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Q: How to join two LACK tables together temporarily?

Contributor·
Hackers Help
·19 Comments·3 mins read

I’m looking for a way to join two square LACK tables together.

This is so that they can easily and quickly form a play table for my son to put his railway on but be separated and stored away at the end of the day.

LACK side table

LACK side table | IKEA.com

Any ideas would be welcome but ideally need to not have things sticking out.

I did consider bolts on the underside …

Please feel free to make any other suggestions.

Thank you!

Victoria 

***

Hi Victoria

Two LACK side tables are great as a base for a train play table.

train play table

Related: 16 ways to use the LACK side table all around the house

Bolt them

Your idea of adding sliding barrel bolts on the underside will work. Just make sure you screw them onto the edges of the LACK table with solid material and not the paper filler.

bolts to join LACK tables
Velcro to the rescue

Besides bolts, you can also use a long strip of Velcro along the sides of the two LACK tables to keep them together. Like so.

velcro to join LACK tables

Credit: The Handyman’s Daughter

A handy LACK Lock

I also found a readymade solution on Etsy. Seems like you’re not the only one who wants to join two or more LACK tables together.

LACK lock to join tables

The LACK Lock slides over two legs and is held in place with an integrated, low visibility screw. They can even make the locking adapter in a wide variety of colors to match the colour of your LACK tables. The lock can be removed when your son has finished playing. But maybe not as easy to disengage as Velcro or barrel bolts.

Let us know the quick and easy solution you end up with.

Happy hacking,

Jules

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19 Responses

  2. 1) a piece of plywood (about 4′ by 2′) with quarter round on the 4 edges to hold the tables together. The tables are moved together than the plywood is laid on top with the quarter round (on the bottom side), pressing against the edge of the table tops.
    2) barrel bolts through the legs (requires tools to take apart)
    3) a magnetic knife rack fastened to one table with steel bar stock fastened to the other table. If this sticks out too much, would have to fasten to some wood strips which would be fastened to the underneath of the table edges.
    4) short bungee cords wrapped around the inner legs.

    Reply

    1. Cut a pool noodle to length and slit it lengthwise. The child can put it on the two side aprons from below, joining them together in the slit.

      Reply

  4. A pair of speed cramps would do this job very well. Quick to fit and quick to release. Buy metal ones if you can. They’ll easily ‘squeeze’ the undersides if two tables together and come off in seconds. WARNING :- Don’t squeeze too hard ! Theses can have a very powerful grip so practice using them first. Here is a link so you get the idea, this is from a site in the UK.

    Reply

  5. +1 for strong magnets. Drilling might not even be necessary if adhered in the right places.

    Reply

  8. I was wondering if some stretchy bands, like maybe even hair scrunchies could be slipped around the legs which abut when pushed together?

    Reply

  9. why not get sheet of MDF or something similar the size of the 2 tables and lay it on top Easy to lift off at end of play will also protect table

    Reply

  11. Child safety strap locks could work, too; they’re attached via an adhesive back and would work perfectly if put on the legs.

    Reply

  12. I wondered about embedding strong little magnets into the sides of the table tops? As long as the holes you drill to glue the magnets in are not deep enough to go through the solid edges it might work. I am imagining the magnets flush with the side surfaces.

    Reply

  14. Velcro Straps can wrap around the legs and hook to themselves. That what I did when creating my standing desk. Easy to disassemble move and keeps them separate without any permanent changes. .

    Reply

  15. Or, instead of magnetic cabinet latches, you could use magnetic adhesive strips, similar to the velcro strip solution above.

    Reply

  16. I don’t see how bolting them would work. They would just slide apart.

    The idea of connecting them using their legs is a good one because as far as I remember the legs are more solid than the tops. I would use a couple of short cabin hooks, one on each leg. The hook will prevent them from sliding apart. They’d be more convenient than the lack locks and pretty cheap.

    Reply

  17. I’d be tempted to try something with magnets – maybe drill some recesses so that they don’t protrude (a Forstner drill bit is ideal for this), and glue them in place with epoxy or silicone. If your placement of the magnets is accurate it should mean that the tables will always stick together accurately.

    Reply

  18. You could also use magnetic cabinet latches. I would mount the magnet sides on the underside of the tabletop or on the legs, and then mount the strike plates on small pieces of wood superglued into the corners between the legs and the underside of the table. Two (or perhaps three) latches should be strong enough to hold the tables together, while still letting you pull them apart easily, and not have to worry about moving parts.

    Reply

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