Ikea Hack: How To Plough A Bookcase Into Lockers

Wednesday, November 6, 2019 Add Comment Edit

An IKEA bookcase gets a huge makeover to resemble the await of storage lockers.

It's been a brace weeks since I've shared a DIY project, but I'm dorsum talking nigh tools, pigment together with hardware! Today, I'm sharing how I turned our 16 cubby IKEA Expedit bookcase into lockers (AKA a bookcase amongst doors).

In my dream world, I would bring a beautiful seat upwardly of large lockers lining the wall of our basement. The employment is, I can't discovery a seat upwardly that I dear for a toll that I'm willing to pay. That's when I decided to plough over upwardly the persuasion of lockers together with plough our electrical flow IKEA bookcase into something that amend fits the manner together with decor of our basement. I took inspiration from my crate lockers together with at nowadays all the toys are neatly tucked away behind beautiful unopen doors.

An IKEA bookcase gets a huge makeover to resemble the await of storage lockers IKEA Hack: How to Turn a Bookcase into Lockers

SUPPLIES NEEDED TO TURN AN IKEA BOOKCASE INTO LOCKERS

Affiliate links bring been used

2 4'x4' 5mm underlayment
Bookcase (I used an IKEA Expedit that has at nowadays been replaced amongst the Kallax)
White Paint (or color of your choice)
Water based poly (optional depending on type of pigment you lot use)
16 Hinges
32 #6-32 x 1/2 screws
16 Bronze drawer label pulls
16 iii inch aluminum reflective numbers
Drill
Drill bits
Sandpaper
Paintbrush
Dap Rapid Fuse Adhesive

HOW TO HACK AN IKEA BOOKCASE

Since nosotros don't bring the proper saw at our family I sent my married adult man to my neighbor's family to cutting 4' x 4' underlayment into xvi 13" x 13" squares. Make certain to continue the leftover pieces for futurity projects. The sizes are perfect for DIY signs!

I wasn't certain if I wanted the doors to survive stained or painted thence I started off mixing a custom stain together with applying a calorie-free coat to each door.

I didn't similar how the hardware blended inwards amongst the stained doors (you know I similar contrast together with at that topographic point exactly wasn't enough), thence I got out to a greater extent than or less leftover pigment (Sherwin-Williams Pearly White) together with painted 2 coats on the front end together with dorsum of each door.

Since the pigment I used was apartment I applied a coat of H2O based poly to protect the doors together with allow them to survive wiped down.

To brand attaching the pulls slowly I created a template amongst i of the leftover cutting pieces of wood. I traced the pulls, drilled holes for the hardware together with then seat the template on summit all 16 doors to ensure all the pulls were fifty-fifty together with centered.

After I attached all 16 pulls I marked each door together with then glued the hardware to the doors. (TIP: sand the door together with hardware earlier applying gum to assist the gum adhere better) I would usually role screws, but since the doors were sparse I used gum to avoid screw pops.

I allowed the gum together with hinges to fully cure earlier pre-drilling holes together with attaching the doors to the bookcase.

The doors lucifer snug together with remain closed, but I intend I'll eventually add together magnetic latches similar I did for the crate lockers. I was going to add vintage brass locker tags that I bought off eBay, but they ended upwardly beingness also small. I ended upwardly using my favorite aluminum numbers instead together with I intend they were the perfect addition. For at nowadays they are exactly attached amongst double-sided record until I discovery the perfect tacks/small nails.

Labels volition survive added to each door every bit shortly every bit I larn all the toys organized.

I tin non fifty-fifty say you lot all how much I dear this IKEA bookcase turned lockers! They completely transformed the basement together with right away made the infinite await smashing together with organized. No longer exercise I bring to stare at a wall of toys when I walk downward the basement. The kids all the same larn to bring all their books, toys together with games together with I larn to bring a gorgeous slice of article of furniture that I love. That's a huge win!