Hackers Help: How to secure LINNMON + ALEX?

vfomino·
Hackers Help
··20 Comments
linnmon alex table brown
Home
Hackers Help
linnmon-alex-table-brown
Photo: IKEA.com

Hi colleagues, I need to secure a good firm and nice looking connection between a Linnmon top and an Alex drawer unit for my home desk.

As you probably know, Linnmon top is “almost” empty inside (is full with a paper “homecomb”) and does not have enough strength to use screws (except on corners).

IKEA version of the desk is quite loose and the top only sits over Alex. Any wrong move and your desk is not a desk any more.

And of course I would like that the connection will be nice looking too.

Thank you,

vfomino

vfomino
Latest posts by vfomino (see all)

20 Responses

  1. You can purchase threaded inserts from ebay for cheap. These are metal tubes, with an internal thread, go for M4, and a 25mm length. Drill four holes (just under the outer diameter of the inserts, probably 5 or 6mm) through underside of the top of the ALEX unit into the underside of the Linnmon Desktop (mark your 4mm drill bit with a piece of masking tape to achieve the appropriate depth, go for about 26mm+ALEX top).

    Fix the threaded inserts into the LINNMON desktop with some two part epoxy, the fit should be tight and you should need very little epoxy. You could also fill the hole in the LINNMONN entirely with a decent filler, then redrill it if you want a tighter fix, or there are voids in the paper filling.

    For a flush fit, countersink the holes on the underside of the ALEX unit. Use M4 countersunk M4 screws, the length should be a little under the thickness of the ALEX top, plus the 25mm of the inserts. Then, screw through the bottom of the ALEX unit, into the threaded inserts fixed inside the LINMONN top.

    This provides a solid attachment, with no gap, and can easily be removed if you want to, It’s also completely invisible from the outside and the screw heads will be flush to the underside of the top in the ALEX unit, out of sight.

    This is the way I’ll be fixing my new desk build with a combination of a LINNMON top, ALEX cupboard and MICKE drawer unit (behind which all my electronics and power will go). It’s different to your setup but the method will work just the same. Just remember to go for barely hand tight, as you don’t want to rip the inserts out of the LINNMON top by going too hard.

    Reply

  2. I used 5 stick on ‘bumpers’ on top of the Alex drawers. Clean surface with alcohol first and they stick really well. Place them in a cross (X) shape).

    Reply

  3. how about my idea i brought the long 200cm linnmon table top with two alex draw base units
    if you assemble the two alex units but with out the top part and use dowlings in the top of the alex sides at the top this would mean you have to drill 8 holes in the table top underside and use glue with the dowlings to secure it

    Reply

  4. I used the Command Strip picture Velcro. It’s designed to stop lateral movement (picture falling down) and also detaches easily if you lift up an edge. Also should I ever need to remove it, they come off clean.

    Reply

  5. From Valarie – Regarding attaching Linmon + Alex, most kitchen countertops are attached with a bead of silicone caulk before placing the countertop. That will keep it from sliding off and could also enable removal later. You will not be able to attach the two and then try to lift them by the Linmon top.

    Thanks

    Reply

  6. I’m not sure what you want to do with the desk, but I already drilled some normal screws in the linmon. I fixed the capita legs under it and not only on the corners. I think it’s thight enough for normal use.

    But I also like the idea of Sanja with the anti-slip mat.

    Reply

  7. Thank you very much for the various ideas !
    Meanwhile, I just used some long screws (45 mm), used the drilled holes on the corners of the LINNMON (for mounting the standard legs). Took a sheet of paper, aligned with the corners, marked on the paper the holes positions. Then put the paper on the top corners of ALEX and grilled some holes with a 3 mm drill. Then, I connected the top of ALEX with LINNMON. After this, I finished mounting ALEX and installed 4 castors. Adjusted the high of the OLOV legs,
    As I am still in the phase of painting the next “office” room I have already moved the desk in other room. This was very easy done due to the castors.

    Again, thanks for the ideas and good hacking!

    Reply

  8. I don’t have a LINNMON table, so I have not tried this personally, but I do know you can get expanding screws which might work with the honeycomb structure (maybe someone can confirm this?). I would try those together with a simple L-bracket or two. I do have an ALEX, and I know it readily accepts normal screws, as I have mounted a subwoofer on the side of it in a similar desk setup, so you would only need the fancy screws for the tabletop.

    Another more concealed approach would be to take out the drawers and screw from inside the ALEX, out through the top and directly into the tabletop. If you put a screw in each top corner of ALEX, at least 2 of your screws would be into the more stable corners of the LINNMON.

    Reply

  9. If you don’t want to permanently glue them together but want a fairly sturdy connection, you could glue small scrap pieces of wood (like 1/2″ x 1/2″ x a bit less than the depth of Alex cabinet) to the underside of the desktop, one on either side of the Alex, so the desktop slots onto the cabinet. I use little rubber feet on my desk, which has Alex cabinets as legs; the friction from the rubber feet/bumpers keeps my desktop in place very well, but I have a heavier desktop than the Linnmon. You can get clear rubber feet with adhesive on one side, in various sizes, at any hardware store.

    Reply

  10. I like to put non-skid shelf liner between tables and supporting cabinets; it’s not permanent (a bonus when moving or reconfiguring furniture), but it holds really well. Stuff like this or the heavier version for under rugs; whichever you have on hand or can find locally.

    Reply

  12. Hi,

    We used an anti-slip-mat.
    We had ours from the dollar shop but I guess IKEA has such mats in the kitchen department as well.

    Cheap, fast, clean and removable without any traces.

    Reply

  13. I use a grippy drawer liner on top of the alex unit (below the linnmon top) for a non-permanent connection. It prevents the two from slipping, works perfectly. I have multiple desks set up this way with no problems.

    Reply

  18. I have this exact setup, I have two Alex units and they (or maybe the table top, I bought it all together so I don’t remember for sure) came with little rubber stickon “feet” to put on top of the Alex. I use mine as a craft table and there’s no movement whatsoever. The feet are similar to this and you could probably find them in any hardware store, Target, etc. I put one on each corner of the Alex (four on each) and it’s been working great (been several months now).

    Reply

  19. We have used couple sided sticky tape (carpet tape) or velcro. Also you can place a screw up through the ALEX into that end four inches (the short side) of the LINNMON table, but you will end up with holes in your ALEX should you ever have them apart.

    Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

© COPYRIGHT 2022 IKEAHACKERS.NET | IKEA® is a registered trademark of Inter-IKEA Systems B.V.
IKEAhackers.net is a fan-run website and is NOT related to IKEA®, IKEA.com or the IKEA Group.
Any and all links to IKEA.com are presented for reader convenience only and
do not imply IKEA's approval of this website and/or the modification of its products.
IKEA® and IKEAhackers.net are not liable for any product failure, injury or damage
resulting from the application of hacks featured on this site.