Ad found the IKEA LACK coffee table a tad boring. “I had seen an example of another rustic coffee table DIY with wood and found it very interesting,” says Ad. “The most challenging part of the hack was getting the right color on the table top.”
Even though it is a simple modification, he loves that it gives a whole different look to his living room. Since then, he has also made a larger model for his daughter and one for his sister.
Materials for the rustic coffee table DIY:
- LACK coffee table/ side table
- pinewood
- chalk paint
- screws
1. Assemble the LACK coffee table following instructions from IKEA but do not attach the lower shelf yet.
2. Measure the length and width of the LACK table top and add 1” all round. This will be the overhang of the table top. Cut your pinewood according to these measurements.
3. Prepare the pinewood by sanding it down well with fine grit sandpaper.
4. Paint with chalk paint (I used Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint) and then edit it with a dry cloth, to get the distressed look.
5. Place the pinewood on top of the LACK coffee table top, making sure that the overhang is balanced on all sides. Attach it to the original table via screws from the bottom so screws will not be visible from the table top.
6. Measure the lower shelf and cut the pinewood board to size. You don’t need an overhang for this. Sand down and distress with chalk paint as in Step 4. Screw the pinewood board from bottom of the shelf into the pinewood. Then secure the shelf to the coffee table according to IKEA instructions.
7. For the smaller LACK side table, follow steps 1-5 but adjust the size of the table top accordingly.
~ by Ad Balvers (Submitted by Peter van Rijn)
*Post edited to include step by step instructions from Ad.
You may also like these ideas on rustic coffee tables:
– Bed slats turned into a coffee table with storage.
– Farmhouse styled KLUBBO coffee table.
– Rustic Industrial with pipes and bamboo.
Jules is the author of IKEAHackers.net: 25 Biggest and Best Projects".
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