IKEA Hacks. Where do they come from?

[Packard]

It seems like there is a relentless onslaught of IKEA hacks online.  Some are very clever.

My question is (multi-part question):

1.  Does IKEA like or dislike the hacks?
2.  Does IKEA promote these?  Are they behind some of these hacks?
3.  How successful are they in the flesh? 
4.  Is it cheaper to hack than to build from scratch?

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[img][IMG]https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b19b4de4b0624b6b56bfd9/1623704619406-MCHI82PNH2AMC2QL4GKV/diy-built-in-ikea-billy-bookcase-hack.jpg[/IMG]

 

[jeffinsgf]

How successful? I've been very pleased with my IKEA hack. Their "Sektion" cabinets are just the right width and almost the right depth for Systainers. Hung 5 of them in my shop and built a workbench top for them. Feet came with them, but they're completely unnecessary...which is nice because it is effortless to sweep underneath them. I put a three inch block on the back of each shelf to keep the Systainers just at the front of the shelf.

Undoubtedly less expensive and far less work than starting from scratch.

 

[woodferret]

While not partaking social media's Ikea Hack craze, there is actually a company out there specializing in refacing those Sketon(?) kitchen boxes.  They keep the cab, but do more tasteful fronts.

Prebuilt standard cabs are definitely cheap than rolling your own.

 

[Dane]

IKEA is definitely a fan.  At some point in the last few years they released a line of products specifically to be hacked.  And I think they might have bought the IKEA hackers website.  It’s a pretty compelling route for folks who want to be creative with their space but don’t have the tools to build custom or the money to pay others to do it.

 

[4nthony]

1.  Does IKEA like or dislike the hacks?

IKEA waits 8 years, then shuts down IKEAhackers site with trademark claim

IKEA backtracks on legal take down of fan site for furniture hackers

I remember when this happened and them getting a lot of bad publicity because of it.

3.  How successful are they in the flesh?

I had IKEA cabinets installed in my previous kitchen and they held up very well during the 11 years I was in the house. It was the older AKURUM cabinets and were mostly veneered particle board but the hardware was Blum.

Their cabinet boxes are very economical and when paired with a shop like Plykea or Semihandmade you can get a very modern kitchen for a pretty good price.

When the time comes to gut and redo my current kitchen, I would definitely consider using their cabinets along with some custom drawers and fronts.

 

[peter halle]

I have been a diehard IKEA consumer for decades.  I have all I need to make my own cabinets sitting in my home fully paid for.  I have the time.

Yesterday, after seeing this thread, I went upstairs to the large unused room (multi-purpose in the future) and stared at the boxes of stuff left packed up from our move last year.

I looked at the IKEA website and then priced out a bookcase as well as the material cost for me to do similar (but in plywood).  From a pure cost aspect it was far cheaper to use the IKEA by the cost of the cabinet back materials (not something to sneeze at these days) and the finishes to be used.

I ordered the stuff from IKEA, paid them to deliver, and then paid them to take the stupidly heavy boxes upstairs to that room.  Happily I might add.

I may do the same with my office upstairs.

Peter

 

[bobtskutter]

I'm a hobbyist.  We have lots of Ikea items in the house.  Most of them are modified in some way, usually to screw them together to make the combined structure stronger.  Ikea are experts at keeping costs down, you can see it in their furniture if you look at pieces from 20yrs ago.  Some of the new items are made of engineered cardboard and recycled materials.  Great for the environment and my pocket, but not so easy so shape into something unique.

I make things because I like doing it, and so I can get something unique.

Ikea has given me some great ideas over the years.

Regards
Bob

 

[harry_]

Does this count as an Ikea hack?
I took this View attachment 1
and did this View attachment 2
then made this View attachment 3
to look like this View attachment 4

The doors were the Ikea part.

 

[rmwarren]

Their 32mm cabinets are useful for customization, albeit back when I got these they had some weird features, like the setback for the first row of holes is ~32 mm instead of the common 37. They even offered Blum full overlay hinges that had that backset. Not sure if they retained those "standards" or transitioned over to today's norms as the hinges are no longer available from them.

[attachimg=2]

[attachimg=1]

I used the Tandembox drawers out of laziness, even though I made the drawer fronts. The 2 middle cabinets were originally the same as the tall righthand one, I just lopped it in half. Added a couple old file cabinets to the left and glued up a Brazilian cherry top from some closeout flooring From Lumber Liquidators. Painted MDF for all the panels. This was just a cheap work area in a room only I ever use, so it only needed to meet my questionable standards.

My 2 pesos is that Ikea cabinets can be a cost effective basis to build a bespoke project around. If they offered veneered plywood as an option, I'd consider using them in my next project, but I'll skip it because particle board won't be suitable for some of what we have in mind.

RMW