Combining Ikea Skarsta, Adils, and Alex Drawers for A Custom Sewing Table

The Skarsta table top, Adils legs, and Alex drawers weren’t exactly made to go together. The legs and drawers work well together, but the table top has very specific pre-drilled holes for a specific stand that I didn’t want. What I did want was the 63″x31″ table top. The table tops Ikea has that are made to fit the Adils legs are either 55″ or 78″—too short, and too long.

So We Hacked It Together

Ikea Skarsta table top, Adils legs, and Alex drawers.

1. First, you’ll need shorter screws than what comes with the Adils legs. I bought #10 wood screws at 3/4″ long from Home Depot.
2. I only used 3 legs because my Alex drawers were going to serve as the fourth leg.
3. Using the Adils metal plate as a template, we measured about 3⅜ square from the corner for the center of the plate and marked where the holes were. We actually lined up one of the holes with one of the predrilled anchors on the table. We had to use some fatter screws we dug out of my toolbox for that; #10 screws aren’t fat enough to fit the predrilled holes.
4. Using a 3/32 drill bit, we drilled pilot holes where we marked. Careful to keep a consistent depth that won’t go completely through the table. Fair warning: it is particle board, and it’s mostly hollow. However, at least 3 of the 5 screws for each of my legs ended up in solid portions of the table. It’s a little bit of a crap shoot, but the closer to the edges and the predrilled holes you are, the more likely you’ll hit solid areas instead of hollow areas. Or use a stud finder (thanks for the suggestion, Andrew!)
   

   Top-most screw is larger to fit pre-drilled hole.

5. The third leg on my table is a little odd in that we anchored it further in from the edge to account for the vent on the floor. We didn’t want the leg sitting on top of the vent.
6. We screwed the legs onto the table.
7. Get a bracket to anchor the table to the drawers if you want. I haven’t done that yet—and I may never. Depends if I get around to it and feel like it’s necessary. At the moment, I don’t feel like it is. But if stability is an issue for you, then go for it.

Not too shabby. The whole thing (minus the drawers which I already had) came to $85.

I also have two smaller table tops on caster wheels. They’re just a smidge taller than the Skarsta table because the tops are a bit thicker. But, after playing a little table tetris, I created a wonderfully spacious work area.

The flow in my sewing room is so much better now. I used to have to squeeze between tables and chairs and a desk against the wall. Now with my workspace concentrated in one area, I can move around the room so much more freely, making it so much easier to get to my peg board with all my rulers and cutting tools and such. Plus, I have an even larger cutting space which is great for keeping fabric from flopping onto the floor and cutting out extra long patterns like the Vogue Jumpsuit.

The area around my sewing machine is much more comfortable now, too. The old, wonky desk I was using wasn’t just small, it was restrictive around the legs, so getting up and sitting back down involved maneuvering around some annoying walls. I don’t have to deal with smashing my legs into the desk anymore, and my fabric won’t creep off the edge of the desk to the floor while sewing.

I love it.

Top: before. Bottom: after.