IKEA Hacking: Upcycling a Drawer Unit

Sure, most furniture IKEA sells are flat pack, laminate, things, but there are also quite a few items made of raw untreated wood. In this video we're looking to upcycle a Moppe drawer unit, taking it from raw plywood to a classy Mahogany stained eye-catcher!
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Music:
Nicolai Heidlas - Sunny Afternoon
CC BY 4.0
Photos:
Bouges-le-Château (Indre). by Daniel Jolivet
CC BY 2.0
IKEA HACK 04 by Auguste & Claire
CC BY 3.0

[@TinTin-fq5id]

Pain builds character but sawdust slowly kills your lungs?! You're hilarious!😂😂😂

[@RikkiTheRose]

Its only truth you darn idiot.

[@Crane_feather]

@@RikkiTheRose Hey hey hey don't just insult people man, what the hell were you thinking putting this unnecessary reply here?

[@themadhacker9376]

well...its not great for your lungs, he is right about that

[@VoiDShotzZ]

Breathe through you nose while you’re at it

[@stephenbakasa2310]

I like this video. Before you actually started working on it I thought the unit was massive. Like a chest of drawers for clothes. Made me laugh when I saw how tiny it is. Ikea hacks are pretty cool.

[@helenanilsson5666]

They are really useful though, especially if you have a lot of small borderline junk items like I did when I was a kid. I had one of these, though it's two drawers wide and four drawers high with wheels mounted underneath. I used it to store playing cards (this was just after the height of the pokemon card collection frenzy and I had an insane amount of collectible bits of cardboard), keychain charms, cellphone cases, pens & pencils, erasers and assorted small junk that I didn't know where to put but needed to get off the floor before they disappeared into a vacuum cleaner. I've still got it. It's a pretty good height for a bedside table even if it's a little narrow, and it's very useful to have the multitude of little drawers for little things like pain killers, cough drops, nose spray, napkins, and stuff that I found in my pockets before bed. I've been thinking about upcykling it for over ten years now but I've been holding off until I've found my forever home so that I can make sure it matches everything else.

[@KnurdMonkey]

The label "mistakes" upside down is a real touch :)

[@gorillaau]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one paying attention.

[@scattygirl1]

OMG! I have this exact Moppe drawer unit but because I wrote fancy lettering on it years ago - to label the contents - I thought there was nothing else I could do with it once I changed its use. But turning the drawers round is absolute genius! Thank you :-D

[@BreaknRemake]

I was hesitating getting one of these Moppe drawer sets, but you made it look so cute! And thank you for explaining the difference between oil and water based stains.

[@seariavorza5586]

You speak English in the most adorable way. And I do love this hack.

[@SwitchAndLever]

May have been the first time anyone found it adorable. Haha! Thank you!

[@mcdazz2011]

Searia Vorza - I'm particularly fond of the way he said this: Don't be too vigorous in your sanding however, as the top veneer isn't super thick and you could easily go through it. There are a lot of surfaces to sand, but don't fret if your arms start hurting. Pain builds character. Plywood dust, however, slowly kills your lungs, so do wear a dust mask. Or the classic: I'm definitely a fan of oil based stains, but remember, as it's based on linseed oil, the rags need to be disposed of properly, as there is the minute risk of spontaneous combustion.

[@umizainol]

Am I the only one here, continued to watch this video just because of the way he speaks? It's fascinating!

[@avienated]

Typical Swedish accent. I'm Norwegian, I've heard it a lot since I've been around Swedish people in international environments =)

[@MrMjolnir69]

Yep. Tremendous grasp of the language. ( am English) humbling!

[@Stormscythe378]

Swedish Kermit the frog

[@zxGHOSTr]

It looked bigger in the thumbnail.

[@thalesvondasos]

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@SplatterQueen]

😏

[@Wallach_a]

That’s what she s...never mind.

[@annajohansson3554]

@@Wallach_a Dammit, you stole my joke. 😂

[@chloefleetwood8791]

This is an amazing idea, I have one of these units sitting in the garage doing nothing. Definitely going to revamp it like this in the summer and put it to use!

