Introduction: IKEA Hack Mail Rack
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About: Former Instructables employee. Living in San Francisco amidst the fog. I love getting my hands dirty by taking on new projects, developing unique skills and learning fun facts.
With just a shelf and a few IKEA magazine holders, it's easy to make a handy storage station for mail and all sorts of important things. Position this right by the door, and never again will you wonder where your keys or phone wandered off to.
Step 1: Materials
You will need:
- Knuff plywood magazine files from IKEA
- shelf, or piece of wood cut to size and L-brackets
- Screws
- Level
- Drill, and small wood bit
Step 2: If Staining, Stain!
If you don't want to go for the natural wood look, grab that sand paper and prep your wood. The magazine holders are make from pretty cheap materials, so I don't recommend sanding them, except between stains, of course.
Once the wood is all smooth, you're good to stain.
Once the wood is all smooth, you're good to stain.
Step 3: Install Shelf
If you have a pre-made shelf, measure your space, and install accordingly.
If you're working with your own plank of wood, as I did, knock around your space looking for studs. After measuring, leveling, and coordinating the marks on the wall and the shelf, first install the brackets onto the shelf. Then screw into the wall.
If you're working with your own plank of wood, as I did, knock around your space looking for studs. After measuring, leveling, and coordinating the marks on the wall and the shelf, first install the brackets onto the shelf. Then screw into the wall.
Step 4: Install Magazine Holders
Grab a magazine holder, and drill 3 holes into it with your smallest wood bit. 1 should be on the top edge (the one flush with the shelf), and 2 should be along the back (the edge flush with the wall).
Position racks where you imagine them to lie on the wall, and mark wall/top shelf through the pre-cut holes. Remove the shelf, and hammer in your pilot holes.
Now screw in your magazine racks!
Note: If you're like me, and working with a piece of wall with a stud right in the middle, and right where you want one of your magazine racks to go, you'll have a bit of extra work to do. After installing the middle L-bracket, I realized I wanted to place the middle magazine rack over it. There's a handy pre-cut hole in these IKEA magazine holders that lined up perfectly with one of the L-bracket screws. I unscrewed this screw, and then found a small piece of wood to cover the hole in my magazine rack that would hold it up against the shelf. I then screwed the whole thing together again, and it stuck very well. The back screws installed as usual. Another option is 3M mounting tape.
Position racks where you imagine them to lie on the wall, and mark wall/top shelf through the pre-cut holes. Remove the shelf, and hammer in your pilot holes.
Now screw in your magazine racks!
Note: If you're like me, and working with a piece of wall with a stud right in the middle, and right where you want one of your magazine racks to go, you'll have a bit of extra work to do. After installing the middle L-bracket, I realized I wanted to place the middle magazine rack over it. There's a handy pre-cut hole in these IKEA magazine holders that lined up perfectly with one of the L-bracket screws. I unscrewed this screw, and then found a small piece of wood to cover the hole in my magazine rack that would hold it up against the shelf. I then screwed the whole thing together again, and it stuck very well. The back screws installed as usual. Another option is 3M mounting tape.
Step 5: Step Back and Admire Your Work
That shelf looks great, but mighty empty. Adorne, fill, and decorate as you wish.