Converting Bedside Table to a Portable Wash-Stand (IKEA Hack)

What to do if a ready made furniture is not able to fit in the space that is available? Your choice will be either build a customised furniture or hacking a furniture for a different purpose. Hacking a furniture will cut almost 70% of the work required to build a customised furniture from zero. 

Here, I share a step-by-step process on one of my DIY weekend projects converting bedside table to portable wash-stand. What will be required for this project? Tools (e.g. saw, metal ruler, hand drill), sand paper and brushes for wood work, base furniture to be hacked, water-resistant paint and metal knob.

STEP 1. Get some ideas on the design and materials by visiting several furniture galleries/shops. For example here, the idea was from an IKEA wash basin base cabinet, Lillangen. The material mainly particleboard, which might not be that suitable for Malaysian humidity and bathroom practice. For that reason, I choose solid wood material the project. The dimension of the IKEA cabinet also cannot fit my bathroom space and fittings.

IKEA Lillangen Wash-basin base cabinet

STEP 2. Do all necessary measurements, these include spaces between the floor/wall and the wash-basin/other fittings i.e. tap and tubing diameter. Revisit the furniture shop and compare the measurements between the space and the furniture.

Wash basin before fitting the wash-stand

STEP 3. Choose the appropriate furniture to be hacked, based on the measurements taken in Step 1 and the material of the furniture. The furniture that I hacked was a bedside table from IKEA, Tarva made from untreated solid pine. Solid wood that will be treated have better resilient to wet condition.

IKEA Tarva bedside table

STEP 4. Sketch the idea, measure, mark, bore and saw the furniture pieces based on STEP 2 measurements.

Measuring and marking the boring point and cutting line.

Hole saw that can be used to bore the hole, just get one from the DIY shop.

Using two pieces of wood, top and bottom, to guide a straight sawing cut.

After all the boring and sawing, smooth out all the sharp edges for the sand paper.

STEP 5. Protect the wood with appropriate paint. The paint that I used was a external wood treatment paint which is a weather resistant paint. Thus, it is suitable for bathroom that is usually quite wet.

STEP 6. Assemble the furniture and add small detail on characters, for example, change the knob to a brass knob to get the sense of classic.

The original wooden knob

The metal knob for classic character (RM2.90)

STEP 7. Fitting the furniture to the space and enjoy your creation.