[@jerodlastname498]

This looks amazing! That's exactly the color of stain I love. You've done an excellent job!

[@theazurebee450]

When all the screws were exactly the same way, I got excited... Then I saw "Thingamabobs" and Subscribed. I haven't heard anyone use that word (besides myself) in a really long time. 😂

[@stephanielynn5456]

This video was recommended to me on my homepage! I must say it is so well done!! I feel like no detail was spared in the editing or filming processes. I really like the hack, too. It turned out great!

[@lzrd8460]

I just love little boxes and drawers and have always wanted some of these for my craft room. I'm saddened to hear that IKEA is going to discontinue them so I'd better get out there and find some asap! You have done a wonderful job on this. Thanks so much for sharing.

[@Klomster88]

A nice harmonious video. I'm a real fan of that dark brown reddish colour of stain. Nice job.

[@Bevity]

It's beautiful! I have bought several of these from second hand stores and yard sales. I have a few different model variations and my aim is to have a craft room. I like them plain, but you have definitely inspired me! Mine too, will be beautiful.

[@5klisting606]

This video was so oddly satisfying. The cute accent didn't hurt either. Glad your workshop didn't go up in flames from the self combusting rags!

[@susanhazard632]

Finally, an intellligent, funny and creative presenter! Great job, clearly presented, well done. Thanks!

[@pquenita]

"pain builds character!" Love it!!!

[@RoamingAdhocrat]

I had this same drawer unit in my teens. I decorated mine with the equation for finding the roots of quadratic formulas in biro.

[@gynellek.5453]

something about your accent and the rhythm of the way you speak is so lovely I could listen to you all day :)

[@SwitchAndLever]

+Gynelle King that is not a comment I usually get. From the bottom of my being, thank you!

[@ElsaRhae]

This is a great quality video! I don't know that I've ever seen this drawer set at the IKEA near me! I love the finished product and again, the video editing details are exceptional!

[@SwitchAndLever]

Thank you Elsa, I very much appreciate it! Unfortunately these seem to be more and more rare to come by, and flea markets and garage sales being the most likely place to find one. However, there are other companies making similar things, googling for cheap plywood drawer units (minus ikea) will come up with a fair bit.

[@mairedaly4548]

I did a project like this, the template to mark the holes at the front was a great tip, I'll use next time!

[@theboyjames3065]

The template and tape on the drill bit is a great tip. Thank you 👍🏻😍

[@sabinebeitler]

So impressing to watch you! Not only is your product very convenient, but you also turned your video in to an informative lesson! Thank you a lot!

[@SwitchAndLever]

Cheers! Glad you liked it!

[@prisillaspace]

Well done indeed!! Thank you for sharing your knowledge in regards to the stains & glazing techniques!!! 😍

[@MatchboxGarage]

Cool I have one of these and never considered modifying it until now

[@brentbousquet]

this wouldn't work for me, the mistake drawer is much to small

[@CallieMasters5000]

Oh, so now you tell me about my damaged lungs and spontaneous combustion?! I'm not risking my life for Ikea doll furniture!

[@AnnaGlin]

i would

[@Cruznick06]

Got one in March 2019 at the Kansas City Ikea. Might have been brought back to production. I am decoupaging mine and used brush-on acrylic paint for the interiors. Old cotton/poly blend socks work great as stain rags.

[@OIFEagle]

The bottom of each drawer would look nice with a green felt lining.

[@UnitSe7en]

I am like a billiard table, Because I, too, have felt.

[@AllThePeppermint]

Idk... I like the idea of being able to sweep it out, whereas felt would attract more dust.

[@1centplus1cent]

GREAT tutorial! I smiled from beginning to end. You did a wonderful job explaining everything and I have to say as a native English speaker I was impressed with your usage of the language. I also have been looking for an apothecary/card catalogue cabinet for ages due to that desire I've watched numerous hack tutorials to achieve such. However, this video is by far the best and easiest. I hope they still have that Moppe unit for sale in my area. Thank you for the tutorial.

[@SwitchAndLever]

+1centplus1cent you bet! Glad you liked it!

