DIY IKEA Hacks | Make your own Foam Bench

Furniture DIY and other upholstery activities can come at a high financial cost, particularly where lots of raw materials and components are needed to assemble your design. However, DIY activities need not be expensive. A new wave of furniture DIY hobbyists are now on the scene and are actively promoting the ‘upcycling’ of new IKEA furniture to create something totally different.

One popular ‘IKEA Furniture hack’ comes in the form of creating a narrow hallway foam bench with integrated storage. With many UK homes having narrow hallways and walkways, this repurposed IKEA solution is a slimmer version of the bench-like furniture commonly found in mudrooms – an area of a hallway or porch. Using the IKEA Lack television unit, you can make a similar piece of furniture for your narrow hallway that is easy to assemble, is made to an appropriate size, and won’t break the bank!

4 steps to make your own foam bench

Step 1:

To start, purchase two of the units. You will also need several other materials including L-brackets, primer, your desired paint colour, clue, chipboard, foam, your cover fabric and the necessary nails and screws. Begin by assembling your first LACK unit. Once the unit is built, use your selected paint, paint your entire unit and leave to dry overnight.

Step 2:

To make your bench comfortable, we recommend the use of high-density polyurethane foam. Using eFoam’s online foam cut to size tool, enter the exact dimensions of the top piece of your bench. Our recommended depth of foam for this bench would be between three to four inches thick, depending on your preference. If you would prefer a more luxurious feel, you may consider using Reflex Superior foam. You could also opt for a combination of 2-inch thick high-density polyurethane, and a 2-inch thick memory foam topping.

Step 3:

Next, cover your foam topping with your preferred material and use a few simple hand stitches to secure your fabric together underneath. Once complete, use a heavy-duty adhesive glue to secure your foam top piece to the unit. We recommend that you then leave the glue to dry thoroughly for 1-2 hours.

Step 4:

Finally, place in the desired spot in your hallway and place whatever items you wish within the unit – shoes, decorations or something else entirely!

At eFoam, we are passionate about supporting our customers with their IKEA DIY hacks or foam bench cushion projects. Should you require any assistance with ordering custom foam bench cushions in the UK or recommended foam types for benches, please contact us.