Are Bunnings inserts for cube storage compatible with Kallax from Ikea? (and other questions)..

[roryb]

 

Hi there folks,

I have an existing Kallax unit from IKEA that I am looking to repurpose as a room divider in a granny flat.

I would love to pop in some drawers etc and I saw that Bunnings have them available for their cube storage units, and so I was wondering if anyone has fitted these Bunnings inserts into an IKEA Kallax unit?

I am aware that I could buy a new unit from Bunnings + the inserts, but I already have a 16 cube unit and to replace it, that is an additional few hundred dollars to do so.

The cubes in the Kallax are 330 x 330mm which appears to be similar to Bunnings but I just wanted to know if anyone has done this successfully, as I would prefer to not have to rebuy a new storage unit.

Also - has anyone put a backing on their cube storage before? I’d like to have a solid back to add the room divider feeling and I’m assuming I could just screw in some MDF or something similar?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

And lastly, is it possible to secure these units to the wall from the side? Whether I use the Kallax unit or buy a new one from Bunnings, ideally it would be sticking out into the room, but I would like to secure it to the wall to ensure it’s safe, as I do have an 8 year old daughter.

So I just wanted to know if this is possible/how to do it?

I have attached a photo of a stock Kallax unit just in case you aren’t aware what I am referring to.

Thank you all kindly for your help! 

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @roryb. It's sensational to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about cube storage.

Most of the Flexi Storage inserts will fit as they are slightly smaller than your 330 x 330mm. Your best bet would be to pick up a single cube and do a test fit on your unit. If it doesn't fit, you can always return it.

Adding an MDF Panel Standard 2400mm x 1200 x 3mm backing panel would be a reasonably straightforward process. You can have our team in-store cut the panel/s down to the correct size. You'll then paint them with black water-based paint and tack them to the back of the unit with flat head nails. Any joins can be made in line with the dividers, or if that doesn't suit, black gaffer tape can be used over the seam. 

To secure the unit to the wall, you'll need to locate studs/noggins and screw through the unit into those studs. Due to safety concerns, I wouldn't advise you to fix the unit solely to the plaster. If units like these topple over, they can cause serious injury, so you must ensure the unit is secured adequately. Please seek professional assistance if you are in doubt and follow the manufacturer's guidelines for installation. I've added a rendering below to illustrate a possible connection method.

Please let me know if you have further questions.

Mitchell

[oheyitsbeano]

@roryb 

Hiya, former IKEA employee here. I think i can add a bit to this. 

The construction of KALLAX is a hollow-core, double wall construction with a paper honeycomb interior. Fun fact! KALLAX, LACK and other hollowcore IKEA furniture is made in the kinds of factories that're used to make hollow-core doors.

Now, if you bought these new, these units come with some rear-mounted L brackets designed to hold the unit on to the wall, that when combined with a suitable drywall fixing is designed to reduce the chances of the unit tipping over. They screw into two mounting holes in the top corner pockets of your unit. This however is only for mounting it back-to-wall using Wallmates. to mount it side-to-wall, you could put in L brackets on the top of the unit, or alternatively, drill through the side of the unit with a drill that's slightly bigger than the screws you're using. You should use a fairly wide washer to spread the pressure of the screw over the area to prevent your unit cracking. 

As for finding a stud, that isn't as hard as you think either. All you need to do is knock on your walls and listen for a difference in sound. The hollow parts of your wall will have a noticeably "hollow" sound to them. Noggings and studs will have a more solid sound to them. Stud finders make easy work of this as well, especially those that can detect electrical lines.