[@janetyeager4861]

My grandparents were from Sweden. Hearing your accent makes me miss them very much. Also, great information!

[@juliuslu]

Really nice video. Great that you explained the difference between staines. That was really helpful. I agree with another poster: Your videos are edited quite well.

[@SwitchAndLever]

+Julius Luger cheers man, I appreciate it!

[@FunkyRainbowbubbles]

Years ago I hacked this unit by painting the drawers faces with blackboard paint so I could write or draw labels on it and it turned 👌🏼 but yours is awesome I love it !!! 🤯

[@emloser664]

THIS DESERVES A MILLION+ VIEWS. The Harry Potter reference gives me life.

[@evato2213]

You literally saved myself from being broke! The original apothecarys are so expensive!!

[@wotshish]

dude, the upside-down mistake label was the best

[@DONphantasmo]

Amazing video as usual. Plus, your English is better than most of us here in the United States, lol...

[@gaillewis5472]

I can't believe you really pulled an anvil out of that drawer. Priceless.

[@TwoWitchyMoons]

I'm not sure why this showed up in my recommended feed but I just subbed after watching it. Obsessed with your accent and would watch even if you were reading the dictionary.

[@SwitchAndLever]

A is for Aardvark.

[@TwoWitchyMoons]

B is for Balloon

[@BeccadiFelton]

Pain builds character!! I LOVED IT!!

[@keoni29]

I like the anvil drawer. We have these at home stained with just water based paint. It doesn't protect the wood at all and it feels very rough. If I ever get another one I'll try the oil based stuff.

[@SwitchAndLever]

Yeah, while I love working with this stuff, using any sort of water based paint, stain or sealer usually just ends up in a lot more work than it's worth. Oil based is definitely the way to go in my opinion!

[@keoni29]

Recently I started using acrylic paint with clear varnish on top. That works quite well.

[@not2fast4u2c]

Now.....That's thinking out of the box !!!

[@not2fast4u2c]

No...No...No..No.....I don't Smoke it No more ...I'm tired of waking up on the floor !!!!....Remember the song ?

[@perandren9179]

Ah yes, the beloved Moppe brings back memories! My first efter IkeaHack-endeavour some twenty years ago did indeed include a Moppe and a can of paint.

[@andershejdenberg7520]

Great video! I found a Moppe at IKEA today, so I guess they're back in the inventory again. I also found that ZAR has a Mocha color that closely resembles the tone you mixed together. They also have a Moorish teak color that's a bit darker if that's what you're after.

[@SwitchAndLever]

It seems like they go in and out of inventory, I saw them as well not too long ago, but when I went back a few weeks later they were not around any more.

[@sportlol]

awesome hack, nice edit. painting the interior of the drawers in a light color helps seing better what's inside!

[@SwitchAndLever]

+sportlol indeed, but painting with a light color would have required another paint, or many more coats, as the drawers were stained quite heavily from the previous owner.

[@justwantaplaylist1]

"pain builds character" :D:D:D I love it.. this was so funny that i subscribed

[@M1NDCR4WL3R]

i was looking for this comment XD

[@Widdekuu91]

@TheHumbleKitty In my country, it was used for girls, not for boys. If you were combing your hair and it hurt, they said; 'Wie mooi wil zijn, moet pijn lijden.' Basically; Whoever wants to be beautiful, needs to suffer pain (no beauty without suffering.) I haven't heard it for boys yet, that thing with character.

[@ItsDaisySofia]

The editing/graphics/animations are amazing omg wow

[@AzraelThanatos]

Another simple upgrade for drawer units of about that size is to cover the bottom of the drawer interiors with felt. Adhesive backed felt works great for this kind of thing and it is extremely cheap to do while also being cheap. In the US, it's about 10-20 cents for a sheet of the felt at a craft store, you might need 3 of them from the looks of the size, so with just the bottoms of it, that's not that bad. If you're storing anything more fragile, you can also do the interior sides of the drawers for just a bit more of the felt, probably 1 sheet per drawer

[@mattikaki]

Hehheh. I started watching this only to find out how did you cover those notches. Well, it was easier I was imagined. Wonder, why I didn’t figure it out myself. I have some of these in my garage and shop and those notches have not been the best part of those. Thanx.

