Kallax unit hacks

As many of us turn to home DIY projects during the lockdown, customising furniture has been at the top of the agenda. The simple flat-pack nature of IKEA products makes them the perfect contender for up-cycling and simple DIY projects. That said, one of the most popular creations comes in the form of baby and children’s products, particularly when parents want a more personalised item, or something slightly different.

The IKEA Kallax unit is conventionally sold as a stylish yet simplistic shelving unit that incorporates many different storage components. It is also known as the Expedit unit in some markets. It can either be placed on the floor – which is the most popular option – or mounted on the wall. With large flat sides, and a stable unit that is appropriately designed so that it can be rested on the floor whilst also being secured flush to a wall, it is a popular choice for parents wanting to DIY a secure changing table.

First, turn your unit longways and ensure it will fit in your desired space once complete. To give it a firmer table-top look, source a slab of pine (or indeed, other wood) in the same measurements as the ‘top’ side of the unit – 147cm height x 77cm width. With the unit on its side, we need to increase its height to make it more suitable for use as a changing table. For that reason, ensure that the wood is in your required depth to bolster this height. Alternatively, order two or three slabs to stack, with the idea to attach these together with strong wood glue. Leave to dry for around 24 hours.

Next, grab a sander and ensure to smooth the wood – both on top and on the sides – to ensure there are no sharp edges or potential splinters that could pose a danger to the baby. On the rear side of the unit, attach angled wall brackets to the upper inner sides with one side of the bracket flush to your desired wall. After placing your unit in position, secure the unit to the wall using heavy-duty screws.

Then, order a piece of foam that best suits your baby’s needs. This foam will then be covered and become the main changing area. The typical size of a changing mat is 76cm long, 45cm wide and 5cm depth, however, if you’d like this to be a little larger to fit the size of your changing table better, add 10cm to the width of your mat and 10cm to the length. You can use our cut to size tool, to order your foam.

We’d recommend using a medium-high density polyurethane foam that is approximately 5cm to 7cm thick for the mat. Proceed to cover this mat with a waterproof PVC-like material cover, to your taste. Next, attach Velcro straps to the underside of the mat and on the wood topper to affix your mat in place.

Given the Kallax unit offers plenty of storage, you may consider ordering hollow foam cube boxes as a child-friendly storage solution. Made using an incredibly high-density, closed-cell foam, these boxes can retain their shape even when filled with items such as nappies and wet wipes.

There are many other ways to revamp this unit too. Our customer used the Kallax unit and high-firm foam cut to size, to create a fantastic seating area in her child’s playroom, shown in the lower photo on the right hand side.

Contact our friendly team of advisers today if you require foam for your revamping DIY projects.