie the 2x4 sections to the topmost holes of the boards.

Step 10: Fasten the Seat

Toss your bookshelf bench upside down so that it is perfectly aligned over the top of your plyboard.

Bore two 3/32" pilot holes in each of the 2x4s so much that it goes totally the way through into the small-arm of plyboard.

Using your woodscrews, fasten the plywood to the 2x4. Make sure you go for a lot of pressure downwards while boring so that the two surfaces are fastened tightly flush unitedly.

Step 11: Strand It Up

Thread rope through and through the extra screw holes in the boards to serve As book ends and keep books from falling off the ends or through the cracks in the middle.

Basically, on the two ends, you should tie a knot and pass the rope through with to form a rectangle. Once complete the path through, pull IT pie-eyed and tie the rope together so that the rectangle is closed.

The middle sections are slimly trickier, but fundamentally you do the same affair, but rather than terminal the rectangle by tying IT shut, you start to pass it through again from the cover to form another rectangle. Once done, you pull it tightly fitting and tie the last of the rope to the Calidris canutus at the commencement. This will create two sets of cardinal parallel ropes and two "vertical lines" in the front, which testament esthetically match the two ends.

Step 12: Add Books

Arrange your books on the record shelf. You may want to consider placing larger books towards each end to make a point the rope doesn't circumstantially let smaller books slip through.

Step 13: Make a Cushion (optional)

Brand yourself a nice comfortable cushion as defined in the this Bench Soften Instructable.

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