Hide a cat litter box in a STUVA bench

Jules Yap·March 17, 2021

I wanted to hide the cat litter box in a piece of furniture such as the STUVA bench, but I did not want to do anything too complicated.

I also hoped that this way most of the litter stuck on my cat’s paw will remain inside. Additionally, it may help with the odour.

IKEA items used:

STUVA 90x50x50

STUVA bench | IKEA.com

Other materials and tools:

Sandpaper
Paint (optional)
Adhesive hooks (optional)
Drill
Saber saw

STUVA bench cat litter box instructions:

1. Use a bowl or a plate to draw a big circle on the front of the drawer. It’s easier to do this before assembly.

2. Use a drill to make a hole next to the line (inside the circle) big enough for the saw. Then insert the saw into the hole and cut out the circle.

3. Use sandpaper to sand the circle and get rid of any possible splinters.

4. Assemble the front to the rest of the bench.

Optionally, you can use paint to draw something around the hole. It is certainly not necessary, but it helps hide any possible unevenness. (I recommend using a primer first). I also added some adhesive hooks for the shovel and bags.

How long and how much did it cost?

I bought the STUVA second hand for 30€ (not sure what it used to cost since it is not in the catalog anymore). The SMÅSTAD bench 90x52x48 (69€ now) is pretty similar.

What to pay special attention to?

If you use the drill too close to the line you may end up with an uneven circle. Also, make sure the cat litter box will fit inside the STUVA bench, because I only thought about the outside measurements and my litter box ended up being only a few centimeters short of not fitting in.

This top entry litter box IKEA hack stops cat litter in its tracks

Hope this is useful for someone!

~ by Nerea

Author
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Jules Yap

Jules Yap started IKEAHackers.net in 2006 as a personal blog to showcase the most impressive IKEA hacks from all over the world. Since then, she has learned a lot more about power tools and DIY. Her site has helped thousands modify IKEA furniture with step-by-step tutorials, craft projects and home styling.

Jules is the author of IKEAHackers.net: 25 Biggest and Best Projects".