Hacker help: Katie needs a desk

Jules Yap·
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Materials: Vika Amon table top, legs

Description: My daughter wants a desk to fit in her 43×27″ nook in her extra bedroom. Ikea table top and legs to the rescue.

If I cut down a Vika Amon table top (just the width – it’s ok to stick out 2″), what do I need to do to reinforce the cut side to support the legs?

Suggestions?

~ Katie’s Mom, Baltimore

Jules Yap
Latest posts by Jules Yap (see all)

11 Responses

  1. We also cutted 20-30 cm off from an cardboard tabletop (Vika Amon) and added screwed legs. We never had any problems and it was used as an computer desk for pc. 🙂

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  2. Hi, I recently cut down a Lack shelf for a similar alcove. It is constructed like Vika with the cardboard inside. I just left the cut end unfinished as it’s hidden by the wall. You can’t tell it’s been cut unless you look really closely. I cut mine with a cheap hand saw and I did have a bit of trouble keeping the cut the same on the top and bottom of the shelf. It kept wanting to go a bit sideways.
    I agree with previous comments that you need to reinforce the tabletop if you are adding legs. A floating desk would be my choice too. Have a look in the ‘As Is’ section for a cheap alternative piece of wood (eg cupboard door) which might be stronger and less hassle than cutting the Vika.

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  4. I wouldn’t even worry about the legs in this space. I would pick up 4-6 of your favorite Ekby L-shelf brackets style in white and simply have your local Home Depot or Lowe’s cut you a piece of 5/8 inch furniture grade plywood for a top in the width and depth you need. Then stain it or paint it with a hard enamel latex paint. Or consider buying the more expensive Galant top at IKEA, cutting it down, and using the Ekbys. No legs required.

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  5. Another option is to use the screw in legs. I used adjustable legs that are $15 each in the US .
    http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60105301/ Screw them in the bottom of whatever you are using as a desk top. You can make the desk with minimal carpentry skills and not concern yourself with hitting studs in the wall or the making a permanent fixture. You can also dismantle the entire thing and move it or change it as you wish. A rolling file or drawers or an expedint fits underneath with ease. I used this set up for years and rearranged things as my mood or needs changed.

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  6. Katie’s mom, the hollow things by IKEA typically have a wooden frame all around the edge. So, after cutting the table gut the cut-off part for that wooden slat at the end. Then remove as much of the honecomb cardboard from the new table end as you need to re-fit the slat into the new position and glue it in with lots of wood glue. You might even be able to re-use the nicely finished outside of that slat if you gut the left-over part carefully. That way you need no extra parts and have no cost apart from wood glue if you don’t have that anyway.

    And I agree with the other poster – make the desk floating. In such a small space you don’t want to waste any for legs.

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  7. I agree the fore writers – just put supporting straight to the wall and lay the desktop on those.

    I searched this site, and found this discussion

    “Thierry said…
    I started this project too, and realized that the Wika Amon is 90% cardboard honeycomb inside when I cut the 2m table to the needed 1.5m.

    To answer whoever asked about fixing the legs on honeycomb, know that the table comes pre-holed where you’re supposed to put the legs and that specific part is reinforced.

    In my case, though, as I cut the table and put the legs in new spots, the screws are fixed only on the light sheet of wood(?) that constitutes the visible part of the table. As I put the table in a corner, the table doesn’t move much, but I wouldn’t trust it if it had a chance to be moved sideways by accident. I guess the 2 legs screwed in the honeycomb would rip the wood apart.
    January 27, 2011 3:51 PM
    David said…
    To cut out the rear legs…. Nail/screw a 2×4 onto the wall and then lay the desktop onto the wall-mounted 2×4. I would use an adhesive on the 2×4 between it and the wall AND between it and the desktop to make it sturdy!
    January 29, 2011 8:52 PM”

    These comments are from this topic: https://ikeahackers.net/2011/01/wide-standing-desk.html

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  8. I guess what you are referring to, Katie’s mom, is the fact that Voka Amon, like Lack, is hollow within, so if you cut off the stabilizing edge, what happens?
    I don’t know – but there have been hacks here, I think off Lack and Expedit, where the edge has been re-stabilized by inserting something. You might want to look there.

    On the other hand, you might also want to consider simply using a wooden surface, which is way easier to cut (Vika Furuskog might be an Ikea option, or one of the work surfaces, or you just go and have a look at what Home Depot offers you). Especially if you go the route all the above posts suggest and use NO legs at all, you’d save some money you could spend on a firmer tabletop….
    Personally, I’d also just drill 2x2s into the wall and then put a nice piece of wood on top – maybe painted, maybe stained, whatever colour your daughter likes.

    Or put a Helmer underneath?
    Ahhhh, ideas…..
    I hope you let us know what you’ll do in the end!
    🙂

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  9. I might do something like 2×2’s along the walls on both sides to simply support the desk. Maybe you can simply set the desk on them, so you can slide it out to run cords down the back.

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