L
londoneye30 Jun 2010 10:33Hello everyone,
In my kitchen, there is a 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) long countertop that is fastened on one side to the wall using a wooden slat. To gain more stability and storage space, I would like to place a large Expedit shelf, 1.49 m (4 ft 10 in) wide, horizontally underneath the countertop. Unfortunately, this would prevent the outermost cabinet door from opening.
So here are my questions:
1) Is it possible to shorten the Expedit shelf vertically (which, in my case, corresponds to its width) by about 25 cm (10 inches)? I imagine it like this:
- Carefully detach the side panels and the middle partition at the hardware store
- Pre-drill the bottom panel, since the supplied fittings (now missing due to the cut) won’t be usable
- Screw the bottom panel to the shortened side panels using appropriately long screws
- Done.
The only downside should be that the visual symmetry is a bit off, as one compartment would be smaller than the others.
2) Are there feet available that can be added afterward to raise the Expedit shelf by about 3 cm (1¼ inches)? The reason is that the countertop (see above) is 82 cm (32¼ in) high, but the Expedit shelf is only 79 cm (31 in). The Besta storage bench has something like this. Maybe you have other ideas, too.
Thank you very much for your help,
Christoph
In my kitchen, there is a 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) long countertop that is fastened on one side to the wall using a wooden slat. To gain more stability and storage space, I would like to place a large Expedit shelf, 1.49 m (4 ft 10 in) wide, horizontally underneath the countertop. Unfortunately, this would prevent the outermost cabinet door from opening.
So here are my questions:
1) Is it possible to shorten the Expedit shelf vertically (which, in my case, corresponds to its width) by about 25 cm (10 inches)? I imagine it like this:
- Carefully detach the side panels and the middle partition at the hardware store
- Pre-drill the bottom panel, since the supplied fittings (now missing due to the cut) won’t be usable
- Screw the bottom panel to the shortened side panels using appropriately long screws
- Done.
The only downside should be that the visual symmetry is a bit off, as one compartment would be smaller than the others.
2) Are there feet available that can be added afterward to raise the Expedit shelf by about 3 cm (1¼ inches)? The reason is that the countertop (see above) is 82 cm (32¼ in) high, but the Expedit shelf is only 79 cm (31 in). The Besta storage bench has something like this. Maybe you have other ideas, too.
Thank you very much for your help,
Christoph
There are these Pax feet. You would need the bracket that you hammer into the Expedit and the plastic foot. Take the threaded rod and go to the hardware store to get one in the required length or cut the IKEA threaded rods with a metal saw.
Alternative: casters, which are available in many different sizes at hardware stores, from very small to very large. Then screw the Expedit to the worktop from above using a hole punch; this way, it won’t roll away.
Place square timber underneath so that it is not visible from the front, or cover it with a skirting board accordingly.
That’s for raising it higher.
Cutting off, or shortening, is only possible to a very limited extent, as with the Lack shelves. I once shortened a wall shelf and, surprisingly, the shelf consists of about 3mm thick particleboard covered with veneer. The inside is large cardboard honeycomb. You can’t attach anything to that; a screw just spins around like a soup spoon. I think the outer parts of the Expedit are designed the same way, hollow inside (which also explains the light weight!). The only heavy parts of the Expedit are the inner shelves!
With my Lack shelf, it was not a problem because it was flush with another shelf in a niche, and the edge between them was practically invisible. It looked like one continuous shelf. The Lack wall shelves have about 5cm (2 inches) of “solid” material on each narrow side, the rest is hollow cardboard honeycomb. I see it the same way with my Expedits. At the points where the side panels are screwed, it will be solid enough for the screw length, with air behind it.
By now, there is a smaller version of the Expedit in cube form, measuring 79cm x 79cm (31 inches x 31 inches) with four compartments. Wouldn’t that fit your space? It doesn’t provide full-room storage but at least offers four compartments... It’s not expensive either.
Or what about cut-to-size white shelves that you support on square timber on the right and left? You can cover the supports so that they are not visible at the front. Or an 80cm (31 inches) wide Faktum cabinet with an end panel shelf attached. Or there is also a 120cm (47 inches) wide corner base cabinet for those pot carousels, and you can cover the small gap at the front with a cut-down, fitted front panel and matching skirting board. There are many options. The 1.20m (4 feet) long corner base cabinets (which are actually straight and not typical corner cabinets) can be modified inside by installing a vertical middle panel and shelves on the right and left, so they aren’t too long and won’t sag. Just put two 60cm (24 inches) doors on, and you’re done.
Alternative: casters, which are available in many different sizes at hardware stores, from very small to very large. Then screw the Expedit to the worktop from above using a hole punch; this way, it won’t roll away.
Place square timber underneath so that it is not visible from the front, or cover it with a skirting board accordingly.
That’s for raising it higher.
Cutting off, or shortening, is only possible to a very limited extent, as with the Lack shelves. I once shortened a wall shelf and, surprisingly, the shelf consists of about 3mm thick particleboard covered with veneer. The inside is large cardboard honeycomb. You can’t attach anything to that; a screw just spins around like a soup spoon. I think the outer parts of the Expedit are designed the same way, hollow inside (which also explains the light weight!). The only heavy parts of the Expedit are the inner shelves!
With my Lack shelf, it was not a problem because it was flush with another shelf in a niche, and the edge between them was practically invisible. It looked like one continuous shelf. The Lack wall shelves have about 5cm (2 inches) of “solid” material on each narrow side, the rest is hollow cardboard honeycomb. I see it the same way with my Expedits. At the points where the side panels are screwed, it will be solid enough for the screw length, with air behind it.
By now, there is a smaller version of the Expedit in cube form, measuring 79cm x 79cm (31 inches x 31 inches) with four compartments. Wouldn’t that fit your space? It doesn’t provide full-room storage but at least offers four compartments... It’s not expensive either.
Or what about cut-to-size white shelves that you support on square timber on the right and left? You can cover the supports so that they are not visible at the front. Or an 80cm (31 inches) wide Faktum cabinet with an end panel shelf attached. Or there is also a 120cm (47 inches) wide corner base cabinet for those pot carousels, and you can cover the small gap at the front with a cut-down, fitted front panel and matching skirting board. There are many options. The 1.20m (4 feet) long corner base cabinets (which are actually straight and not typical corner cabinets) can be modified inside by installing a vertical middle panel and shelves on the right and left, so they aren’t too long and won’t sag. Just put two 60cm (24 inches) doors on, and you’re done.
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