Dual personalities: LEGO table on one side, work surface on the other

Eric was inspired to do a Lego hack of his own after being inspired by the Ikea Hacker Lego table.

He says, "I did not want a large table to take up space in my son's bedroom so I opted to build something that used absolutely no floor space. This Lego shelf serves a dual purpose. It is a Lego table on one side and a smooth work surface (to be used as a shelf, art table, etc.) when the table top is flipped over. It's capable of storing Lego's and takes up no floor space. The shelf/table top is held in place by two dowel pins. The dowel pins keep the shelf/table top from moving and sliding off of the Trofast wall unit yet allow the shelf/table top to be flipped over to either the Lego side or the smooth shelf side. This concept could also be scaled up using a larger freestanding Trofast unit and larger table top.

Lego surface

Smooth worktop surface

Materials:

(x1) Trofast wall storage unit
(x6) Trofast storage boxes
(x1) Leksvik shelf (46 7/8" x 11") or any shelf with similar dimensions that suites your personal taste
(x2) Lego X-large gray baseplate
(x1) Lego large green baseplate
(x2) Wooden dowel pins - available for free in the spare parts bins at Ikea's merchandise return area or as leftovers from other Ikea furniture
Contact adhesive - available at craft stores or your local hardware store

Build Instructions:

1. Assemble Trofast wall storage unit per Ikea instructions
2. Drill holes for dowel pins approx. 2.5" from rear of wall unit (where the wall units meets the wall when mounted)
    - Dowel pin holes should be sized so that the dowel pins fit snugly
    - Holes depth should be deep enough so that 1/2 of the dowel pin protrudes out of the top of the wall unit
3. Glue dowel pins into holes
4. Mount Trofast wall storage unit to the wall per Ikea instructions
5. Cut Leksvik shelf to desired length - I cut my shelf to 41" in length
    - Round the cut edge using either a sander or router
    - Re-stain the cut edge to match the original finish
6. Measure and drill two holes in the Leksvik shelf to accommodate the dowel pins
    - Drill the dowel pin holes slightly larger than the dowel pins so that there is some slack to allow the shelf to be easily placed onto the down pins
7. Measure and cut the Lego baseplates to desired size
8. Glue the Lego baseplates to one side of the Leksvik shelf
9. Place the Leksvik shelf onto the Trofast wall unit
10. Fill the bins with Lego's and put the bins into the wall unit
11. Let our kid(s) have fun!!!

See more of Eric's interchangeable Lego table.