[@honeyandsummer]

@Angry Hippo me too 😂

[@veronicamedina5826]

Well done!! Its terrific. You do an amazing job editing and narrating the video.

[@Godivarealness]

Mistakes was written upside down. lol you have a good sense of humor. subscribed!

[@lovetolearnmaryland1848]

Verrrrry Nice! Thanks for this video, hope to do the same to my cabinet someday. Keep up the good work!

[@SwitchAndLever]

Cheers!

[@debmacie1612]

This is an excellent project. Great finished project.

[@bondarenkodf]

awesome! Also, you could glue soft cloth pieces to the bottom of each box to prevent scratches and noise

[@terrijaenisch5409]

Wow, thank you. This was great. I just bought two of these units.

[@suziscool]

I like your sense of humor.

[@ot0m0t0]

What is this, drawers for ants?

[@LBrobie]

LOL! Right??!! But I guess it's just for little odds and ends type things.

[@NjniaVanDerWald]

i have the same thing and store all my pencils, pens, erasers, glue, post its and other nick nacks you could possibly need at your desk. you could also use ti to store screws, nails and other craft supplies in there.

[@litax005]

“Superfluous” 🤣🤣🤣🤣 i loved this tutorial so much 👍👍👍👍

[@BruceAUlrich]

Love how it turned out! Great video!

[@Arterexius]

Helped my ex gf paint one in different colors. She wanted all the insides to stick to their normal, bright plywood color and the outside frame in dark grey. Then she wanted the drawer fronts in different colors of paint (red, blue, yellow, green & purple - I remember because she left the color testers at my place and didn't want them after the breakup. Good thing I'm a maker and can actually use them). I first sanded all the parts. Then I applied some knot sealer and sanded that after drying too, before applying some white wood sealer (those two things makes the plywood look more like normal wood and hides the knots better). After that dried, I lightly sanded the pieces again, before applying 2-3 coats of paint with sanding in between layers and finally I brushed on laquer for furniture, giving it a nice, semi matte shine. They looked great and so did this project. Definitely tagging along to see what other products you're going to hack. The hacking community is pretty huge and I've hacked quite a few pieces myself

[@drummergirl495]

I’ve watched this video before but recently acquired my own box of drawers and I love this look, I’m going to attempt to make mine look as good as his...fingers crossed 🤞

[@greekkidshows9373]

Straight forward & simple Just the way it should be

[@aannoonniimmss]

loved that 'mistakes' part. nice idea

[@panagea2007]

That nargle looked just like mine!

[@HotSauseCandy]

I love your drawer template idea. True genius. :)

[@victorodionov]

Well done! I like how it's black inside also. 👌👌👍👍

[@miramagdy4603]

I'm impressed by everything you've done

[@dorgodorato]

Your video editing is amazing. As for the hack itself, I'd recommend gluing in a small wood wedge on the top of the drawer housing to catch the drawers before they're pulled all the way out. Somewhere far enough forward that the drawer could still be levered out, wide and long enough so the glue keeps its purchase if you attempt to withdraw the drawer with a bit of gusto, and a shallow enough angle so that it isn't readily visible from normal viewing angles.

[@SwitchAndLever]

Well, I want to be able to remove them with ease, so making a drawer stopper would be more frustrating than useful. Nothing stopping you from doing it though. Many thanks, and glad you like the video!

[@waterbitten]

lol!!. the narration made this video even better!

[@nearzero1555]

I just picked one up last weekend. I think I may do something like this! Thanks for the video

Ikea is really great. I used their cheap cabinets to make a customized wall cabinet flush with the wall and a ikea kitchen table top. I had to mask some pipes in the attic where we wanted a extra bedroom. Turned out to be very nice.

[@kerrypitt9789]

The only downside to staining these boxes is they are made of birch and really don't like stain so several coats is a must. I never thought about reversing the drawers, thank you! Instead of painting the inside black i think I would go with black felt, but that is me, the paint is a great idea. It will be sad to see this box go, I have several and I love them

[@SwitchAndLever]

One coat of oil based stain was enough for me. Depends on how dark you want it perhaps. I still want the grain to be visible.

