Expedit Bookcase Size Reduction

I needed to fit some shelving into a space that was too small for standard sized shelves and I could not be bothered making shelves from scratch so decided to use IKEA Expedit bookcases and modify them to fit the space.

The Bookcases were about 350mm to wide for the space I was filling so I cut them down to size. I also wanted one of the units to be suitable for holding CDs so I added some extra shelves on one of the bookcases using leftovers from the other two.

I am not going to show all the assembly steps. The key thing here is shortening the thick outside frame of the bookcase.

Basically I had this

Step 1 Goal

But I wanted this.

And I wanted shelves halfway each section as well

I assembled the thing first to mark where I wanted to cut.

Comments

[rapidprototyping]

don't worry i had to mod my particle board entertainment center too to fit my computers. I hate partice board but might use that for pattern to make a real wood unit. real wood is sustainable by the way.

[rapidprototyping]

nice look what about pattern makin did you fill like this was making a pattern to then use to make one out of real wood maybe even cherry or black walnut to do that the panels would be vaneer plywood and edges 3/4 by 2 inch real hard wood. I like my cd horzontal so i can read who it is without having to kink my neck. many older entertainment cabinets had these plastic inserts left space betwqeen disc so you can get hold of their cases. I want one that hold four hundred in walnut . yours is good looking and has that built in look

[sewinggoddess]

Woohoo~ EXACTLY the hack I was looking for! Thank you!!

[savagearrow]

I've been unsuccessfully looking for an Expedit on ebay for a few months with the hope to do this to it. might go and buy a new one now I know it can be done.

thanks.

[TBR]

 Craigslist is the place to go for used Ikea stuff - Expedit, billys, futon frames, Ektorps, you name it.  

People seem to buy Ikea furniture as disposable or short term solutions to a particular need so there is always a steady supply of IKEA , cheap, sometimes free, usually a gotta get rid of this now type listing.

[nnyl_irret]

Fantastic - exactly what I need to do to an Expedit Bookcase for my daughter's bedroom and was wondering how to do it. Thanks a lot for sharing your brilliant idea.

[shooby]

Cardboard honeycomb inside furniture. What's happening to the world?? Cardboard is freeee, but people pay for it at ikea?

[GrayW]

SMB AH

[Southpole]

nice to see an expedit hack ... i have been thinking about one myself. we need to fit a laser printer into an expedit, but they (the printers) don't come slim enough to fit. so i was wondering if one could make one of the compartments wider. you have already shown how to make them lower, but i wonder if anyone has managed to cut one of the long boards without sacrificing stability to much and with finding a nice solution to seal the cut.

[jeffreyf]

This should *so* be in the Ikeahacker group.