If you’re looking for a new DIY project, this may be a good time to visit your closest IKEA store. Since 2022, a growing trend has emerged of turning IKEA hardwood bread boxes into cabinets and side tables. If you’re unfamiliar with IKEA’s bread box, it’s called the MAGASIN Bread Bin, and you can get it online!

The basic concept of this upcycling hack is simple—buy a bread box (or two), turn it on its side so the sliding cover becomes a door, add paint and legs as desired, and voila, your bread-side table or bread box cabinet is born. Several variations exist, including fastening two boxes together side-by-side to make a 2-door cabinet, and stacking several boxes to create a multi-tiered storage unit.

The hack continues to gain steam, thanks to people’s ongoing appreciation of fast, easy, DIY projects like this work bench kitchen island and the IKEA Kallax shelf storage hack. IKEA’s bread boxes are sturdy, attractive and roomy, making them a natural candidate for up-cycling into something to store items besides bread.

How to Build an IKEA Bread Box Table

Here’s how to turn two IKEA bread boxes into an elegant “bread-side” table with built-in storage.

What You’ll Need

Directions

• Flip one of your two breadboxes upside down and lay a bead of wood glue along the perimeter of the bottom.
• Place the second breadbox carefully on top of the first, lining up the bottom edges of the two boxes so the glue bonds them together symmetrically.
• Ensure the two boxes are perfectly aligned with each other, then lay a flat, heavy object (i.e., a stack of books) on top of the top box to weigh it down and ensure a strong glue joint.
• Wipe away any excess glue that squeezes out along the joint using a wet cloth.
• Allow the glue to dry overnight.
• Decide where you’d like to paint your table and choose a color. Painting the top and bottom surfaces and door handles while leaving the rest unpainted gives a nice contrast.
• Lightly sand the areas you want to paint using 180-grit paper. This boosts paint adhesion.
• Vacuum away any dust.
• Mask any areas you don’t want to paint, then apply primer and paint. Allow enough time for the paint to dry.
• Use a screwdriver or impact driver to fasten four hairpin legs symmetrically to the bottom of your table.