[@CaseyJac92]

I love listening to your voice, so musical!

[@SwitchAndLever]

I think that is seriously the first time anyone has referred to my voice as such 😄

[@reme001]

Very nice. Had that Ikea box for cds. Never thought about staining it. Lost it in major apt bldg fire. Miss it.

[@foreverlostinabook]

It looks gorgeous!

[@lindab8397]

Brilliant even if it’s just a hobby. Looks great. But it’s a great way to get one off designs. You can learn lots of different ways by watching up cycling on you tube . 👍

[@Roberta_Trevino]

Ahahahah "Pain builds character" Thats just funny, man

[@natecaine7473]

Yes, sadly, IKEA seems to have discontinued these in the USA as well. (IKEA: FIRA 18777, although this is a cheaper design that doesn't use dovetail joints.) I keep my eye out for used ones at the local Goodwill. As in the video, you often have to deal with glitter and sticker residue. But for $3 who can complain? I find it easier to disassemble the American version back to the constituent flat parts. Makes it easier to sand and finish; then reassemble.

[@MishMashMum]

Fantastic video! I actually came on here to watch a clothing haul and saw the thumb nail, clicked on it and watched this all till the end. A well executed video ;-)

[@mulle3574]

Love this...but in my craftroom they actually match just as they were from new....but nice to know they can get a new life later on...

[@dimitrijevasiljevic]

Great video on the project side,but again,the audio sounds muffled like you were underwater.Before the audio was crisp and clear so the videos sounded very professional now it sounds low quality.As far as the graphics go you're still doing an outstanding job!

[@SwitchAndLever]

Hi Samo! Yes, I've been testing out different recording equipment. To be frank, I didn't much like the way the recording solution I was using before was sounding, even if it was crisp. I've yet to find a solution that I'm fully satisfied with, so I hope you understand and stick with it as I work through finding something I'll enjoy, and works for everyone.

[@gailarnold2660]

I love your drawer labels :)

[@KimJimenez]

Loved this DIY! Thanks so much for sharing. :)

[@blackswanprepping8827]

You just turned a $20 cabinet into a $100 one! Great job👌🏻

[@GeneralBoboDK]

You are a disturbed, highly intelligent, talented, funny and detail oriented man! :D But mostly disturbed...! - Keep up the good work! :)

[@SwitchAndLever]

Teşekkürler Mehmet! Evet, ben çok deli, bazen 😉

[@jaytee2642]

Beautiful transformation! 👍🏻

[@tigergreg8]

Good ideas. You could do the exact same thing on a larger set chest, and get just as good if a result.

[@kajn3206]

I like it as it looks like in old shops

[@dscraft6358]

Beautiful work! Never thought Moppe could look that good. A couple of those would be nice in my workshop. I hade to check, and you can still buy those in Sweden 👍

[@BexDoesStuff]

"Pain builds character. Plywood dust however, slowly kills your lungs"

[@mechkitten]

I clicked because I wondered how the finger notches were filled it.

[@EudaemoniusMarkII]

Great job!

[@PhilipTeare]

I'm baffled by the thumbs down on this. Great video :) Definitely going to try it.Thanks.

[@UnknownMike89]

Wow your videos are so beautifly done

[@urbaninterlude]

Really useful and instructive video. Thank you!

[@Wojtik042]

A new S&L video, hurray. Great quality as always, thank you. ...now up up and away, to the Pinterest for couple of hours :-)

[@rsXlife]

I love this idea! This is a great channel, I just stumbled upon you. I love finding out new ways to update ikea stuff!

[@nayahahmed1296]

Brilliant video and the end gave me a laugh especially the pixelled "nargles" 😂 what are they have to know! . I have one of these drawers so I'm gonna give it a go as I was ready to throw it out as it's been looking so tired .

[@SwitchAndLever]

Good luck! Please show the result when you're done!

[@silversagapatterns]

This is beautiful! Thank you for sharing!