Another Ikea transformation...

[HyKlas]

Just got this one mostly set up. First photo is how it arrived from Ikea, stock photo. Following photos are how I've modified it thus far.

It began life as a simple Vittsjo shelving unit with glass shelves. I added some 3/4" Maple ply stained with Minwax Honey and 8 coats of wipe-on poly. Also painted the shelf bottoms with flat black. Making the cuts fit tightly around the uprights helped to shore the unit up as well.

Then I added the 3/4" x 1/8" aluminum flat stock to the bottom 2 shelves as record storage. I ran out of paint so the upper shelf isn't finished. This also helped to shore up the unit somewhat.

So far I'm pleased but the $80 shelf is now in excess of $200. Have just begun populating it and rearranging the rest of the room.

Enjoy...

 

[HyKlas]

This will be as high as I'm comfortable going with records on this unit. I've seen some pretty horrific photos of Ikea gone wrong... Was able to fit most of my rock type stuff but will probably have to create and pull a sub-genre to fit the rest in one location.

Found that Nirvana and Nak today while out hunting. Nak works great...

 

[ronscat]

Nice!

 

[Musicfan#51]

Well done

 

[dontmindme]

That's a good look, well done!

 

[L-82]

Very well done, I like the black on the contrast of the wooden shelves.

 

[HyKlas]

Thanks all... Was a pretty simple transformation with the wood finishing obviously being the most tedious and time consuming part. But if you want a smooth durable finish, you absolutely need to take the time to do it right.

Here's a little update. I put some LED light bars on the front edges of the top 2 shelves. I like this kit quite a bit (link below) and after messing around with placement, I'll be adding another set to the bottom 2 as well. The camera on my phone made it a bit more yellow than it actually is in person...

The wiring extension kit is a must when doing this by the way.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00STM6XZM/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[SPL db]

Very nice, fits the space perfectly and I like the wood shelf idea.

 

[Bassblaster]

i need to get something like that. i just got a very clean Fisher CA-800 and have no where to put it!

 

[Sam Cogley]

This will be as high as I'm comfortable going with records on this unit. I've seen some pretty horrific photos of Ikea gone wrong... Was able to fit most of my rock type stuff but will probably have to create and pull a sub-genre to fit the rest in one location.

Found that Nirvana and Nak today while out hunting. Nak works great...

Nice work on the modifications! I wouldn't worry too much about loading, between that steel frame and your wood shelves, it should be really stable. The only time I've really seen "Ikea gone wrong" is when people do dumb things like loading an Expedit full of vinyl while it's sitting on it's side, so all the weight is being carried by four dowel pins per shelf that isn't supposed to be a shelf. I have two 5x5 Expedits full of vinyl, and I'm more worried about my floor structure than I am the shelves.

 

[JakeArmas]

Looks lovely! I think I might start a similar project out of a smaller metal shelf. How long did it take you to do this modification?

 

[HyKlas]

Thanks all!

@Sam Cogley , I think if I screwed the shelves down to the metal frame I'd feel safer about it. Maybe add some triangle corner braces on the back or whatever... I do like having a place for the cleaning machine though.

@JakeArmas , It only took a few hours to cut the shelves but took about a week to sand, stain, and finish them.

 

[Sam Cogley]

Thanks all!

@Sam Cogley , I think if I screwed the shelves down to the metal frame I'd feel safer about it. Maybe add some triangle corner braces on the back or whatever... I do like having a place for the cleaning machine though.

@JakeArmas , It only took a few hours to cut the shelves but took about a week to sand, stain, and finish them.

I did reinforce my Expedits with some 3"-ish strips of 5mm plywood nailed to the backs of the shelves and dividers, though that was as much to create a backstop so things couldn't fall out of the back than it was to reinforce the structure.