The Neat IKEA Hack That Creates A Trendy Side Table Out Of Unexpected Materials

Some DIY hacks look simple enough, but six hours into the instructions, you're reading about how to make a dovetail joint with a Japanese pull saw. That is not what's going on with the brilliant — and brilliantly simple — IKEA hack from Instagram user @elinhjemli. In a nutshell, she uses a pair of EKET cabinets to create a trendy side table that's no more complicated than assembling two IKEA boxes and gluing them together. No, seriously. And it's so effective that it probably qualifies as one of those IKEA hacks hiding in plain sight.

We've seen other EKET hacks, like a stylish IKEA cabinet shoe organizer that joins two larger units side by side, but this table is made of two $28.00 EKET 13 ¾-inch cube cabinets arranged front side down and glued together so that the back of one of the cubes becomes the table's top. EKET is a modular collection of simple units that can be used individually or combined for a more involved floor or wall-mounted storage solution. But, in this case, all you need are two of the collection's simplest and smallest units and a bit of adhesive to make a clean-lined, sophisticated, and up-to-date addition to the room. Like @elinhjemli, you can use a heavy-duty option like TEC7 sealant and adhesive to join the two cabinets together, which is probably overkill for this project but certainly sturdy. Since the entire glued surface consists of only the front edges of the cubes, strong construction adhesive is a good call.

Depending on how you decorate your living room, there are a few changes and improvements you might choose to make to this EKET hack without making the project substantially more difficult. In her build, @elinhjemli uses the brown walnut version of the EKET cabinet, but it also comes in comes in white stained oak and various solid colors to suit your decor.

The optional EKET metal feet and wood feet can probably still work with the cabinet situated like this. Unfortunately, the EKET connection hardware will not work with the cabinet in this orientation ... hence the need for adhesive. The joint between the two cabinets could be reinforced by gluing a few blocks across the seam on the inside, but it's probably not necessary to hold lightweight items.

Another problem with reinforcing that seam is that it could prevent a change that is necessary. Even though @elinhjemli did not insert the back in the bottom cube, it would probably be a good idea to install it for additional stability. The fiberboard-and-paper-foil back of the EKET units are slotted into grooves milled into the side, top, and bottom panels, much like the bottoms of many cabinet drawers. It's a strong and stable arrangement, but if you anticipate putting anything heavy on your EKET hack side table, it might be a good idea to reinforce the back (now the top) by gluing some blocks underneath for support. And even with that additional support, take care that no one ever tries to sit on your side table.