Creative Ways to Hack Your IKEA Alex Drawers

The ALEX drawer range is one of the most popular IKEA storage solutions for home offices, craft rooms, and other workspaces. And rightly so. It’s versatile, looks compact but stores a whole lot.

 

ikea alex drawer storage system

 

The ALEX range of drawers comes in various sizes. There’s a 5-drawer unit, a 4-drawer unit with drop file storage, a 6-drawer flat file storage unit on casters, the tall 9-drawer unit, and a slim EKBY ALEX shelf with 2-drawers.

 

The drawers in different sizes mean you can choose the right kind of storage for your things — organize small items or crafting materials in the shallow drawers and larger office supplies or files in the deeper ones. 

Completing the range are 2 IKEA ALEX desks with a steel underframe. These come in 2 sizes.  

 

Material-wise, the ALEX drawers are made of particleboard and come in white, gray, black-brown, or other wood veneer finishes. 

 

One of the advantages of the ALEX is its versatility. The shorter drawers can fit under an IKEA tabletop to create a desk, work surface, or makeup vanity. You can use it as standalone storage or pair it with other IKEA furniture to create custom storage solutions. IKEA covered the back of the drawer so you can use it anywhere in the room.

 

Overall, the IKEA ALEX drawers are a functional and stylish storage solution. However, if they are too “office-y” for you, IKEA Hackers is here to inspire you to hack them to fit your needs and decor.

 

Here are some of our top IKEA ALEX desks and hacks

 

1. Build a large L-shaped desk with ALEX drawers and IKEA countertops 

2. Combine a drawer and a trestle leg for a stylish IKEA ALEX desk 

3. Make a slim mid-century-style sofa table 

4. Use the EKBY ALEX as a monitor stand 

5. Add drawers to the PAX wardrobe with ALEX storage units

 

Scroll down for more IKEA ALEX hacks and answers to commonly asked questions like "how to secure an IKEA table top to the ALEX drawer?"

Latest hacks

Alex Numerar Desk

Alex Numerar Desk

Materials: ALEX Drawer unit, LERBERG Trestle, Numerar countertop A pretty simple desk “hack” for those who like a longer/wooden alternative…

Alex “Cavour” Desk

Alex “Cavour” Desk

The plan The Alex drawer unit Desk frame and legs Cutting down Alex to align with frame Frame attached to…

Computer Desk V2.0 – the Ekby Alex Add-on

Computer Desk V2.0 – the Ekby Alex Add-on

Materials: Besta, Expedit and Ekby Alex Description: Last year I made a Desk with Besta Shelf and a Expedit Desk.…

Integrated Computer/Music work desk

Integrated Computer/Music work desk

Materials: Old computer desk table tops, Vika Annefors storage, Vika Alex drawer unti, Capita bracket, Ekby Robert Wall bracket, Ekby…

Hacker help: Ironing Alex?

Hacker help: Ironing Alex?

Materials: Alex drawer unit Description: I recently saw an Alex drawer unit that someone had fitted with dividers to hold…

Butcher Block = Perfect Double Desk

Butcher Block = Perfect Double Desk

Materials: Numerar 96″ countertop, Vika Alex drawer thing that used to hold up my old craft table, and six Vika…

Double desk, light and full of storage space

Double desk, light and full of storage space

Materials: Vika Alex, Capita, Micke Description: My girlfriend needed to have her own space, but I needed to have a…

VIKA ALEX in the PAX

VIKA ALEX in the PAX

Materials: VIKA ALEX, saw, and drill or glue Description: I was looking for a chest of drawers to put in…

Alex goes to the sea

Alex goes to the sea

Materials: Alex, naval charts, wallpaper glue, varnish Description: I remade a drawer unit called ALEX from IKEA. I used old…

Ekby Alex Writing/Sofa Table

Ekby Alex Writing/Sofa Table

Materials: Ekby Alex & Vika Lage/Moliden Description: I was in search for a very small writing table, but could never…

Glamour console

Glamour console

Materials: VIKA FAGERLID (table leg with storage) and EKBY ALEX (shelf with drawer) Description: My girlfriend and I were looking…

ALEX work table with flat files

ALEX work table with flat files

Materials: 2 VIKA ALEX storage units ($50 each): 601.928.26; 1 ALEX flatfile drawer unit ($120): 401.962.41; 1 tabletop (I used…

Alex Cooling

Alex Cooling

Materials: Vika Alex, Revoltec PC-fans, ruler, jigsaw, Codegen 350w PSU Description: 1. Mod the PSU by short-circuiting it so you…

Alex Credenza

Alex Credenza

Materials: Alex Drawer Unit (40196241) & AVSIKT Roll-front cabinet (#00158439) Description: I have for a long time wanted to have…

jewelry tumbler cabinet diy

How to hide a jewelry tumbler inside an IKEA cabinet

A jewelry tumbler like mine was originally designed for taking rough cut rocks and gems and turning them into smooth…

IKEA hacks shop

Most popular

IKEA makeup vanity hack with EKBY ALEX drawers

IKEA makeup vanity hack with EKBY ALEX drawers

Due to limited space, I needed a makeup vanity table for my bedroom that was as shallow as possible but…

Sewing machine table with smart sliding tray for machine

Sewing machine table with smart sliding tray for machine

This is my sewing machine table project. It’s smart because it has a sliding tray that makes it easy to…

Upgrading Brimnes Wardrobe with Drawer Units

Upgrading Brimnes Wardrobe with Drawer Units

One problem with the Brimnes three door wardrobe is the lack of drawers. The unit comes with only three widely…

Alex drawer full extension

Q: Can I find full extension drawer slides for ALEX?

How to extend the ALEX drawers fully? I have an ALEX Drawer unit on casters, and I really like it.…

Can't find the hack you're looking for? Type in the keywords to search thousands of IKEA hacks.

Search