Introduction: 1 Uber-shelf and 2 CD/DVD/surround Speaker Shelves From 2 X MAVAS
I wanted a shelf unit that would fit my TV, surround amp, centre speaker, DVD player, PVR, subwoofer, lounge room PC, SEGA Mega Drive II, PS2, PS3 and my girlfriend's Wii.
Nothing at the local IKEA was quite right. The MAVAS was about the closest I could find.
Suddenly, I had a brainwave - what If I bought 2 MAVAS shelves and fused them into one?
I realised that I would have 2 small shelves left over, perfect for my surround satellite speakers and this IKEA hack was born.
After some quick Photoshopping, I had the following plan, to explain my vision to my girlfriend:
Nothing at the local IKEA was quite right. The MAVAS was about the closest I could find.
Suddenly, I had a brainwave - what If I bought 2 MAVAS shelves and fused them into one?
I realised that I would have 2 small shelves left over, perfect for my surround satellite speakers and this IKEA hack was born.
After some quick Photoshopping, I had the following plan, to explain my vision to my girlfriend:
Step 1: The Initial Problem...
So, here we have the initial problem I was looking for a solution for - a messy, unbalanced and disorganised home entertainment system.
Step 2: Initial Assembly
A minor setback to my initial plan - the local IKEA store had sold out of the MAVAS shelf unit in black.
Luckily, they had two left in white, so I decided to go ahead with my initial design but use white instead.
I assembled the left set of shelves from one set first, as per the included instructions - except I left the bottom shelf off and attached the backing board to the top.
I then assembled the right set of shelves from the same set, as per the included instructions.
Then I attached the middle shelves from the first set to the left set of shelves (again, as per the included instructions.
Luckily, they had two left in white, so I decided to go ahead with my initial design but use white instead.
I assembled the left set of shelves from one set first, as per the included instructions - except I left the bottom shelf off and attached the backing board to the top.
I then assembled the right set of shelves from the same set, as per the included instructions.
Then I attached the middle shelves from the first set to the left set of shelves (again, as per the included instructions.
Step 3: Final Assembly and the Finished Product.
After this point, I was on my own. Unfortunately, I didn't get photos of this part of the process. Pictures would explain what I did next far better than words, but I will attempt to explain it clearly.
I opened the second kit and used the left panel of the right set of shelves (the narrow ones) as a template for drilling holes in the right-hand panel of the left shelf set (the wider ones). This panel now attached to the right end of the middle shelves.
The other panel already had holes drilled in the correct places for the shelves, so I attached all of them except the bottom one on the left of this shelf, turning it into the right-most end of the final shelf.
Finally, I attached the backing board to the top of the finished shelf.
I assembled the second narrow shelf (originally the right-hand shelf from the second set),
then set everything up in and around the new uber-shelf.
I placed my surround rear speakers on the narrow shelves, with my modest CD collection on one and my equally modest DVD collection on the other.
The last thing to do is fill in the holes on the sides of the two free-standing narrow shelves with some white putty for a uniform look.
All in all, not bad for a first effort, I think...
I opened the second kit and used the left panel of the right set of shelves (the narrow ones) as a template for drilling holes in the right-hand panel of the left shelf set (the wider ones). This panel now attached to the right end of the middle shelves.
The other panel already had holes drilled in the correct places for the shelves, so I attached all of them except the bottom one on the left of this shelf, turning it into the right-most end of the final shelf.
Finally, I attached the backing board to the top of the finished shelf.
I assembled the second narrow shelf (originally the right-hand shelf from the second set),
then set everything up in and around the new uber-shelf.
I placed my surround rear speakers on the narrow shelves, with my modest CD collection on one and my equally modest DVD collection on the other.
The last thing to do is fill in the holes on the sides of the two free-standing narrow shelves with some white putty for a uniform look.
All in all, not bad for a first effort, I think...